Dying To Self
The Master answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. John 3:3 The term [anothen] is used to clearly define to Nicodemus in the text, his need to be made anew from the old form above to see God’s Kingdom.
Jesus of Nazareth’s universal appeal to the living soul is if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 2 Cor. 5:17
Jesus’ teachings and the central tenet of His Gospel message is that each disciple must be born again as a believer in Him to become a child of God.
An essential unspoken requirement of seeing the Kingdom and experiencing regeneration is the cross of “self-denial.” Willful self-denial is defined as the ability to forgo the selfish, physical, secular, cultural, religious, and egotistical desires of this world while wholeheartedly seeking the Kingdom of God.
The actual phrase, “die to self” is not noted in Scripture, yet it is closely related to The Master’s appeal of being born again and the high calling of a life of devotion to faith. The closest finding in the Bible is, “our old self was crucified with Christ so that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished… Romans 6:6
Some additional references are 1 Peter 1:23; Gal, 2:20, 5:24, 6:8; John 3:3, 3:36, 4:24; Romans 8:1,13, 12:1-2.
Dying to self is part of being spiritually born again by the Holy Spirit when the old self dies and the renewed self comes to life. John 3:3-7 One of the wonderful portions of John 3 is verse six “whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Strong’s Concordance defines flesh with the Greek term, [sarx] which means human nature, materiality, and independence from God working. Spirit is defined as [pneuma] which means the Holy Spirit is the life-giving creative force that is the very power and agency of God. The small case spirit communicates the power by which a human=being feels, thinks, wills decides: many contend that this is the soul.
Not only are believers reborn when coming into salvation, but they are also spiritually able to continue to die to themselves as part of the progressive nature of sanctification.
Quote
“The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy person out of an unholy world and make them holy, then put them back into that unholy world and keep them holy in it.” -Leonard Ravenhill
The Cost of Discipleship
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his classic Christian book, “The Cost of Discipleship” stated that when Christ calls a man/woman, He bids him/her come and die.” Such self-death epitomizes Christlike spiritual reformation and cannot proceed except as the very foundation which has been firmly laid and sustained in Christ alone.
Spiritual rebirth communicates just how the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God expose within each of us the vastness of our former ruined soul which depicts to a Holy God, our need of working out our soul salvation daily.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Philippians 2:12
There is nothing off limit in this process of redemption, we are not called to enhance but to replace our spiritually discerned ruined life through the process of sanctification of our thoughts, feelings, choices, bodies, social context, and hearts.
To be like Christ, one must willfully acknowledge Christ and His spiritual standards and requirements. This is done not be just by doing religious things, it is all about beholding and actively living in His presence.
Anyone finding his/her life will lose it, and anyone losing his/her life because of Me will find it. Matthew 10:39
A brief expository of Matthew 10
The context of this verse communicates the spiritual calling into discipleship by Jesus teaching and demonstrating aspects of the Kingdom of God into the world. In the early aspect of His ministry, He gives them authority to work miracles prior to Pentecost within the boundaries of the Nation of Israel.
Later, Jesus as the Son of Man and Rabbi to His initial disciples, prophetically tells them about every aspect of their commissioning which includes their persecutions. Within His warnings, the Master communicates an additional spiritual requirement in order to be a faithful disciple of the Kingdom, namely, the reverence of God Almighty.
This type of healthy reverence of God [Matthew 10:28], communicates respect, and awe that is inspired by dignity, wisdom, dedication, and obedience to living and faithful spiritual witness on the earth.
While being yoked to the very One who called, commissioned, and later, delegated them with all authority after Pentecost, God in heaven, who is unseen, is gloried on earth by those in Christ.
A Prayerful Devotion to God from David
Blessed art Thou O Lord God of Israel our Father, forever and ever.
Thine, O Lord is the Greatness and Power and the Glory and Victory and Majesty,
Indeed everything that is in the Heaven and Earth;
Thine is the Dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost Exalt Thyself as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou does rule overall.
And Thy hand is power and might, and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone.
Now, therefore, our God, we thank Thee and praise Thy Glorious Name. 1 Chronicle 29:10-14
Consequences for Faithfulness
The Spirit of God and supernatural Faith are needed by the faithful follower in bearing witness of Christ on the earth resulting in the following consequences in this age up to the second advent of Christ:
Disruptions within Family alliances: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.
Cultural/social/religious/political persecution: You will be persecuted/hated by everyone because of My name-but the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Godlessness: Spiritual reborn followers in Jesus’ day as it is at present, must discern all matters of “godlessness!” The Master forewarned that even in the midst of rampant godlessness, those in Christ must maintain spiritual integrity.
Proverbs identify at least four major signs of “godlessness” in our midst!
There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother. There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance. There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men. Proverbs 30:11-14
In an article entitled, “The Most Atheist Countries 2022” America is reported as reporting approximately 10% of Americans identify as atheists. America is 30th on the list worldwide. Although the dollar bill says, “In God We Trust,” belief in Christianity is at an all-time low.
Approximately 40% of American atheists are aged 18-29, and 37% of atheists are aged 30-49. This has been attributed to an increased exposure to diverse perspectives in multicultural societies, which dilutes the dominance of any one particular worldview.
Millennials and Gen Z are the most racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse generation in the US. [see where your country line up: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-atheist-countries
The Master stated that since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known, don’t fear! Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both the soul and body in hell.
Only those who are truly spiritually reborn of God are able to maintain spiritual integrity, never becoming hypocritical while having a divided alliance with the world. Faithful disciples of Christ will always publicly acknowledge Christ before the judged and condemned world.
The highlighted word acknowledge means [to speak the same, to agree, I publicly declare, I praise and celebrate my union and relationship with Christ publicly and privately.
Those who acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge them before My Father in heaven, those who deny Me, I will deny them before My Father. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace to the earth, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:32-34
The highlighted word sword metaphorically, is a weapon of war, for quarrels and dissensions that destroy peace. The sword with which the Spirit subdues is the fleshly impulses to sin [our ruined self-life] and proves its own power and efficacy in the life witness of the faithful follower.
In the above section Cost of Discipleship of this blog, I wrote, Spiritual rebirth communicates just how the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God expose within each of us the vastness of our former ruined soul which depicts to a Holy God, our need of working out our soul salvation daily.
The sword that the Messiah uses in the life of His called-out ones is the Living Word of God.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
In addition, all Scripture is Theos-pneuma, God breathe and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man/woman of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Taking up your Cross
Jesus of Nazareth said for I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever doesn’t take up his/her cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Matthew 10:35-38
Taking up one’s cross implies that the faithful follower willfully receives, lays hold of actively of the miracle of Spiritual regeneration daily, to follow, which defines to cleave steadfastly to the One who called and commissioned me. It also communicates the faithful follower’s willingness to conform wholly to Christ’s example in living and if needed, in dying for the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
In verse thirty-nine, Messiah states that anyone who finds his/her life [psuche, breath which defines one’s soul], will lose it and anyone losing [I kill, destroy, declare to put to death] his/her life because of Me will find it. Matthew 9:9; John 8:12, 12:26
Heavenly Light Amiss Darkness.
In review, an essential unspoken requirement of seeing the Kingdom and experiencing regeneration is the cross of “self-denial [being Spiritually anew] while learning and practicing a very healthy reverence of God Almighty.
Spiritual rebirth communicates just how the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God expose within each of us the vastness of our former ruined soul which depicts to a Holy God, our need of working out our soul salvation daily.
Spiritual reborn followers at present must discern all matters of “godlessness!” The Master forewarned that even in the midst of rampant godlessness, those in Christ must maintain spiritual integrity in spite of all forms of impending negative consequences for one’s conviction as a spiritual new creature in Christ.
Jesus offers this generation heavenly light amiss darkness. His daily offering to every human being is that He is the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, [personally or in the earth] but will have the light of life. John 8:12
He also provides willful living souls the opportunity to follow and serve Him faithfully on the earth in exchange to glorify the invisible God in Heaven on earth as His faithful disciple. He not only promises to be with His disciples, but where He is, His servants will also be there with Him, while receiving heavenly honor from the Father. John 12:26
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo
