Self-denial is one of the defining elements of the followers of Christ. The Lord Jesus states in Luke 9:23, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Self-denial is an absolute requirement: if there is no self-denial, there is no following Christ. Since self-denial is so important, it is vital we know what it really is and how to do it.

What it is⤒🔗

The great Scottish preachers Ebenezer Erskine and James Fisher give a simple and accurate description of self-denial in their Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained.¹ Erskine and Fisher describe self-denial as giving up – giving up three things in particular.

The first thing to be given up is self-wisdom. We give up self-wisdom "when we are made to see our own depraved reason to be but folly, when compared with the wisdom of God revealed in his word" (1 Cor. 3:19).

The second thing to be given up is self-will. Self-will is given up "when God's will of precept becomes the sole rule of our heart and life (Ps. 119:105) and his will of providence is cheerfully acquiesced in as the best for us" (Rom. 8:28).

The third thing to be given up is self-righteousness. In giving up self-righteousness, "we submit to the righteous­ness of God, or found our plea for eternal life wholly and entirely upon the meritorious obedience and satisfaction of Christ, as our surety, in our room and stead" (Phil. 3:8-9).

How to do it←⤒🔗

Three truths are helpful to remember as we strive by God's grace to deny ourselves, giving up self-wisdom, self-will, and self-righteousness.

First, we find help when we remember we only deny ourselves by the Spirit's power. By His regenerating power, the Spirit shows us the foolishness of our own wisdom and lack of righteousness (Rom. 8:7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:10). He reveals our wisdom to be in the Person and work of Christ Jesus (Job 33; 1 Cor. 1:24; Heb. 1:1-3). He works in us the desire to deny ourselves (Phil. 2:13) and applies the righteousness of Christ to us (Rom. 3:21-26; Gal. 5:5). When we are tempted to despair at our failure to deny ourselves, we have the sure strength of the Spirit of Christ to encourage us.

Second, we find help in prayer. Prayer demands we give up self-wisdom, self-will, and self-righteousness. Pray­ing to "our Father which art in heaven," confessing His name to be "hallowed," and asking Him to "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" requires that we set aside our wisdom and trust His. Further, there is no room for self-will when we ask "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," and when we confess "thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever." Lastly, it is impossible to be self-righteous when truly asking "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:9-13). When you are struggling with self-denial, particularly with a sin you struggle with habitually, pray; God will answer your prayer and you will be strengthened by His wisdom, His will, and His righteousness.

Third, if we would deny ourselves, we must focus on Christ. It is hard to do any difficult task if we forget the reason why we are doing it. The same principle is true for self-denial. We will have no strength if we are not "look­ing unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2).

Further, our Lord says in John 15:4,

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me,

and in John 15:5,

without me ye can do nothing.

We must never forget that Jesus calls us to deny ourselves in the context of following Him: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself" (Luke 9:23).