THE CROSS AND SELF
Arthur W. Pink
“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any will come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” Matthew 16:24
Ere developing the theme of this verse let us comment on its terms. “If any”: the duty enjoined is for all who would join Christ’s followers and enlist under His banner. “If any will”: the Greek is very emphatic, signifying not only the consent of the will, but full purpose of heart, a determined resolution. “Come after Me”: as a servant subject to his Master, a scholar his Teacher, a soldier his Captain. “Deny”: the Greek means “deny utterly.” Deny himself: his sinful and corrupt nature. “And take up”: not passively bear or endure, but voluntarily assume, actively adopt. “His cross”: which is scorned by the world, hated by the flesh, but is the distinguishing mark of a real Christian. “And follow Me”: live as Christ lived— to the glory of God.
The immediate context is most solemn and striking. The Lord Jesus has just announced to His apostles, for the first time, His approaching death of humiliation (v. 21). Peter was staggered, and said, “Pity Thyself, Lord” (v. 22 mar.). That expressed the policy of the carnal mind. The way of the world is self-seeking and self-shielding. “Spare thyself” is the sum of its philosophy. But the doctrine of Christ is not “save thyself” but sacrifice thyself. Christ discerned in Peter’s counsel a temptation from Satan (v. 23), and at once flung it from Him. Then turning to Peter, He said: Not only “must” Jesus go up to Jerusalem and die, but everyone who would be a follower of His must take up his cross (v. 24). The “must” is as imperative in the one case as in the other. Mediatorially the cross of Christ stands alone, but experimentally it is shared by all who enter into life.
What is a “Christian”? One who holds membership in some earthly church? No. One who believes an orthodox creed? No. One who adopts a certain mode of conduct? No. What, then, is a Christian? He is one who has renounced self and received Christ Jesus as Lord (Col. 2:6). He is one who takes Christ’s yoke upon him and learns of Him who is “meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). He is one who has been “called unto the fellowship of God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9): fellowship in His obedience and suffering now, in His reward and glory in the endless future. There is no such thing as belonging to Christ and living to please self. Make no mistake on that point “Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple,” (Luke 14:27) said Christ. And again He declared, “But whosoever shall [instead of denying himself] deny Me before men [not “unto” men: it is conduct, the walk which is here in view], him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33).
The Christian life begins with an act of self-renunciation, and is continued by self-mortification (Rom. 8:13). The first question of Saul of Tarsus, when Christ apprehended him, was, “Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?” The Christian life is likened unto a “race,” and the racer is called upon to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset” (Heb. 12:2), which “sin” is in the love of self, the desire and determination to have our “own way” (Isa. 53:6). The one great aim, end, task, set before the Christian is to follow Christ -to follow the example He has left us (1 Pet. 2:21), and He “pleased not Himself” (Rom. 15:3). And there are difficulties in the way, obstacles in the path, the chief of which is self. Therefore this must be “denied.” This is the first step toward “following” Christ.
What does it mean for a man to utterly “deny himself”? First, it signifies the complete repudiation of his own goodness. It means ceasing to rest upon any works of our own to commend us to God. It means an unreserved acceptance of God’s verdict that “all our righteousnesses [our best performances] are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). It was at this point that Israel failed: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). But contrast the declaration of Paul: “And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness” (Phil. 3:9).
For a man to utterly “deny himself” is to completely renounce his own wisdom. None can enter the kingdom of heaven except they become “as little children” (Matthew 18:3). “Woe unto them that are wiser in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight” (Isa. 5:21). “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:21). When the Holy Spirit applies the Gospel in power to a soul, it is to the “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). A wise motto for each Christian to adopt is “Lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
For a man to utterly “deny himself” is to completely renounce his own strength. It is to have “no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). It is the heart bowing to Christ’s positive declaration “Without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). It was at this point Peter failed: (Matthew 26:33). “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). How necessary it is, then, that we heed 1 Corinthians 10:12: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”! The secret of spiritual strength lies in realizing our personal weakness: (see Isa. 40:29; 2 Cor. 12:9). Then let us “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1).
For a man to utterly “deny himself” is to completely renounce his own will. The language of the unsaved is, “We will not have this Man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14). The attitude of the Christian is, “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21)—to honour, please, serve Him. To renounce our own wills means heeding the exhortation of Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” which is defined in the verses that immediately follow as that of self-abnegation. It is the practical recognition that “ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19,20). It is saying with Christ, “Nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).
For a man to utterly “deny himself” is to completely renounce his own lusts or fleshly desires. “A man’s self is a bundle of idols” (Thomas Manton, Puritan), and those idols must be repudiated. Non-Christians are “lovers of their own selves” (2 Tim. 3:1); but the one who has been regenerated by the Spirit says with Job, “I am vile” (40:4), “I abhor myself” (47:6). Of non-Christians it is written, “all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s” (Phil. 2:21); but of God’s saints it is recorded, “they loved not their own lives unto the death” (Rev. 12:11). The grace of God is “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
This denial of self which Christ requires from all His followers is to be universal. There is to be no reserve, no exceptions made: “Make not provision for the flesh, to the lusts” (Rom. 13:14). It is to be constant, not occasional: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). It is to be spontaneous, not forced, performed gladly, not reluctantly: “And whatsoever ye do, do heartily, as to the Lord” (Col 3:23). O how wickedly has the standard which God sets before us been lowered! How it condemns the easy-going, flesh-pleasing, worldly lives of so many who profess (but vainly), that they are “Christians”!
“And take up his cross.” This refers to the cross not as an object of faith, but as an experience in the soul. The legal benefits of Calvary are received through believing, when the guilt of sin is cancelled, but the experimental virtues of Christ’s Cross are only enjoyed as we are, in a practical way, “made conformable unto his death” (Phil. 3:10). It is only as we really apply the cross to our daily lives, regulate our conduct by its principles, that it becomes efficacious over the power of indwelling sin. There can be no resurrection where there is no death, and there can be no practical walking “in newness of life” until we “bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 4:10). The “cross” is the badge, the evidence, of Christian discipleship. It is his “cross” and not his creed, which distinguishes a true follower of Christ from religious worldlings.
Now in the New Testament the “cross” stands for definite realities. First, it expresses the world’s hatred. The Son of God came here not to judge, but to save; not to punish but to redeem. He came here “full of grace and truth.” He was ever at the disposal of others: ministering to the needy, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, delivering the demon-possessed, raising the dead. He was full of compassion: gentle as a lamb; entirely sinless. He brought with Him glad tidings of great joy. He sought the outcast, preached to the poor, yet scorned not the rich; He pardoned sinners. And how was He received? What welcome did men accord Him? They “despised and rejected” Him (Isa. 53:3). He declared, “They hated Me without a cause” (John 15:25). They thirsted for His blood. No ordinary death would appease them. They demanded that He should be crucified. The Cross, then, was the manifestation of the world’s inveterate hatred of the Christ of God.
The world has not altered, any more than the Ethiopian has changed his skin or the leopard his spots. The world and Christ are still in open antagonism. Hence it is written, “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). It is impossible to walk with Christ and commune with Him until we have separated from the world. To walk with Christ necessarily involves sharing his humiliation: “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:13). This is what Moses did: (see Heb. 11:24-26). The closer I am walking with Christ, the more shall I be misunderstood (1 John 3:2), ridiculed (Job 12:4) and detested by the world (John 15:19). Make no mistake here it is utterly impossible to keep in with the world and have fellowship with the Holy Christ. Thus, to “take up” my “cross” means, that I deliberately court the enmity of the world through my refusing to be “conformed” to it (Rom. 12:2). But what matters the world’s frowns if I am enjoying the Saviour’s smiles!
Taking up my “cross” means a life voluntarily surrendered to God. As the act of wicked men, the death of Christ was a murder; but as the act of Christ Himself, it was a voluntary sacrifice, offering Himself to God. It was also an act of obedience to God. In John 10:18 He said, “No man taketh it [His life] from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.” And why did He? His very next words tell us: “This commandment have I received of My Father.” The cross was the supreme demonstration of Christ’s obedience. Herein He was our Exemplar. Once again we quote Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” In what follows we see the Beloved of the Father taking upon Him the form of a Servant, and becoming “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Now the obedience of Christ must be the obedience of the Christian—voluntary, gladsome, unreserved, continuous. If that obedience involves shame and suffering, reproach and loss, we must not flinch, but set our face “like a flint” (Isa. 50:7). The cross is more than the object of the Christian’s faith, it is the badge of discipleship, the principle by which his life is to be regulated. The “cross” stands for surrender and dedication to God: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, your reasonable service (Rom. 12:1).
The “cross” stands for vicarious service and suffering. Christ laid down His life for others, and His followers are called on to be willing to do the same: “We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16): that is the inevitable logic of Calvary. We are called to follow Christ’s example, to the fellowship of His sufferings, to be partners in His service. As Christ made himself “of no reputation” (Phil. 2:7) we must not. As He “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Matthew 20:28), so must we. As He “pleased not Himself” (Rom. 15:3), no more must we. As He ever thought of others, so must we: “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body” (Heb. 13:3).
“For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for My sake, shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). Words almost identical with these are found again in Matthew 10:39, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24; 17:33, John 12:25. Surely, such repetition argues the deep importance of our noting and heeding this saying of Christ’s. He died that we might live (John 12:24), so must we (John 12:25). Like Paul we must be able to say, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself” (Acts 20:24). The “life” that is lived for the gratification of self in this world, is “lost” for eternity; the life that is sacrificed to self-interests and yielded to Christ, will be “found” again, and preserved through eternity.
A young university graduate, with brilliant prospects, responded to the call of Christ to a life of service for Him in India among the lowest caste of the natives. His friends exclaimed, What a tragedy! A life thrown away! Yes, “lost” so far as this world is concerned, but “found” again in the world to come!
Thankfulness
by John Newton
(Letters written on the subjects of humility and depending on God 7/7)
October 10, 1777.
I am just come from seeing A--N--. The people told me she is much better than she was, but she is far from being well. She was brought to me into a parlour, which saved me the painful task of going to inquire and seek for her among the patients. My spirits always sink when I am within these mournful walls, and I think no money could prevail on me to spend an hour there every day. Yet surely no sight upon earth is more suited to teach one thankfulness and resignation. Surely I have reason, in my worst times, to be thankful that I am out of hell, out of Bedlam, out of Newgate. If my eyes were as bad as yours, and my back worse, still I hope I should set a great value upon this mercy, that my senses are preserved. I hope you will think so too. The Lord afflicts us at times; but it is always a thousand times less than we deserve, and much less than many of our fellow-creatures are suffering around us. Let us therefore pray for grace to be humble, thankful, and patient.
This day twelvemonth I was under Mr. W - 's knife; there is another cause for thankfulness, that the Lord inclined me to submit to the operation, and brought me happily through it. In short, I have so many reasons for thankfulness, that I cannot count them. I may truly say, they are more in number than the hairs of my head. And, yet, alas! how cold, insensible, and ungrateful! I could make as many complaints as you; but I find no good by complaining, except to Him who is able to help me. It is better for you and me to be admiring the compassion and fulness of grace that is in our Saviour, than to dwell and pore too much upon our own poverty and vileness. He is able to help and save to the uttermost; there I desire to cast anchor, and wish you to do so likewise. Hope in God, for you shall yet praise Him.
I am, &c.
H.T. Fire and Ice
But for the Grace of God-Preaching in Prison
by John Newton
(Letters written on the subjects of humility and depending on God 6/7)
September 16, 1775.
When you receive this, I hope it will give you pleasure to think that, if the Lord be pleased to favour us with health, we shall all meet again in a few days. I have met with much kindness at London, and many comforts and mercies: however, I shall be glad to return home.
There my heart lives, let my body be where it will. I long to see all my dear people, and I shall be glad to see you. I steal a little time to write another line or two, more to satisfy you, than for anything particular I have to say. I thank you for your letter. I doubt not but the Lord is bringing you forward, and that you have a good right to say to your soul, "Why art thou cast down and disquieted? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him." An evil heart, an evil temper, and the many crosses we meet with in passing through an evil world, will cut us out trouble: but the Lord has provided a balm for every wound, a cordial for every care; the fruit of all is to take away sin, and the end of all will be eternal life in glory. Think of these words; put them in the balance of the sanctuary; and then throw all your trials into the opposite scale, and you will find there is no proportion between them. Say then, "Though He slay me, I will trust in Him; for when He has fully tried me, I shall come forth like gold."
You would have liked to have been with me last Wednesday. I preached at Westminster Bridewell. It is a prison and house of correction. The bulk of my congregation were housebreakers, highwaymen, pickpockets, and poor unhappy women, such as infest the streets of the city, sunk in sin and lost to shame. I had a hundred or more of these before me. I preached from I Tim. 1:5, and began with telling them my own story: this gained their attention more than I expected. I spoke to them near an hour and a half. I shed many tears myself, and saw some of them shed tears likewise. Ah! had you seen their present condition, and could you hear the history of some of them, it would make you sing, "O to grace how great a debtor!" By nature they were no worse than the most sober and modest people. And there was doubtless a time when many of them little thought what they should live to do and suffer. I might have been, like them, in chains, and one of them have come to preach to me, had the Lord so pleased.
I am, &c.
H.T. Fire and Ice
Honouring God-Trusting His Methods
by John Newton
(Letters written on the subjects of humility and depending on God 5/7)
I promised you another letter; and now for the performance. If I had said it may be, or perhaps I will, you would be in suspense; but if I promise, then you expect that I will not disappoint you unless something should render it impossible for me to make my word good. I thank you for your good opinion of me, and for thinking I mean what I say; and I pray that you may be enabled more and more to honour the Lord by believing His promise: for He is not like a man that should fail or change, or be prevented by anything unforeseen from doing what He has said. And yet we find it easier to trust to worms than to the God of truth. Is it not so with you? And I can assure you it is often so with me. But here is the mercy, that His ways are above ours, as the heavens are higher than the earth. Though we are foolish and unbelieving, He remains faithful; He will not deny Himself. I recommend to you especially that promise of God, which is so comprehensive that it takes in all our concernments, I mean, that all things shall work together for good. How hard is it to believe, that not only those things which are grievous to the flesh, but even those things which draw forth our corruptions, and discover to us what is in our hearts, and fill us with guilt and shame, should in the issue work for our good! Yet the Lord has said it. All your pains and trials, all that befalls you in your own person, or that affects you upon the account of others, shall in the end prove to your advantage. And your peace does not depend upon any change of circumstance which may appear desirable, but in having your will bowed to the Lord's will, and made willing to submit all to His disposal and management. Pray for this, and wait patiently for Him, and He will do it. Be not surprised to find yourself poor, helpless, and vile; all whom He favours and teaches will find themselves so. The more grace increases, the more we shall see to abase us in our own eyes; and this will make the Saviour and His salvation more precious to us. He takes His own wise methods to humble you, and to prove you, and I am sure He will do you good in the end.
I am, &c.
H.T. Fire and Ice
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LETTER II
Strength in Trial
by John Newton
(Letters written on the subjects of humility and depending on God 2/7)
May 31, 1769.
I was sorry I did not write as you expected, but I hope it will do now. Indeed I have not forgotten you; you are often in my thoughts, and seldom omitted in my prayers. I hope the Lord will make what you see and hear while abroad profitable to you, to increase your knowledge, to strengthen your faith, and to make you from henceforth well satisfied with your situation. If I am not mistaken, you will be sensible, that though there are some desirable things to be met with in London preferable to any other place, yet, upon the whole, a quiet situation in the country, under one stated ministry, and in connexion with one people, has the advantage. It is pleasant now and then to have opportunity of hearing a variety of preachers, but the best and greatest of them are no more than instruments; some can please the ear better than others; but none can reach the heart any farther than the Lord is pleased to open it. This He showed you upon your first going up, and I doubt not but your disappointment did you more good than if you had heard with all the pleasure you expected.
The Lord was pleased to visit me with a slight illness in my late journey. I was far from well on the Tuesday, but supposed it owing to the fatigue of riding, and the heat of the weather; but the next day I was taken with a shivering, to which a fever succeeded. I was then near sixty miles from home. The Lord gave me much peace in my soul, and I was enabled to hope He would bring me safe home, in which I was not disappointed; and though I had the fever most part of the way, my journey was not unpleasant. He likewise strengthened me to preach twice on Sunday; and at night I found myself well, only very weary, and I have continued well ever since. I have reason to speak much of His goodness, and to kiss the rod, for it was sweetened with abundant mercies. I thought that had it been His pleasure I should have continued sick at Oxford, or even have died there, I had no objection. Though I had not that joy and sensible comfort which some are favoured with, yet I was quite free from pain, fear, and care, and felt myself sweetly composed to His will, whatever it might be. Thus He fulfils His promise in making our strength equal to our day; and every new trial gives us a new proof how happy it is to be enabled to put our trust in Him.
I hope, in the midst of all your engagements, you find a little time to read His good Word, and to wait at His mercy seat. It is good for us to draw nigh to Him. It is an honour that He permits us to pray; and we shall surely find He is a God hearing prayer. Endeavour to be diligent in the means; yet watch and strive against a legal spirit, which is always aiming to represent Him as a hard master, watching as it were to take advantage of us. But it is far otherwise. His name is Love! He looks upon us with compassion; He knows our frame, and remembers that we are but dust; and when our infirmities prevail, He does not bid us despond, but reminds us that we have an Advocate with the Father, who is able to pity, to pardon, and to save to the uttermost. Think of the names and relations He bears. Does He not call Himself a Saviour, a Shepherd, a Friend, and a Husband? Has He not made known unto us His love, His blood, His righteousness, His promises, His power, and His grace, and all for our encouragement? Away, then, with all doubting, unbelieving thoughts; they will not only distress your heart, but weaken your hands. Take it for granted upon the warrant of His word, that you are His, and He is yours; that He has loved you with an everlasting love, and therefore in loving-kindness has drawn you to Himself; that He will surely accomplish that which He has begun, and that nothing which can be named or thought of shall ever be able to separate you from Him. This persuasion will give you strength for the battle; this is the shield which will quench the fiery darts of Satan; this is the helmet which the enemy cannot pierce. Whereas, if we go forth doubting and fearing, and are afraid to trust any farther than we can feel, we are weak as water, and easily overcome. Be strong, therefore, not in yourself, but in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Pray for me, and believe me to be,
Yours, &c.
H.T. Fire and Ice
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