The religion of Jesus Christ strikes at the root of this selfish principle.  The very first act of the new-born soul is a renunciation or giving up of self—­the surrender of the whole soul to God.  The entire dedication which the Christian makes of himself—­soul, body and property—­to the Lord, implies that he will no longer live to himself, but to God.  “Present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.”  “For none of us liveth to himself.”  “They which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.”  “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”  Self-denial is, then, an entire surrender of our own wills to the will of God.  It is an adoption of the revealed will of God as the rule of duty; and a steadfast, determined, and persevering denial of every selfish gratification which comes between us and duty.  It is a seeking of the glory of God and the good of our fellow-creatures, as the highest object of pursuit.  In short, it is to “love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, might, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.”

By carrying out this principle, in its application to the feelings, desires, and motives of the heart, and the actions of the life, we learn the practical duty of self-denial.  This is a very important matter; for the Scriptures most fully and clearly cut off all hope for such as are destitute of the true spirit of self-denial.  Let us hear what our blessed Lord and Master says upon this subject.  “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.”  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.  For, whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”  “He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”  “If thy right eye offend thee, (or cause thee to offend,) pluck it out and cast it from thee.” We must follow Christ. Here we are taught that, unless we put away all self-seeking, and willingly surrender the dearest objects of our affections on earth, yea, and our own lives also, if need be, we have no claim to the character of disciples of Christ.  The glory of God and the general good must be our ruling principle of action; and we must not gratify ourselves in opposition to the will of God, or the interest of our fellow-beings.  Every action must be brought to this test.  Here is heart-work and life-work.  Self must be denied in all our spiritual feelings, and in all our devotions, or they will be abominable in the sight of God.