Jesus said, "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone. But if dies, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it. He that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If man serve me, let him follow me and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name." (John 12:23-28.) "Then came there a voice from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." (12:28.)

This is Jesus’ reply to his disciples when Greeks came to them seeking to see Jesus and perhaps become his followers. (12:20-22.) Here are the conditions upon which you may become by disciples. The answer was not an easy one. It is still the most difficult thing for man to do; that is, to deny himself and, in effect, die to himself.

Jesus first spoke of his own coming glorification on the cross. This was obviously not something easy to do. Jesus prayed that the Father spare him and let the cup of suffering pass if it was possible. Then Jesus applied it spiritually to all who would become his followers. If you want to be my disciples, then you must die spiritually so that you may also be raised to a new life in Christ. Jesus was troubled, but what would he say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this cause came he unto this world. Even though it was supremely difficult, Jesus did not refuse to die on the cross. Neither should we refuse to die to self in order to be his servants. "If any man serve me, let him follow me." (12:26.)

Our death to self is not a brutal, physical death as Jesus’ was on the cross. But it is nevertheless difficult to do. It is the most challenging thing in life. It is the most crucial choice that you will ever make. It is so difficult that many who are in the ranks of the disciples of Jesus have never done it. They are afraid to go through with it! They have not made the commitment of becoming a disciple. They are troubled about it. They are the ones who know that they have not died to self. It is seen in their conduct of life and attitude. Even though this is a spiritual death, it is nevertheless a real one with evident consequences. Judas and Peter among the apostles are an example of one who refused to die to himself. Jesus once said to Peter, "When thou are converted, strengthen the brethren." (Luke 22:32.) Unconverted people who have refused to die to self are the cause of untold problems in the first century church and today. Think about the problems that are addressed in the letters to the churches. At the heart of those problems will be found people who have not died to the flesh.

"Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." (Rom. 6:3-7.)

"Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Rom. 6:11-13.)

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. . . . Lie not to one another seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." (Col. 2:5, 9-10.)

"Therefore is any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away and behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.)

There is a natural, I should say, fleshy reason why we do not want to die. The flesh cries out against it. It wants to be fulfilled, satisfied, and pampered. The flesh is afraid that it will miss out on something. It wants to stay alert and alive above all else. It refuses to die. The flesh is more than willing to allow Jesus to go to the cross. When it finds out that he does not have to go there, it is relieved. Yes, let Jesus go, but not me. The flesh does not understand the Gospel when it so reasons. It too must die. No, not a physical death as Jesus died. But it must die nonetheless.

"Flesh" does not refer to the physical part of man, but to the spiritual part that is sinful. It stands for man’s sinful nature. Listen to Paul:

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live." (Rom. 8:5-13.)

The refusal to die is based, in part, upon unbelief. The fleshy man does not trust God that he will be raised to a better life. He is rather satisfied with the live he now enjoys in the flesh. The refusal to die is also based upon fear. Death, whether physical or spiritual, is fearful. We had rather not experience it any of its forms. Death is painful. Jesus did not want to go to the cross. It was going to be severely painful and humiliating. The flesh cries out even the more against the cross that it too faces.

Different from a physical death. It is true that the spiritual death to the flesh is likened unto the death of Jesus on the cross. Yet there are some fundamental differences. There is no single moment when one can be pronounced dead and know that the flesh will forever remain dead. This is the troubling and difficult aspect of this doctrine. Why cannot we die and be done with it? Most Bible students acknowledge that sanctification is an on-going work. It is progressive. The battle against the flesh continues even after a sincere commitment to become a follower of the Lord has been made.

Count yourself dead to sin. Paul often uses the words, reckon, count and impute. Since this a spiritual death of the flesh, we must reckon ourselves to be dead to the flesh.

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:11.)

After you obey the Gospel, you must count or reckon yourself to be dead unto sin. It is important that you see yourself this way. Do not look at yourself any longer as the person you were before. Judas and Peter, along with many others, failed to do that. See yourself as God sees and counts you. He reckons you as being dead to sin and free from sin.

It is interesting to notice how Paul uses these words, reckon or count. Abraham’s faith and ours is counted unto us for righteousness. (Rom. 4:3, 22-24.) Our sins were counted as belonging to Jesus Christ. (6:10, 2 Cor. 5:21.) Our sins are not imputed to us any longer. (Rom. 4:8, 2 Cor. 5:19.) His righteousness is reckoned as belonging to us. (Rom. 5:19-21.) We should also count ourselves as being dead to sin.

Based upon a decision and commitment. This death of which we speak begins with a decision to follow Jesus Christ. It is like a decision to marry. In doing so, you put to death the previous life.

"If any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be." (John 12:26.)

I have noticed with mature people that this decision is meaningful and decisive. They remain faithful to the commitment that they have made. It is a life changing decision. They spend their lives growing in Christ and seeking to become more like Him.

A work of the Spirit of God. Have you noticed the number of references to the Spirit having a significant part in this death to the flesh? This death and birth to a new life is not accomplished by the will of man alone.

"For if you live after the flesh you shall die. But if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live." (Rom. 8:13.)

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16.) "They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (5:24.) The new birth is a birth of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5.)

The Holy Spirit is involved in giving life to you after the flesh is put to death. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." (Rom. 8:11.) "If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (8:10.)

The crucifixion of the flesh and the resurrection to a new life is accomplished by the power of the Spirit of God.