A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 1 NO. 45                                        DECEMBER 26, 2004

“DENYING SELF”

PART XIII
BY STEVE NIEMEIER

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24).  This statement also applies to us today.  The question that we must answer is this, “Am I willing to deny myself and take up my cross and follow after Jesus?”  Last week we looked at the thought of us denying self as it pertains to dealing with those who we need to “mark” and how we are to treat them.  As we continue our study of “denying self” let us examine the thought of “denying myself” in my interpretation of God's promise.  In II Peter 3:9 we read; “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  In my examination of my life do I believe this statement of repentance pertains to me or someone else?

Do I have things in my life that I just will not give up?  You know what we are talking about, those things that we overlook in our life and think that God will overlook them also, just because we are “faithful” or at least seem to be.  Hebrews 10:26 reads; “For if we sin willfully after have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins”  Well, we wouldn't “willfully” sin would we?  Earlier in the 10th chapter of Hebrews the writer states; “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,”  When is the last time we thought about “stirring” up someone to promote love and good works?  Oh, we might be “stirring” up folks but it has nothing to do with love or good works!  Look around, are there folks in the congregation that need to be “stirred up” in love and good works?

Many of us have difficulty in just “stirring” ourselves up.  Our problems are bigger and worse than our brothers or sisters problems aren't they?.  “but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25b).  Are there some that are always on the receiving end of the exhortation but never on the giving end?  Is this the way it is suppose to be?  Do you suppose that these folks are “denying self” to fulfill this instruction from an inspired writer?  Am I one of these folks?

Of course there are other issues that we had just as soon overlook in our lives and we certainly do not want any of our brothers and sisters to know about them.  You know things such as “sneaking a little drink” every now or then and taking a “puff or two” from that cigarette or “taking a peek” at that provocative movie or magazine.  Why no one will know if I play the lottery and it is just for fun (of course if one wins and it is in the papers this was the only time they had ever played).  How about “slacking off” in our job or “stretching” our expenses for tax purposes.  Sometimes our train of thought is that scriptures such as II Peter 3:9 must be for someone else because God knows that we love Him and we would never do anything against Him.  In fact we have become so comfortable with this that we fail to “deny ourselves” as it pertains to the interpretation of what repentance is and who should do it!