When then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me….Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
—Romans 15:1-3, 7
If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
—Matthew 16:24
Christ pleased not Himself. Referring to both God and man, this truth is the key of His life. In this, too, His life is our rule and example; we who are strong ought not to please ourselves.
To deny self is the opposite of pleasing self. When Peter denied Christ, he said, “‘I do not know the man’ (Matthew 26:72). I have nothing to do with Him and His interests. I do not wish to be counted His friend.” Similarly, the true Christian denies himself, the old man. He says, “I do not know this old man. I will have nothing to do with him and his interests.” And when shame and dishonor come upon him, or when anything happens that is not pleasant to the old nature, he simply says, “Do as you like with the old Adam. I will take no notice of it. Through the cross of Christ I am crucified to the world, the flesh, and self. To the friendship of this old man I am a stranger. I deny him to be my friend; I deny his every claim and wish. I do not know him.”
The Christian who thinks only of his salvation from curse and condemnation cannot understand this. He finds it impossible to deny self. His life mainly consists of pleasing himself. The Christian who has taken Christ as his example cannot be content with this. The Holy Spirit has taught him to say, “I have been crucified with Christ, and so am dead to sin and self.”
In fellowship with Christ, he sees the old man crucified, a condemned criminal. He is ashamed to know him as a friend. Because the crucified Christ is his life, self-denial is the law of his life. This self-denial extends over the whole domain of life. To the self-denying spirit, the will and glory of God and the salvation of man are always to be more important than our own interests or pleasure.