Self-denial versus Passive Separation

Luke 9:23

Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23¹

And he told it before everyone*, Whoever desires to follow me, should curse his own self and take up his cross every day and follow me.

Gal. 1:8

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Excerpt from Lean the Bible² site:

The person that was hung on the tree was accursed so that the land would not be defiled. What does this mean? It means that the children of Israel were to put this man out of the congregation (death in the Old Testament) so as to not defile the land for those who were innocent. This applies very well in context with what Paul is saying in Galatians. If you have someone in the church that is preaching a false gospel, then it is very likely that there will be some young believers who will be led astray. So what were they to do? They were to “let him be accursed” or remove him from the congregation so that the rest were not defiled by his false teaching. In the New Testament we are not to kill those who do not preach sound doctrine, but we are to remove them from our church before they corrupt others.

So, I think in order to “curse our own self” at salvation is being crucified with Christ. In the Learn the Bible excerpt, a “separating” is being described. Perhaps this could also be the old man being separation from the Congregation or His Church as well.

Paul said in Romans 7:24, “Who shall separate me from the body of this death?”

To me, taking up our cross is Romans 12:1-3, a living sacrifice by His revelation and grace. It is our cross, sacrifice and will with His will by His power. It is Christ the inner Man in us.

It could also be a shadow of Colossians 2:14. Paul said the Father would reveal His Son in him, Gal. 1:16. He also said to partake in His death, Phil. 3:10. A dead man is no longer under the power of the law which (law) the enemy used against us. Colossians says it was “even contrary to us”.

So, we take up our (cross) revelation of Christ in us (individually & personally) and grow out from under the power of the law by revelation, experience and grace.