Editorial April 17, 1909 Issue

THE DENIAL OF SELF

Annie M. Knott

The statement of Christ Jesus, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," seems to present some difficulties to those who do not yet see that a great giving up of error is necessary before we are fitted to receive the blessings of Truth. Mrs. Eddy says, "We cannot fill vessels already full. They must first be emptied" (Science and Health, p. 201). Most Christian people are willing to give up "things" for the sake of their spiritual advancement, but when it comes to the denial of self they are apt to be puzzled and sometimes they are unwilling to meet the demand. Some seek to appease conscience by giving up more things, or by assuming crosses which Truth does not call them to carry, but the demand of the Master upon each would-be follower is, "Let him deny himself." and without obedience to this there can be no true following.

It is well for us to be clear at the start as to the fact that we are never called upon to deny the man that God has made,—the one that is like Him in nature; in a word, that is spiritual. On the contrary, we must clearly recognize and insistently affirm the reality of the true selfhood,—God's idea,—and by our words and deeds demonstrate its verity. The fundamental error of the ages has been the belief in an existence separate from God and unlike Him. Not so long since it was believed that man's likeness to God was a bodily likeness; and it would have been thought presumptuous, to say the least, to have claimed a likeness in mind or character. Happily, however, this belief is disappearing before the teaching of Christian Science, that our likeness to God, infinite Mind, must be a likeness in nature and character, expressed in a spiritual selfhood which is separate from materiality,—a selfhood which is born, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God," to quote St. John.

We find that Christ Jesus began early to deny "the will of the flesh" which largely controls the mortal sense of manhood, and this denial involved the taking up of the cross at every step of the way. Our revered Leader says that the "cross, which Jesus bore up the hill of grief, was the world's hatred of Truth and Love" (Science and Health, p. 50). His mission was misunderstood and his character misrepresented because he denied material selfhood and insisted that his followers do the same. He denied this false claim of selfhood when he put his hand upon the leper and healed him; when in the face of derision and hatred he said of Jairus' daughter, "She is not dead," then waked her from the dream of death; and again, when he raised Lazarus from the tomb. Most mightily did he deny the mortal belief of self when on the cross he proved the powerlessness of hate and ignorance, and went to his glorious victory over death and the grave,—his victory and ours, if we are willing to deny the false self and to follow him.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Letters

LETTERS TO OUR LEADER