Dying to Self Meaning and the Abundant Life in Christ

When you consider the spectrum of life, it begins at birth and ends with death. Once you’ve become a believer in Jesus Christ, your new spiritual life begins and will live on through all eternity. What exactly is the dying to self meaning?

My prayer is that this helps explain the doorway to living God’s abundant life through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Dying to Self Meaning

Dying to self is part of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life.

John 3:3-7 tells us:

      3Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

When we come to salvation in Jesus Christ, we are born again with a new spiritual life. In our new life, we still continue to die to self as we grow in sanctification.

The dying to self meaning as we live this new life is setting aside anything pertaining to self and choosing God instead. Dying to self includes our wants and desires, efforts at self-control, our self-centeredness, our self-confidence, truly anything to do with self. 

In order to truly live, you have to die.

If you are ever going to be an ambassador in the hands of a God of glorious and powerful grace, you must die. You must die to your plans for your own life. You must die to your self-focused dreams of success. You must die to your demands for comfort and ease. You must die to your individual definition of the good life. You must die to your demands for pleasure, acclaim, prominence, and respect. You must die to your desire to be in control. You must die to your hope for independent righteousness. You must die to your plans for others. You must die to your cravings for a certain lifestyle or that particular location. You must die to your own kingship. You must die to the pursuit of your own glory in order to take up the cause of the glory of Another. You must die to your control over your own time. You must die to your maintenance of your own reputation. You must die to having the final answer and getting your own way. You must die to your unfaltering confidence in you. You must die. – Paul David Trip

What does it mean to deny oneself?

The biblical meaning of dying to self encompasses fully denying oneself. So what exactly does it mean to deny oneself? We’re told in Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 

To deny oneself or dying to self can only take place through total surrender. God wants you and all of you. He wants all that you are and all that you have – your whole heart, mind, body, and soul. 

When we profess our faith in Jesus Christ and repent of our sins, we are then identified with Christ in His death and resurrection. We are essentially professing (and symbolically through baptism showing) that we have died to our sins and have been raised up to new life in Christ. We are now living for the One that died for us.

Galatians 2:20 tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Dying to self means that our sinful ways and lifestyle that we once lived for self – our “old life” are put to death. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).

Our desires and pleasures that were not pleasing to God no longer have a grip on our lives. Instead, our lives are in pursuit of His glory and what pleases Him.

It’s not with the expectation of perfection, but the pursuit of holiness and gratitude for the new life we’ve been given!

Dying to Self Scriptures

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

I think many of us accept Jesus Christ as our Savior to pardon us from our sins and secure our place in heaven. We do the Christian life – pray, read our bibles, strive to do good, and love others. But is that the abundant life?

Where does dying to self come in?

It’s when we’re willing to surrender ourselves completely to God, humble ourselves before Him, and trust Him with our life each day, moment by moment. It’s the reality of whether or not Jesus is not just our Savior, but our Lord.

This really isn’t optional for Christians and the only choice that truly leads to the abundant life. Abundance is only found in Christ alone. – Not in our world, not ourselves, and certainly not in our sins of pleasure.

What does it mean to carry your own cross?

In Mark 8:34-35, Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”

The cross is a symbol of death. Jesus is telling His disciples they, too, must die daily to their own wants and desires and instead, follow Jesus.

Many times when people hear, “carry your own cross”, it’s thought to be our own burden to bear and a struggle we must face as Christians. Jesus asks nothing of us that He does not provide a way to make possible through Him. As we grow to live for Him, our desires and pursuits of Him grow!

When we attempt to live for Christ on our own, without walking in step with Him in humility, what is meant to be delightful – enjoying Him – turns into duty and drudgery. In humility, He pursued the cross. Our strength must come from Him and not ourselves. We’re nowhere near strong enough or capable on our own.

I love how John Piper explains denying yourself for more delight through these verses.

Practical Examples of Dying to Self

How does the dying to self meaning work out practically? What are practical examples of dying to self?

Dying to self in the bible, we’re told in Galatians 5:24, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”

We willingly submit, yield, and offer to God our sinful nature and self. This is not a one-and-done submission and yielding. It is daily, moment by moment committing ourselves to God rather than pursuing our sinful desires. It’s dying daily to sin, ourselves, and this world.

It is easy to identify the desires of your sinful nature. Galatians 5:19 tells us “the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealously, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.”

Paul says in Romans 7:18, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.”

Romans 6:12 reiterates, “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.”

It goes on in verses 13-14: So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

What a privilege to know we live under the freedom of God’s grace!

So in order to do this, we need to:

1. Recognize that nothing good lives within us – our sinful nature.
2. Admit we are weak and helpless to achieve true spiritual living without Jesus Christ.
3. Surrender ourselves daily – our will, sins, selfish ways, self confidence, and self-nature to God.
4. Trust in assurance and confidence that through the power of Jesus within us as believers in Jesus Christ, that the Holy Spirit will help us walk out our new life each day.
5. Commit to pursuing God’s will, heart, and purpose for our lives in humility.

Dying to self and surrendering all to God is truly the pathway to abundant life and freedom in Christ! It is through trusting the power of Christ to work in us, and not trying to take the reigns ourselves and work, or manipulate, or “try harder” to make it so.

Paul encourages us in Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” (Emphasis mine) 

Practical Examples of Dying to Self – Family

Consider your marriage, family, or relationships. Do you seek God’s will? Are there selfish tendencies that need to be surrendered?

Are you willing to give these to God and trust Him to work through you?

Practical Examples of Dying to Self – Work

Or consider your place of work or your business dealings. Are there areas you have felt the Lord’s promptings but you have dismissed because of fear? Does your work or business consume you more than Christ?

Is there something that needs to be yielded to God and given over to Him?

Practical Examples of Dying to Self – Future

Finally, consider your tomorrow and what the future holds. Does any consideration go to God’s plans and purpose for your life?

If you’re like me, these can be incredibly difficult questions to grapple with, especially knowing this is what Jesus insisted upon and required.

But in order to live for Christ, the dying to self must take place each day. Can we say as in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”?

When we do so, true love, joy, peace, and freedom is received unlike anything this world can offer. If there is any prayer you pray daily, let it be, “Lord, empty me of me so that I can live fully for you.”

Dying of Self Meaning Lived Out

I hope this helped shed light on the dying to self meaning. I pray God continues to stir within us so that we can live a truly holy and righteous life for Him through Jesus Christ. Remember, He gives His Spirit to guide our lives and the power of Jesus Christ to live victoriously! It is only possible through Him.

Related: For Your Sake

Related: Worthwhile Benefits of Putting God First