Extreme Asceticism and Self-Denial

            We are to obey God (Deuteronomy 11:1). It’s really that simple. If God calls us to go, we go. If God calls us to drop everything, we do. Why do we obey God? Because we love Him* (Luke 10:27).
            Now here we get to self-denial. As soon as we are saved and start loving God, our worldly possessions and accomplishments are to be counted as a loss to us (Philippians 3:4-8). We are to kill our flesh daily. Now, some in times past and present take all the self-denial found in the New Testament and conclude that we are to have nothing on this earth (extreme asceticism). They became monks or wanderers**, and proclaim that what they are doing is true Christianity. You’re not a follower unless you have no worldly possessions.
            They miss the point, but have the correct mindset.
            They are correct with their starting point. Everything we have is to be counted as loss. If something is getting in the way of our relationship with Christ, we gotta chuck it (Matthew 8:19). For instance, television is a big obstacle for many Christians wanting to grow closer to God. Chuck it!
            After that, however, they miss the mark. What doesn’t get in the way of our relationship with Christ we have to view as God’s. If we view our time, talents, and possessions as God’s, we will use them in a godly manner (and no longer attach the word “our” to them). That’s “A-okay” with everything found in the New Testament.
           Now, if every physical thing we had got in the way of our relationship with God, ascetics would be correct. That’s why Jesus called the rich man to give up everything he had (Mark 10:17-22). That was the obstacle, so it had to go.
           But that is simply not the case. Not everything we own gets in the way of our obedience to God. If we view those things as God’s and not our own, we’ll use them correctly and we don’t have to get rid of them. Look at Paul’s possessions in 2 Timothy 4:13:
           “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou (Timothy) comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments” (KJV).
           Admittedly, it’s not much, but that dismisses asceticism. Or at least the extreme side of it.
            If it’s not hindering your relationship with Jesus, and if God is not calling you to get rid of it, there is nothing in the New Testament that says we can’t use or have physical things. We are just to use them for God’s glory.

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            Ascetics seek to define self-denial in a way that is not in the Bible. Self-denial is not disowning physical possessions (Jesus wore clothes, right? Right?), but forsaking them (Luke 14:33). No longer is what we have ours, but is entrusted to us from God. We don’t own any one thing, we have to leave it for His name’s sake (Matthew 19:29).
            For instance, I "have" a bedroom. Biblically, it is not mine, but God’s. Therefore I have to think and act like it is not mine, because it isn’t! That means if my sisters want to use it, I have to allow them (as long as they are being wise with their use of it). If my relatives are visiting and need a bedroom, I am to allow them to use my room. Why? Simply because God’s entrusted it to me so that I can bless others with it.
            Now, ascetics (extreme ones) would want me to go sleep on the street.
            See the difference? Asceticism contradicts Ecclesiastes 3:13:
            “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, for it is the gift of God” (KJV).
            When we work, we earn money and/or physical possessions. That is (part of) the good of work, and Solomon says it is the gift of God. Ascetics would say we can’t have it.

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            No, asceticism makes legalism of what is supposed to be a willing and joyful obedience. It is because we love Jesus that we no longer own anything. We want to give God everything. Asceticism*** takes that up a notch and says that God can’t bless us by entrusting us with things.
            It is because we love God that we obey Him and deny our flesh. When you take a voluntary sacrifice out of love and make it a requirement to fulfill a duty (extreme asceticism), there goes the loving relationship. No longer do we look at God as a loving Father who bids us fellowship with Him, but a set of requirements that we must meet before we are acceptable in His eyes.

(Update on 1/18/14: This was my first stab at writing about self-denial. Looking over the post, it is okay at best. There are several other problems with extreme asceticism I didn't touch. Also, I didn't stress putting everyone above yourself. Living unselfishly not only with possessions but also time and actions. Oh well, I'll try again sometime.)

*I once had a mini-argument with someone over this. He said we are supposed to obey Christ out of love, not out of legalism. I agreed, but said obedience out of love is still obeying Him, because God calls us to obey Him out of love! We kinda went in circles over this. Good memories.

**Monks have done many wonderful things, and so have ascetic missionaries/wanderers. What I have to say about asceticism does not take away from that.
***Besides telling us we can’t have anything, extreme asceticism has another problem. It tends to glorify the lifestyle, and not God. Why is an ascetic a Christian? Well, because of his lifestyle, right? No, the correct answer is because he accepted Jesus’ free gift of salvation. Living life without things becomes the focus, not living for God. Everything becomes works-oriented, not heart/faith focused. But that’s another post.