The grave mistake of asserting yourself in order to die to self

Although the religious zealots and enthusiasts for God are particularly prone to this error, we must all be on our guard not to commit the same mistake. The problem is that we are frequently tempted to use our own strength, our own assertion of ourselves, to supposedly die to self, which, tragically, has the opposite effect to what is often intended.

For example, when we proudly declare our beliefs, our righteousness, and what we see as correct doctrine concerning the condemnation of the self for the sake of God’s Kingdom and the elevation of Christ, what the person at the receiving end often sees is merely a proud and arrogant parading (and parody) of Christian faith. The pride and arrogance is born from our deepest desire to be the greatest, and at the head of the table (Luke 9: 46-50), and indeed to keep ourselves in check precisely for the fulfillment of this desire, so we can then assert ourselves over others!

This self-assertion while mimicking the death of self keeps the fire burning for self. It is a mimicking which, in turn, leads to a refusal to listen and learn from others; in other words, it leads to a refusal to be humble. To die to self, then, as Christ recommended in John 12:24-25, is not a defiant assertion of ourselves over ourselves, which then is boasted about and recommended to others, as if our personal vigilance and strength can do the work of purity and holiness.  Rather, dying to self is simply and only being humble before God, and our fellow human beings, assuming always that we are lesser than and not more than others (Philippians 2:3); that we are weak, and not strong (2 Corinthians 12:9); that we should always trust in God and not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6); and that beliefs and correct doctrine, by themselves, say absolutely nothing about the character of who we are. As James says so clearly in 2:19: ‘You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder!’

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