To embrace the discipline of self control and self denial in our thinking, without making them a display of self righteous will worship, we need to put them into their bigger picture. Jesus identified this picture when he said, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
Our usual understanding of this command is to resign ourselves to some singular grievous burden ranging from cancer to hostile traffic lights. Or, we may think of it as putting aside something we like in order to be or appear “spiritual.” Neither of these relates to Jesus’ intention.
Jesus’ point is not giving-up something or enduring something. It is total surrender of authority to him - yielding to him the full right of sovereignty in all areas. The cross was a symbol of Rome’s governmental claim over its citizens, the right to take their lives. Although the cross spoke of the judicial right to exercise capital punishment, in Jesus’ usage it carries the same force that is felt by every member of a country’s military. Every serviceman or woman understands that they may be called upon to pay “the last full measure of devotion." Not all have, but all have been committed to the possibility, and the commitment to the extreme implies commitment to the lesser "deaths" necessary in a military tour of duty.
Therefore, the bigger picture of self denial in worship and self control in relationships has to do with a willing-to-die allegiance. Self denial and self control are the mindset, the dress uniform, the battle gear and the esprit-de-corps of Jesus’ patriots. With this surrender to Jesus and allegiance to him comes empowerment to develop new embedded orientations which make self denial and self control eternally purposeful.
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