The New Testament uses the phrase "dying to self" numerous times. In taking up our cross and pursuing Christ, it captures the true essence of the Christian life. Being born again involves dying to oneself in order for the new self to emerge (John 3:3–7). Christians are not only born again when they receive salvation, but they also continually die to themselves as part of the sanctification process. As a result, dying to oneself is both a singular experience and a continuous process.
Jesus frequently encouraged His followers to take up their cross—an emblem of death—and follow Him. He made it abundantly clear that if anyone wanted to follow Him, they had to give up their lives—spiritually, symbolically, and even literally, if necessary. This was a requirement for following Christ, who said that if we tried to save our lives on earth, we would lose them in the kingdom. But eternal life would be found by those who would lay down their lives for His cause (Matthew 16:24–25; Mark 8:34–35). Jesus actually said that those who are unwilling to give their lives for Him cannot be His disciples (Luke 14:27).
Romans 6:4–8 states that baptism is a symbol of the believer's commitment to die to their old, sinful ways and be born again into a new life in Christ. Being submerged in water during a Christian baptism represents passing away and being buried with Christ. Coming out of the water represents the resurrection of Christ. By symbolically portraying the entire Christian life as a process of dying to oneself and living for and in Him who died for us, baptism links us to Christ in His death and resurrection (Galatians 2:20).
Paul describes the process of dying to oneself to the Galatians as one in which he has been "crucified with Christ," and as a result, he no longer exists but Christ does. The old Paul, with his propensity for sin and worldly behaviour, has passed away, and the new Paul is the place where Christ dwells and lives in and through him. This does not imply that when we "die to self," we stop being conscious or responsive, nor do we experience death. Instead, dying to oneself means putting to death the things of the old life, especially the sinful behaviours and lifestyles we once followed. The sinful nature, along with its passions and desires, has been crucified by those who belong to Christ Jesus (Galatians 5:24). In place of the selfish pleasures we once sought, we now fervently seek God's will.
Scripture never presents dying to oneself as an optional aspect of the Christian life. No one can come to Christ unless they are willing to see their old life crucified with Christ and start living anew in submission to Him. This is the reality of the new birth. Jesus says that He will spit out the lukewarm followers who try to live partially in the old and partially in the new (Revelation 3:15–16). The church in Laodicea and many churches today shared this lukewarm attitude. Being "lukewarm" is a sign of a refusal to put one's self death and live for Christ. For Christians, dying to oneself is not an option; it is a decision that results in eternal life.
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