Prayer Meeting 9/7/2024

A Call To Self-Denial - Part 1

(Thomas Manton)

Watch the Full Sermon HERE

Well again it’s good to meet again at our puritan devotional meetings and prayer time. Tonight, and over the coming weeks we will once again visit the oxford puritan Thomas Manton.

Manton was known as the prince of preachers among the puritans. Most of his 22-volume works is a series of sermons. It was the start of the year we spoke from Manton on ‘And Carnal Lusts’, sharing from his sermons on Titus 2.

Tonight, I want to share not from his sermons. Manton wrote a treatise on self-denial, which is recorded in volume 15 of his work.

It’s also in a single book form. Not from the Banner of Truth, but I have seen it and you can buy it from amazon; I think it’s about £8.00. The full title is ‘A Treatise For Self-Denial - the way of surrender’.

A treatise is a written work, done so in a formal and systematic way, in order to pose and defend the subject matter. In this case self-denial. Manton does this in writing over 100 pages. His scripture text is:

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”.

I think what we have been talking about on Sundays, regarding spiritual gifts and one body many parts in order to serve one another - this hopefully you will find complements it. However, it is also very challenging at times, as I’m sure you’ll know that already when we think of our own battles we have at times with denying ourselves.

Before we enter in, let me read our puritan prayer. As of late, or quite recently, we will use the same prayer over the course of these teachings. Our prayer is from ‘The Valley Of Vison’, page 132 in the leatherbound version and page 74 of the paperback, and is entitled ‘Self-Deprecation’.

O LORD, My every sense, member, faculty, affection is a snare to me, I can scarce open my eyes but I envy those above me, or despise those below. I covet honour and riches of the mighty, and am proud and unmerciful to the rags of others; If I behold beauty it is a bait to lust, or see deformity, it stirs up loathing and disdain; How soon do slanders, vain jests, and wanton speeches creep into my heart! Am I comely? what fuel for pride! Am I deformed? what an occasion for repining! Am I gifted? I lust after applause! Am I unlearned? how I despise what I have not! Am I in authority? how prone to abuse my trust make will my law, exclude others' enjoyments serve my own interests and policy! Am I inferior? how much I grudge others pre-eminence! Am I rich? how exalted I become! Thou knowest that all these are snares by my corruptions and that my greatest snare is myself. I bewail that my apprehensions are dull, my thoughts mean, my affections stupid, my expressions low, my life unbeseeming; Yet what canst thou expect of dust but levity, of corruption but defilement? Keep me ever mindful of my natural state, but let me not forget my heavenly title, or the grace that can deal with every sin. 

No other work is greater in a Christian’s life after salvation than that of becoming one who utterly self-denies and serves Christ with complete abandonment. It truly encompasses and ought to epitomise all that a Christian is. Who showed more self-denial than anyone in history but our Lord Jesus Christ Himself?

If you had to look at every area in which you lack peace, or have a lack of patience, or a lack of compassion, or where you neglect your spiritual devotion. Or as we said on Sunday where you isolate, and don’t have the same mind as that of your brothers and sisters - behind it all, and within it all, will be a lack of self-denial.

Manton starts by writing about those two words ‘Deny himself’. In that, Manton writes how that ‘deny’ is not a partial deny, or in certain areas. But it’s as strenuous and as absolute as we would seek carnal worldly lusts.

Think of the times you labour over carnal things, or become engulfed in reliving arguments or disagreements. Or gossip towards you, or feeling hurt by someone. Or pursuing and obsessing over a thing, or a want, or a desire. To that degree is the level the word ‘deny’ means when Christ says it.

The Greek word for deny is

ἀπαρνέομαι – Aporneomia

• To disown, to forget oneself, to disassociate.

I love that: to disassociate. That is indeed what we must do. And what we often don’t do, with any deliberateness.

When we don’t fully deny ourselves it is because we keep associating with our old life and our flesh. We, in effect, don’t put off the old man.

Prior to Jesus saying this to the disciples, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him for saying He must suffer many things. Jesus then rebukes Peter in a very uncompromising way. In fact He likens him to Satan. Or in fact He talks to him as Satan.

Matthew 16:22-23

Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “get behind me, Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.

Notice what Christ says to Peter at the end, ‘you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ Your actions are about you and not Me. Your care is all about you not Me.

This is the issue with a lack of self-denial, it only serves self, even when its acting like it’s about care. Peter had protective caring language, when he says ‘far be it for you that this shall happen’. Referring to Jesus saying He must suffer many things and be crucified.

Serving others requires us to deny ourselves, Jesus done that completely, Peter has no understanding at that time of utter surrender to the will of God, and being a servant. We know he does become that.

But Manton adds this into the mix at the start of his work. He writes that Satan hates the work of redemption and will use means to stop that, even us - by our own lack of self-denial.

Maton compares Peter’s statement and pulling him aside at the same level as Satan trying to tempt Christ on the mountain.

When I read this from Manton I found my mind taking off on trains of thought; such is the profundity of the statement.

You see, Peter was hindering redemption through his own lack. Or should I say ‘attempting to’. Peter was pitying Christ when what he needed was to honour and submit to Him.

Manton writes regarding Peter and the ‘get behind me Satan’:

So strong an inclination had our Lord to die for us, that he looked upon carnal pity to his person with the same indignation and scorn which he did against idolatry and temptation.

Manton then writes:

Peter’s carnal counsel brings the occasion of the excellent lesson.

Here is what lesson I think is vital here: Without self-denial, we will go on a journey of self-healing, rather than redemptive healin

Do you hear that? A lack of self-denial hinders the redemptive work of Christ.

Okay… what if I put it this way? How many times, and how much effort do you, at times, put into fixing your pain and your troubles without Jesus? Without’ remembering’, as it were?

Maybe at times we would be way better of hearing at these times ‘get behind me Satan’. For in those times we are not ‘mindful of the things of God, but that of man.’ Self-denial allows Christ’s work to fix the issue.

I want to add one more thing to these thoughts at this point: Our lack of self-denial, our ‘carnal counsel’, truly I believe hinders the importance of redemption in our relationships.

It takes the work of Christ out of the equation, and puts our own desires at the forefront.

Over the years I’ve seen such fragmented, dysfunctional relationships, that are so toxic. All because the person, or persons won’t first deny themselves and let Christ’s work do the work.

Of course, not all relationships will have a redemptive result, but as much depends us.

Romans 12:17-18

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Okay, well that’s the opening page of Manton’s treatise. Yip - you heard it right: page one of the 100 plus pages. So that was a page on ‘deny’. Manton then, in his opening few pages, writes about the word ‘himself’. Just to warm us up I think.

When Jesus says ‘deny himself’ - Again it’s not a loose statement. Manton says ‘he will return again and again to this throughout’.

Those two words ‘deny’ ‘himself’ - Not a part of self.  Manton highlights the importance of the word ‘himself’.

Himself in Greek is:

ἑαυτοῦ -Hey- a - too.

Anytime this word is used for the subject i.e. a person, it’s said in an absolute way.

Maton says this is a being to ‘deny himself utterly.’ – Completely.

Again it’s a challenge when we see the importance of this verb and the subject matter. Because I’m sure we can all kind of deny ourselves ‘in part’ at times. But utterly, completely all of us, every part of us? No holding onto our own bit of security and safety, and our desired outcome.

With no holding onto our own little corner of the towel, or our own processes, or our own excuses.

Maton writes:

“ a man and all his lusts”

“ a man and all his interests”

“ a man and all he is attached to”

He adds:

“ in short, whatever is of himself and in himself.”

All of us, completely.

Again, I say brothers and sisters, is that not the crux of all our disappointments, our fears, our insecurities, our anger, our bitterness, our lack of peace? All of it can be traced back to a lack of complete denial of all we are.

Okay, that’s opening three pages of Manton’s work. And honesty I’ve left a lot out of that.

Manton then concludes his opening introduction by writing:

The point I will insist on out of the whole is that it is the duty of all that would be Christ disciples to deny themselves.

If that little few page introduction doesn’t make you hunger and thirst for more of what Manton has to say on this matter, I can honestly and boldly say, your lack of self-denial is going to be a real issue for you as you walk out your journey.

If that’s just a brush stoke of the first three pages and Manton’s introduction, you will know that we can but only get a flavour and a taste of the full work, which is what we will do over the weeks.

As Manton starts to open up and drill deeper into the subject, Manton starts with the depth in which we must self-deny.

Manton states:

He adds that, and I will paraphrase: That all we have that is ours in life, will set us up as a snare, all possessions and comforts, inward and outward must be denied.

Again this may seem somewhat extreme. But when you are a believer, who claims and has been called to live for Christ, it’s not extreme at all.

In fact, it’s true: all we have is a potential snare to kill our devotion and serve self.

Does that mean we shouldn’t at times take care of ourselves, or indeed be kind to ourselves as it were?

No, and Manton says so. But he adds caution by writing:

You must know when respect to self is culpable.

Meaning we must know when that part becomes a cop out.

How often can we use the excuse of ‘I’m not here to be abused’, or ‘I’m taking care of my own needs, or ‘I have a right, as its taking care of my spiritual walk’.

The issue with that is, that often that’s the beginning of not denying ourselves, and it’s our justification for not submitting, or letting go, or having our say, or fighting for something.

Maton gives great guidance and clarity on this matter when he writes:

The self which we must hate or deny is that self which stands in opposition to God or in competition with Him.

Too often we decide what is good and godly and good for us, and right. Maton calls it ‘self-intercepting’ at one point.

Isn’t that what it is? We intercept that which we could seek God on, and we parade it as if it was a righteous thing. What we have justified as righteous is in fact a lack of self-denial.

Again Manton has a wonderful way with words and calls it:

Self being sinfully respected

Manton puts these conflicts, as being ‘in competition with God’.

Ouch, isn’t that what it is at times? We are in fact trying to get what only God deserves. Aren’t those, as Manton says, not ‘special privileges’ reserved for God?

Yet we think we have a divine right to them as if we are gods. When in fact it’s only a series of being unwilling to deny ourselves.

Manton then gives four things we want to be that we are not, but God is. And I will close with them.

First:

To be the first cause, where all things are dependent on our being.

Manton writes:

It is the ambition of man to be a God to himself, who is sufficient for his own happiness.

We are not sufficient for our own happiness. We are not the chief good, we can’t attain it by doing things that bring satisfaction ourselves by our own actions and plans.

Second:

To be the chiefest good, and therefore be valued above all beings, interests and concernments in the world.

This is the idolatry 101 here. If you ever want to paint a picture of what a lack of self-denial looks like, then look no further than Manton’s statement.

Because a lack, of self-denial looks like: ‘I’m the most important, nothing and no one and nothing matters more than me and what I want.’

Look at an unhinged, unbridled sinner, and you will see that nothing matters other than their desires.

But Manton writes:

God is the chiefest good, so must have the highest esteem, valuing other things above God, is the grounds for all miscarriage of Christian duties.

Time has gone so I will only read the last two. I think we can gather the context…

Thirdly:

To be the highest Lord.

And lastly:

To be the last end in which in all things do at length terminate and centre.

Meaning in a nutshell: it’s all about me, and not Him.

He is the first and the last not us.

Amen.