We Must Deny Ourselves

~ Jon David Banks

All things in the kingdom of God have their beginning in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Colossians 2:8-10a, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of the Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete….”

We have been crucified with Christ, buried with Him through baptism and raised with Him into newness of life in the kingdom of God. It is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us; and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us, and delivered Himself up for us. This truth alone should drive us to our knees and impel us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Jesus and the Father. In so doing, we will find ourselves being led through the beauty of God’s glorious kingdom, and learning truths too wonderful to be imagined. 

Ephesians 4 speaks of the different ministries having been given for the purpose of the building up of the body of Christ —until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. In order to grow in Christ we must attain the knowledge of the Son of God. The word “attain” means to reach as an end, to gain or achieve. In other words, we are to seek the knowledge of the Son of God for as long as we are in our mortal bodies. We will be learning of Him until our last breath if we continue looking away from ourselves and submitting to Him.

Dear friends, there are many deterrents to keep us from submitting to Christ and learning of Him, all aiming to turn our minds to ourselves in an effort to distract us from Jesus, and to entice us to place our emphasis on ourselves. We must shun them all. We must deny ourselves daily, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, and Him only.

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant

Published by Jon David Banks

Separated at birth for the gospel (Jesus was seen in the delivery room by the attending nurse.) In my early twenties, I received the gospel through a revelation of Jesus Christ.