We see that we need to die to self, although our salvation is
not dependent upon how well we accomplish this. Yet, as ambassadors
of the ministry of reconciliation, our witness is dependent upon
how well we accomplish this. Dying to self, is never portrayed as
something optional, it is the reality of being born anew; unless we
are willing to see our old lives crucified with Christ and begin to
live anew in obedience to him. Dying to self is something you can
take very literal; you will die in every way possible in order to
be someone you are not.
This does not mean that when we “die to self” we become inactive or
insensible, nor do we feel ourselves to be dead. The entire concept
seems a bit strange to our natural eyes. Rather, dying to self
means that the things of the old life are put to death, most
especially the sinful ways and lifestyles we once engaged in. Dying
to self is not fun or easy, but what is particularly difficult
about fighting this tendency is that it is not exactly a behavior
or action. It can certainly manifest itself in those forms, but
underneath them is an attitude.
Dying to self is a real change of mind and attitude towards sin
itself and the cause of it. Dying to self is a change in our
principle action from what is by nature the exact opposite. Seeing
that our old lives are being crucified with Christ is an experience
of every one who is the subject of the grace of God. Dying to self
is not the experience of one man in two successive stages, but the
co-existence of the two experiences in the one man at the same
time. Which experience will we feed the most, the old nature or the
new nature?
