Denying Ungodliness
The sermon emphasizes the importance of denying the flesh, the world, and self in order to live a life of obedience and consecration to God.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the necessity of denying ungodliness by rejecting the flesh, the world, and self-love, advocating for a life of holy self-denial that is essential for obedience to God. He highlights that true faith involves a significant commitment to say 'yes' to God while simultaneously saying 'no' to earthly desires and selfishness. Simpson points out that many commandments are framed as prohibitions, illustrating that love often manifests in what it does not do. The essence of consecration lies in recognizing that we do not belong to ourselves but to God alone, reinforcing the call to live a life dedicated to Him.
Text
Let us say no to the flesh, the world and the love of self, and learn the holy self-denial of which so much of the life of obedience consists. We must make no provision for the flesh, give no recognition to our lower life. We must say no to everything earthly and selfish. How very much of the life of faith consists in simply denying ourselves. We begin with one great yes to God, and then we conclude with an eternal no to ourselves, the world, the flesh and the devil. Nearly every commandment of the Decalogue is a Thou shalt not. In First Corinthians 13, with its beautiful picture of love, most of the characteristics of love are in the negative-what love does not, thinks not, says not, is not.
And so you will find that the largest part of the life of consecration is really saying no.
I am not my own, I belong to Him. I am His alone, I belong to Him.
Sermon Outline
- Denying the Flesh
- Denying the World
- Denying Self
- The importance of holy self-denial
- Saying no to ourselves, the world, the flesh, and the devil
Key Quotes
“We begin with one great yes to God, and then we conclude with an eternal no to ourselves, the world, the flesh and the devil.” — A.B. Simpson
“I am not my own, I belong to Him.” — A.B. Simpson
“I am His alone, I belong to Him.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must make a conscious effort to deny our lower life and live a life of obedience to God.
- Saying no to ourselves, the world, and the flesh is a crucial part of the life of faith.
- We should strive to live a life of consecration to God, saying no to anything that is earthly or selfish.