It is a common misconception to distinguish between the term Christian and the term ‘disciple’. There is no difference. If you are a true believer, then you are a disciple of Jesus. The word ‘disciple’ simply means follower and a Christian follows Jesus. The misconception is that it is easy to be a Christian but being a disciple means sacrifice and suffering. However, it was God’s will for Jesus to save sinners by dying on the cross to accomplish our forgiveness. It was through suffering that Jesus saved us. And it is also through self-denial and cross-bearing we follow Jesus. The modern church has made it easy to be a Christian without demanding any change in men. True Christianity requires and results in change (Luke 9:23).
The first and key sign of a true Christian is self-denial. Self-denial is abandoning yourself. Without self-denial, there can be no change or transformation so this is where true conversion begins. Jesus gives you a new life because the old life is gone. His terms are to leave that old life behind. Matthew 7:13 says the gate is narrow and small that leads to life and few will find it. The small gate (self-denial) is unpopular and difficult. In contrast, the big gate provides comfort, pleasure, and fun. We must deny ourselves because we cannot be saved by our own efforts. Titus 3:5 says Jesus saves us not on the basis of our deeds but by His mercy. By God’s love and washing of regeneration through the Holy Spirit we are saved. This is received through self-denial and repentance.
What is self? Self is immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed (Colossians 3:5). These wicked things will bring God’s wrath and punishment. The most important issue we must address is how to rid ourselves of this wickedness, the judgment brought on by ourselves. Self is the fleshly carnal life of nature, the life of the first Adam, which is dead in trespasses and sins. The natural man is corrupt before God. Jesus said to come after Him, we must first get rid of self to be saved.
Denial means rejecting one’s self. Peter denied Jesus three times, distancing himself, and claiming not to know Jesus at all. Denying self says not I but Christ (Galatians 2:20). Your old self is crucified. You become insensitive to your old self, your sinful self, the self that was before meeting Jesus. That self is crucified and dead and now you live in Christ. In baptism, we bury ourselves and rise in the life of Jesus Christ. The Christian is dead to sin and given a new heart and life. Their desire is to live for Christ alone. When one denies their old self, they are able to trust Jesus in all circumstances. They realize the folly of sin and the goodness of the Heavenly Father (Luke 15:17). This is the process of repentance which is a gift of God. Many people try to change but fail because man has no ability to remove sin. Only in Jesus can the old go and the new come, because only Jesus was without sin and yet suffered in our place. He denied Himself in order to save us because we could not save ourselves.
Self-denial is not just at the beginning of conversion but a continual daily practice in our lives. We must not be like Simon in Acts 8:18-19 or Demas who went back to their old ways. We must not forget who God is and who we were and what we were saved from. We must not complain or be selfish when we don’t get what we want. Instead of blaming God, we must trust in Him even when it’s hard. Self-denial is self-forgetting; it’s forgetting our popularity or our accomplishments or what we did in the past. Jesus never boasted about what He did. He was always seeking the Father’s will. Self-denying is also humbly receiving correction. It’s hard admitting you’re wrong but it is a critical part of your sanctification. Without self-denial, it’s hard to grow in holiness. Matthew 6:33 Jesus says to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Self-denial is seeking Jesus’ will, His glory, and His sovereignty. Self-denial is child-like faith (Matthew 18:2-3). Faith trusts in the Father. When we are in trouble, we run to the Father like a child crying for help.
After denying self, Jesus says you must take up your cross daily. Interestingly, Jesus said this before He was about to be crucified. Under Roman rule, only the worst of criminals would be crucified. It is one of the most painful means of execution. Cross-bearing is the willingness to endure shame, persecution, and danger for the sake of Jesus Christ. This is not just enduring the hardships of daily life. Life is hard but that’s not cross-bearing. Cross-bearing is directly related to suffering with Jesus Christ. For Christ’s sake, we endure persecution. It is standing up for the Bible and the truth of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:31) Apostle Paul says he dies daily for Christ’s sake as he risked his life while preaching Christ in hostile cities. Wonderfully, cross-bearing leads to the joy of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2). There is a heavenly joy present in daily suffering.
Lastly, Jesus says “Follow me”. Again, this is a daily and constant following. He is the suffering Messiah and the risen Messiah. We follow the Risen Lord. Some say following Jesus is painful, but it is also worth it because it results in glory. That’s why the early Christians could follow Jesus no matter the persecution. Though difficult, God provides all we need to follow Him. The disciples were sent out to preach the gospel with nothing (Luke 9:3). But in Luke 9:22 Jesus asks if they lacked anything and they responded with “no, nothing”. God graciously provided what they needed. Spurgeon observed this same provision and joy when visiting George Muller. How good God is that provides everything that was needed to help 300 orphans. How did this happen? By the daily practice of a faithful man who denied himself, takes up his cross, and followed Jesus. If we also practice true faith, then God will provide for us as well. God’s provision can be our testimony. So deny yourself, bear your cross, and follow Jesus as a true disciple.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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