What Does It Mean to Die to Self? Understanding True Christian Surrender

Have you ever wondered how someone can go from being completely unreliable to becoming a powerful leader? The Apostle Peter's transformation offers us a profound example of what it means to truly die to self and live for Christ.

Peter: From Knucklehead to Rock

Peter was known for sticking his foot in his mouth constantly. He tried to tell Jesus what to do, argued with Him, and even denied knowing Jesus three times. Later, he argued with God during a vision and had to be corrected by the Apostle Paul for theological errors. Peter was that guy - the one who seemed to get everything wrong.

Yet this same Peter became the rock upon which Jesus said He would build His church. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached with such power that thousands came to faith. He became the main pastor of the Jerusalem church and was so filled with God's power that his shadow healed people as he walked by.

The Power of a New Identity

The transformation began when Jesus gave Simon a new name: Peter, meaning "rock." This wasn't just a rebrand - it was a type of crucifixion of Peter's old self so that a new man could emerge. Jesus was challenging Peter to die to himself so that Christ's identity could come alive in him.

What Does Dying to Self Actually Mean?

Dying to self is the process of surrendering your being, your identity, your wants, your dreams, and even your coping mechanisms - everything - so that the presence, power, and plan of Christ can live through you.

Many people get tripped up thinking that death is the end goal. It's not. The point is to empty yourself in order to be filled. The point is to prune what is dead so that which is alive can grow.

Biblical Foundation for Dying to Self

Freedom from Sin's Slavery

Romans 6:6-7 tells us: "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin."

Paul uses the imagery of slavery because in the Roman Empire, about 50% of people experienced some form of servitude. For most slaves, freedom only came through death. Paul is showing us that our old self - the person we were before Christ - was a slave to sin. That old person must die for us to be truly free.

Christ Living Through Us

Galatians 2:20 declares: "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."

This verse captures the awestruck moment when we realize what dying to self truly means - we die so Christ can fully live in us, through us, and over us.

Crucified to the World

In Galatians 6:14, Paul says: "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

Paul was addressing people who thought they needed Jesus plus religious rules. He's saying that Jesus is the standard - not our religious systems, not our family traditions, not our personal philosophies. Jesus alone.

More Than Just Avoiding Sin

Dying to self isn't just about saying no to obvious sins. It's about complete surrender to the Lord so He can redo our thinking. It means His thoughts become our thoughts, His words become our words.

We're not only dying to sin - we're dying to:

• Religious systems that we've trusted instead of Christ

• Self-sufficiency and the idea that we can handle life on our own

• Family dynamics and worldviews that contradict God's truth

• Anything that competes with Jesus as our standard

The Ultimate Goal: Being Filled with Christ

The goal is to be filled with Christ so you can:

• Follow Christ

• Be fulfilled by Christ

• Have fellowship with Christ

When we're truly filled with Jesus, we can endure anything - even watching those we love suffer for their faith, as Peter did when tradition tells us he watched his wife be crucified before his own execution.

Counting the Cost in Today's World

We must ask ourselves: Are we really in this? Around the world, Christians are being persecuted and killed for their faith. Even in Western nations, the freedom to openly share the gospel is being restricted.

The woman in Sudan who was executed with her three children wasn't thinking about church hurt or worship preferences in her final moments. She was focused on Christ alone.

This challenges us to move beyond soft Christianity to something real and authentic. People can see through fake faith, but they're drawn to genuine surrender to Christ.

Life Application

This week, examine your life for areas where you haven't fully died to self. Are there aspects of your identity, dreams, or ways of thinking that you're holding onto instead of surrendering to Christ?

True freedom comes not from holding onto our old selves, but from allowing Christ to live fully through us. Like Peter, we can be transformed from unstable and unreliable to becoming powerful instruments in God's hands.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What areas of my life am I still trying to control instead of surrendering to Christ?

• Am I willing to follow Jesus even if it costs me everything I hold dear?

• How would my daily decisions change if I truly believed Christ should be the standard for everything?

• Am I living with the kind of authentic faith that draws others to Jesus, or am I settling for comfortable Christianity?

The call to die to self isn't easy, but it leads to the most fulfilling life possible - one where Christ lives through you in power and purpose.