Chapter 2: Self-DenialConnecting Questions
If you were to practice the discipline of fasting, what kinds of foods would be most difficult for you to give up? During Lent, many Christians abstain from selected foods or practices; what might be their choices?
A Reading Adapted from The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Third Book, Chapter 7, “A Summary of the Christian Life. Of Self-Denial.”
When we examine what Scripture teaches about living as followers of Christ, we discover that one principle stands above all others as the foundation of genuine discipleship: self-denial. Jesus made this absolutely clear when He told His disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). This is not merely one option among many for Christian living, it is the essential starting point that determines whether we will truly follow Christ or remain trapped in the deception of serving ourselves while claiming to serve God.
The apostle Paul captures this principle perfectly when he writes that we should "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1). From this foundation, Paul draws the logical conclusion: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2). The great point here is that we are consecrated and dedicated to God. Therefore, we should not think, speak, plan, or act without considering His glory in everything we do.
"We Are Not Our Own" - The Fundamental Truth
The most revolutionary truth we must grasp as Christians is this: we are not our own. This simple statement completely overturns the way most people approach life. If we truly understand that we belong to God rather than to ourselves, it becomes clear both what errors we must avoid and toward what goal we should direct all our actions.
Since we are not our own, our personal reasoning and desires should not rule our decisions and plans. Since we are not our own, we should not make it our goal to pursue whatever appeals to our natural inclinations. Since we are not our own, we should forget ourselves and our personal interests as much as possible. On the positive side, since we are God's people, we should live and die for Him (Romans 14:8). Since we belong to God, we should let His wisdom and will guide all our actions. Since we are God's possession, every aspect of our lives should be directed toward Him as our only legitimate purpose.
Consider how radically this principle challenges our contemporary culture. We live in a society that constantly tells us to "follow our hearts," "be true to ourselves," and "live our best life now." Social media encourages us to promote ourselves, build our personal brands, and pursue our individual dreams. The entire advertising industry exists to convince us that we deserve whatever we want and that happiness comes from getting it. Against this cultural tide, Scripture declares that the path to true freedom and joy comes through recognizing that we do not belong to ourselves.
How transformative it is when someone truly learns that they are not their own and removes the government of their life from their own reasoning to give it to God! The most certain path to destruction for any person is to obey themselves, while the only safe harbor is to have no other will and no other wisdom than to follow the Lord wherever He leads. This should be our first step: to abandon ourselves completely and devote all our mental and emotional energy to serving God.
By "serving God," we mean not only external obedience to God's commands but the deeper transformation where our minds, stripped of their natural selfish desires, willingly respond to the Holy Spirit's guidance. This transformation, which Paul calls "the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23), represents the entrance into real spiritual life. Remarkably, this foundational principle was completely unknown to all the great philosophers of history.
The Contrast with Human Philosophy
The difference between Christian self-denial and human approaches to self-control reveals the inadequacy of purely human wisdom. Great thinkers throughout history have taught that reason alone should govern human life. They believe that rational thinking, properly applied, can guide us to live virtuously and find fulfillment. In their system, reason sits on the throne of human experience, making all the important decisions about how we should live.
However, Christian teaching calls for something far more radical. True Christianity demands that human reason step down from its throne and yield complete submission to the Holy Spirit. The goal is not simply better self-management but a fundamental change, where the person no longer lives for themselves but allows Christ to live and reign in them (Galatians 2:20).
Think about how this plays out in practical situations. When facing a difficult decision about our career, for example, human wisdom tells us to carefully analyze our options, consider our personal strengths and interests, and choose whatever will bring us the most satisfaction and success. Christian wisdom, by contrast, asks different questions: How can this decision bring glory to God? How can we serve others through our work? What choice demonstrates trust in God's provision rather than anxiety about our security?
The difference is not that Christians ignore practical considerations, but that we subordinate all practical concerns to our primary allegiance to God. We seek His will first, trusting that He will guide us toward decisions that ultimately serve our best interests, even when they seem costly in the short term.
Self-Denial as the Cure for Pride and Self-Centeredness
From this foundational principle flows another crucial insight: we are not to seek our own interests but the Lord's will, and we should act with the intention of promoting His glory. We make great progress when we almost forget ourselves, certainly setting aside our own reasoning, and faithfully commit ourselves to obeying God and His commands.
When Scripture instructs us to set aside private concern for ourselves, it does more than simply remove our excessive longing for wealth, power, or human approval. It actually pulls out by the roots our ambition and thirst for worldly recognition, along with other more subtle spiritual diseases. Christians should be trained and oriented to remember that throughout their entire lives, they are dealing with God. For this reason, just as they will bring everything to God's evaluation and judgment, they should direct their whole minds toward Him.
Anyone who learns to look to God in everything they do will simultaneously be turned away from all empty thoughts. This is the self-denial that Christ so strongly emphasizes to His disciples from the very beginning of their relationship with Him. Once this principle takes hold of the mind, it leaves no room for pride, showing off, and arrogance. Neither does it leave space for greed, lust, luxury, or other vices that grow from self-love.
In our current cultural context, this teaching directly confronts some of our most cherished assumptions about success and happiness. We are taught to believe in ourselves, to build our self-esteem, and to pursue our personal fulfillment as the highest good. The idea that we should deny ourselves sounds not only unappealing but psychologically unhealthy to many modern ears.
However, Scripture reveals that the opposite is true. When we try to build our lives around ourselves, we become enslaved to our appetites, insecurities, and constantly changing emotions. We become trapped in an exhausting cycle of trying to prove our worth and defend our image. True freedom comes when we find our identity and security in our relationship with God rather than in our performance, possessions, or other people's opinions.
Practical Steps Toward Implementing Self-Denial
Understanding self-denial intellectually is one thing; actually practicing it is quite another. Scripture provides practical guidance for how we can implement this principle in our daily lives. Paul gives us a helpful framework in his letter to Titus: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12).
Paul identifies two major obstacles that stand in our way: ungodliness and worldly desires. Under ungodliness, he includes not merely obvious sins but everything that conflicts with genuine reverence for God. Worldly desires encompass all the appetites and longings that pull us away from spiritual priorities. Paul then organizes all our actions into three categories: self-control, uprightness, and godliness.
Self-control includes not only sexual purity and moderation in eating and drinking, but also the proper use of material possessions and patient endurance when we lack things we want. Uprightness covers all the duties of fairness in our relationships with others, giving everyone what they deserve. Godliness separates us from the corrupting influences of the world and connects us with God in true holiness.
When these three areas are properly connected, they form complete spiritual maturity. However, nothing is more difficult than saying goodbye to our fleshly desires, controlling and even rejecting our natural impulses, devoting ourselves to God and others, and living like angels in the middle of a corrupt world.
Paul helps us by pointing to our future hope of eternal life, urging us to persevere because Christ, who appeared once as our Redeemer, will appear again to complete the salvation He has accomplished for us. This perspective helps us see through all the attractive distractions that would otherwise prevent us from pursuing heavenly glory. Paul reminds us that we are pilgrims in this world, traveling toward our true home in heaven.
Consider how this applies to contemporary challenges. When we are tempted to compromise our integrity for career advancement, self-denial asks whether we are seeking God's approval or human recognition. When we feel pressure to accumulate possessions to keep up with others, self-denial questions whether we are trusting in material security or in God's provision. When relationships become difficult, self-denial helps us focus on serving others rather than protecting our own comfort.
The practice of self-denial also requires us to regularly examine our motivations. Are we making decisions based on what will make us look good, feel comfortable, or get ahead? Or are we choosing what will honor God, serve others, and demonstrate faith in His promises? This kind of honest self-examination can be uncomfortable, but it is essential for spiritual growth.
Self-denial does not mean we never enjoy good things or that we should pursue misery for its own sake. Rather, it means we hold all good things loosely, enjoying them as gifts from God while being willing to give them up if He calls us to do so. It means we find our deepest satisfaction in our relationship with God rather than in temporary pleasures or achievements.
When we practice self-denial consistently, we discover something surprising: instead of making us miserable, it actually sets us free to experience the joy and peace that come from aligning our lives with God's purposes. We stop being driven by the exhausting need to prove ourselves and instead rest in the security of being loved and accepted by our heavenly Father.
Conclusion
Self-denial stands as the essential foundation of all Christian discipleship because it addresses the root problem of human sin: our tendency to make ourselves the center of our universe instead of God. When we truly grasp that we are not our own but belong to God, everything else about Christian living begins to make sense. This principle challenges our culture's emphasis on self-fulfillment but offers something far better: the freedom and joy that come from living for our Creator's glory rather than our own satisfaction.
Personal Reflection on the Above Text
What insights or questions about Christian living do you have as a result of this reading?
Related Scripture
Romans 12:1-2 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
Personal Reflection on the Above Scripture
What are a few of the main teachings from this Bible passage?
Discussion Questions
How does our culture's emphasis on "being true to yourself" conflict with the biblical principle of self-denial, and how can we navigate this tension in practical situations?
What are some specific areas in your life where you struggle most with the principle that "we are not our own"? How might applying this truth change your approach to these areas?
The chapter points out that self-denial is the cure for pride and self-centeredness. Can you think of examples from your own experience where focusing on God's glory instead of your own interests led to better outcomes?
How can we practice self-denial without falling into legalism or unhealthy self-hatred? What is the difference between biblical self-denial and mere self-punishment?
In what ways does Paul's framework of self-control, uprightness, and godliness provide practical guidance for implementing self-denial in our contemporary context?
Concluding Question
What spiritual direction might we take away from this discussion?
