To die to self, to keep the old nature nailed to the cross, is such a battle, isn’t it? And yet in the end it turns out to be not just any battle but the battle. If we win this battle, Jesus tells us, or rather if we allow him to win it in us, we win the entire war. And then the whole world wins.
“If anyone would come after me, they must deny themself, take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will save it.”
~Luke 9:23-24
Mitch Teemley 
Very astute point about “keeping” that old self defeated. This war is surely not a one-time event.
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Indeed it isn’t.
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The gravestone for my old self should read “stay here”
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(or “good riddance.” 😉 )
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Mitch, do you remember the Petra song, “Killing My Old Man”? Just wondering… The title sounded to the world like it meant something else, but in the light of this scripture, it made sense to Christians.
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No, I actually missed that one, Annie, but iI like the bait-and-switch angle.
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Amen.
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luke 34:48-49
praise the lord daily
his praise shall continue
to be in my mouth
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This is really masterfully conveyed in Joris-Karl Huysmans’ novel “En route”. He had to abandon his aesthetic way of life (Kierkegaard) completely and become a devoted Christian. The book explores this ordeal in details. I highly recommend it.
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I’ll check it out!
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awesome reminder, thank you!
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Put on the new self. Thankful for God’s grace. Good post. Blessings.
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His simplest and also most challenging lesson.
It never ceases to amaze me just how stubbornly that old self clings to life.
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Yes! That’s why I like the Luke version, which includes the word “daily” (although the other versions also use the aorist verb tense, to wit, “keep on taking up your cross”).
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Sometimes it really is hard to let go of our old selves, as they keep popping up again, usually at the absolute worst times. But you’re right…we really don’t have a choice!
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