LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 5:40-42, “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to him who asks you, from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.”  Jesus

 

In the last page of the blog, the idea of being slapped on the cheek was discussed.  There are three more illustrations in this portion of scripture and they also deal with the idea of dying to self.  I have never been struck on the cheek; I wonder if I would turn the other.  But here lies the basis for what Jesus is saying.  What we do is important because it indicates who we are.

 

The teaching in the verses above are about the response one makes to anger and the desire for revenge as a response to what is done to him.  The Lord said there must be a time when the Believer no longer is concerned about what the world says and no longer cares what those around them say about them.  George Mueller said, “there was a day when I died, utterly died, to George Muller and his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval and censure, died to approval or blame of even my brethren and friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”  Did you notice the first thing Muller mentioned?  He said he died to self.  That is pretty difficult but, it is the key to what the Lord is teaching.

 

How can one do this, live like this?  How does one die to self?  According to D. Martin Lloyd-Jones there are several ways this must be approached.  First, each Believer must face the problem in an honest self-examination.  Do you know what upsets you, what grieves you, what causes you to be concerned about your pride and reputation?  If you do, you confess it and begin to pray God takes this from you.  Yes, it is difficult.  But it is a process that must be done regardless of the difficulty. 

 

Secondly, Lloyd-Jones suggests that you consider the people you are in contact with and ask yourself why you deal with them.  Why are you doing what you are doing?  Are you bringing glory to yourself or to the Lord? 

 

Self can be examined from a doctrinal perspective.  The devil was able to convince Eve and Adam to eat from the forbidden tree by appealing to their self-interests.  Self always means putting one’s interests before God’s.  This causes separation from Him.  So, any attempt to promote or glorify yourself separates one from God.  That is sin!

 

Here is the take away from this today.  God sent His Son Jesus to change the separation from Him caused by sin.  Jesus lived a sinless, selfless life while on earth; all He did was done to glorify His Heavenly Father.  He put Himself aside when on the earth by not considering Himself equal to God; He denied Himself.  For any one to believe in Him he must believe He came to die for their sin and that should create a desire to die to self.  Jesus came to not only die for sins but to create a people to walk in humility, to follow His example.  Jesus was very specific when He said, If anyone desires to follow Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24).  As Believers, we are called to a life of humility, a person who has died to self.

 

I have to admit, I am still a work in progress when it comes to this area.  This life that the Lord is talking about is not achieved by willing it to be.  It comes through struggles and self-denial.  It is only achieved by the Holy Spirit living within me.  The Lord seems to bring opportunities to me to help work on each of the areas He mentions in Matthew 5:38-42 – especially in the verses above today. Join me as I continue to study His Word, denying self and by trying to live the life style He desires.  It is quite the adventure!    

 

 

If you receive this blog through email, you can go to the regular blog page by moving your cursor to the top of the page and click on LEARNING DAILY header.  Then you can see the archived articles and comment section. You can also leave a comment by clicking on the date in the Comment Section.