Many old time holiness people believed in taking the “death route” to crucify self. Someone said, “I was born twice, I died once, and I expect to live forever.” An old hymn in older Church of the Nazarene hymnals contained the song, “Let Me Die:”
“O God, my heart doth long for Thee; let me die!
Now set my soul at Liberty; let me die!
Die to the trifling things of earth;
They’re now to me of little worth:
My Saviour calls, I’m going forth; let me die.
Thy slaying power in me display; let me die!
I must be dead from day to day; let me die!
Dead to the world and it’s applause—
To all it’s customs, fashions, laws,
Of those who hate the humbling cross; let me die!
My friends may say I’ll ruined be; if I die!
If I leave all and follow Thee; but I’ll die!
Their arguments will never weigh,
Nor stand the trying judgment day,
Help me to cast them all away; let me die!
Oh, I must die to scoffs and sneers; let me die!
I must be free from slavish fears; let me die!
So dead that no desire will rise
To appear good or great or wise
In any but the Saviour’s eyes; let me die!”
A.W.Tozer said the following about crucifixion of self: “We must do something about the cross, and there’s only one of two things we can do—flee it or die upon it.”
The Christian that wants all God has for him/her, must come to a place of death; not the end of their physical life, but an end of their personal wishes and desires. When one comes to a place where all has been surrendered, where all is upon the altar, where all one wants is God’s will for their life, they have crucified self. This includes the future. The old timers called it the “unknown bundle.”
So are you holding on to something? Is there a part of your life you still control? Is there something you can do better or know better than God? Dying to self is a call of complete surrender to the One who loves your soul better than you do. So, what holds you back?
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