Goodbye Self

No one likes the feeling of being shunned… no one likes the feeling of rejected. This feeling is especially hurtful when it comes as a result of someone not wanting to be seen with that person or group.

In a recent movie, we see a scene like this play out. The movie is the Greatest Showman. A young affluent gentleman joins the circus to help bridge the gap between the common folk audience and the higher up audience. He falls in love with one of the performers… who happens to be African-American. All is well until… some of his old associates see him holding her hand. He abruptly lets go and the damage is done.

We are back in Galatians today and our teaching comes right off the heels of what we talked about last week. God does not judge by external appearance. God does not play favorites. This is a truth we are very thankful for today! Unfortunately, the world struggles in this area and I’m sure most, if not all of us, have felt this in our lives before.

What is it that fuels this issue in our lives? As I looked at the passage of Scripture for this week I kept digging to find the problem… the root cause of this issue.

Lo and behold… as I studied the text, the root problem was exposed. Why does the world judge? Why does the world shun? Why does the world play favorites? Why does the world play favorites? BECAUSE THE WORLD IS CONSUMED WITH SELF.

Self can be a problem… a BIG problem! What I mean by self is our human instinct, our impulsive reactions, our fleshly desires, our emotional and feelings-based self.

Defined, self is a person's essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection (emotional or mental) or reflexive action.

In a sense, your self is who you are on your own. It is what guides you, leads you, drives you, and makes you different from everyone else.

The problem with self is… it has been contaminated by sin. And once it has had a taste of sin… there really is no going back.

Ever heard of Lays Potato Chips? Anyone know what their slogan is? “Betcha can’t eat just one!” It’s a poke or some might even consider it a dare based off the taste of their product. They know that once you have tasted one… you will want another one!

Sin often comes with this same dare if you will. Sin comes as a pretty wrapped package. It looks good. It smells good. It is pleasing to our senses. We are tempted by it because it plays to our self. And once it is tasted, a person will often go back for more. And then… the true effects of sin are realized as the destruction begins to set in.

The problem with sin is… we have a preconceived idea to what the result will be. Doing these things will feel good. Doing these things will make me happy. Doing these things will make me well-liked. Sin will most often do what it can to make it look pleasing to our self.

Think about it for a moment… a person is not tempted to do something that can or will harm them.

I have never been tempted to stick my hand in a boiling pot of hot water. Why? Because I know what the result will be. I have never been tempted to punch a brick wall as hard as I can. Why? I know what the result will be. I have never been tempted to climb a locust tree or pet a porcupine. I know what the result will be.

The problem with our self is our fleshly desires if left unchecked will often gratify itself with sin. And I wnat to look at how that happens.

How Self Leads to Sin

And such is the case regarding our study today. Peter, the apostle, finds himself in a pickle. Paul is NOT happy with his recent behavior when he came to Antioch. And in response, verse 11 of Galatians 2 tells us Paul opposed him to his face. What brought on this opposition where Peter was clearly in the wrong?

Galatians 2:12–13 NIV

For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

Did you catch what happened? Peter used to hang out with and have fellowship with the Gentiles. Circumcised or not it made no difference to him. Why? Because Jesus was all that they needed! Their salvation was NOT based off the conditions of the law anymore. THEY WERE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST!

But when “certain men” arrived on the scene, Peter began to change. He withdrew from the Gentile crowd and began to hang out with these certain men. And the sad thing is… other Jews did the same. They followed his lead.

And what was it that caused Peter to do this? Scripture says it clearly… Peter was AFRAID of what these “certain men” might think of him if they saw him eating with the Gentiles.

Watch this: His fear of being rejected caused him to reject those he previously accepted. He did to others what he did not want to happen to… himself!!!

Peter was afraid of what MIGHT happen. Peter had a preconceived idea of how these guys would react if they saw him hanging out with what they MIGHT consider the wrong crowd.

His self allowed his fear to get in the way of his faith. His self allowed what he thought MIGHT happen to get in the way of what he knew to be true according to the gospel.

When life is guided by self, we are left with knowing what MIGHT happen. We make judgement calls based off what we know… or do not know.

When life is guided by God and His truth, we have the ASSURANCE of His promises and the comfort of His presence.

Our self operates with a limited understanding. Our self takes what it knows or thinks it knows, and formulates possible end results regarding the actions we are considering.

Peter turned his back on the Gentile converts for fear of what others might think of him. His self got in the way of growing and strengthening brothers and sisters in Christ.

Church, we need to make sure we do not slip into this same kind of mentality. We need to guard ourselves from being governed by our self or by the flesh and aim to have our minds set on what the Spirit of God desires.

Romans 8:5–9 NIV

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

What Peter did was damaging to his relationship with the Gentiles. His actions were observable and notable. His actions also inspired others to follow in his footsteps. His actions… were hostile to what God was working to do in that region.

So what steps can we take as believers today to make sure this same thing does not happen to us? We understand that our self can lead us to do things that are not good… but how do we say no to something that is a part of who we are? Well… the answer comes from the response that Paul gave Peter.

Goodbye Self.

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Here’s the deal… we cannot deal with our self on our own. That old self must be done away with. That old self must be crucified with Christ… nailed to the cross and done away with FOR GOOD.

But pay close attention here… as that self is crucified with Christ and laid in the tomb… IT IS NOT RESURRECTED through Christ. What is given in place of that old self is new life!

Thee would be no point for the old to be buried only to be resurrected the same as it was. Christ did not die so that we could remain the same. Jesus died so that we could be delivered, so that we could be transformed, so that we could be made new!

As that old self is crucified, we then come alive in Christ - we (our self) no longer live but Jesus lives within us!

What that means is I’m no longer living for my self… I no longer live to GRATIFY the sinful wants and desires of my flesh, but I live to GLORIFY the name that is above all names!

My mind no longer listens to the impulses of the flesh but is governed by the leading of the Spirit. Think about this, where Peter felt fear of what might happen, the Spirit grants peace to those who trust in God rather than self.

Looking back at that situation… if the “certain men” had a problem with Peter associating with Gentiles, then these guys are the ones who had the real problem. Peter moved from right to wrong as he gave into the “might happen mentality” instead of remaining stead fast in the true gospel message.

Church, we cannot follow our self and follow Christ at the same time. One will eventually give in as the other takes priority. Jesus literally gave His life to set you free from the fleshly, sinful impulses of our self. And… He made clear that if you want to follow Him, you’ve got to say goodbye to self.

Luke 9:23 NIV

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Anyone who wants to be a disciple of Christ… be a follower of Christ… must deny what? THEMSELVES. We’ve got to give it up! More than that… it needs to be crucified with Christ!

How many times does our self threaten to get in the way of what God wants to do? it can be the avenue in which doubt enters our life. It can be the avenue through which the enemy might try to tempt us. It might be the avenue through which fear enters in, feelings tell us how to act, or “might be mentalities” try to govern our response.

Peter walked away from what he knew was right… because he didn’t want to be wronged by others. He dodged being wronged by… wronging others. His self got in the way of living out the true gospel message and he led others astray.

In order for the true gospel message to be known… it must be taught… and it must be lived. Paul called out his companion for his error and misjudgment… and the Holy Spirit is here today to help us say goodbye to self.

Application

I said it earlier and it is worth repeating. We cannot deal with our self on own own. We need the help of Jesus with this and the good thing is… Jesus is here willing and waiting to assist!

It’s reflection time. It’s time to be honest. It is time to look deeply at our words and actions to evaluate just how much influence our self might have over us.

After looking inward… what do you find? Who are you following? Do you see a life of following Jesus no matter what? Or do see you moments of compromise… moments where self got in the way of His Spirit?

This is NOT a point on condemnation… this is an opportunity to say “you know what… I recognize that my old self is getting in the way and I desire for it to be crucified with Christ.” Anyone here today know what I am talking about?

Today… if you find your self pulling you from what Christ is leading you to do… it is time to say goodbye to that old self. It is time to deny it and follow Jesus.

And sometimes, church, we have to do this daily. Remember what Christ said regarding being His disciple. A person must deny themselves, take up their cross DAILY and follow Him. It is a daily choice… a choice of what direction will we go… a choice of being governed by the flesh or governed by the Spirit.

If you’re in this place and your choice is to go the way of Jesus… I want you to stand. I want you leave that self behind and stand to your feet.

And as you stand… prepare yourself to receive for those who are in Christ are a new creation… the old has gone and the new has come! Prepare to receive that new direction that new hope, that new life that can only come from Christ living within you!

PRAYER - deny self, receive new life from Christ, follow Him no matter what.