Why are we always talking about dying to ourselves?

why are we always talking about dying to ourselves in church? What is the big deal, can’t we just get rid of parts of us?  What if we just get rid of some of the bad things in our life?  What if we start doing some things better?  Why does it have to be die to ourselves and live for God,  why not live part time for God, and the rest of the time is ours?  In John 12:23-29 Christ says: “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ^ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ^ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ^ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ^Father, glorify Your name.”  Christ says in response to hearing that some people have come and want to see Him,  it seems like a strange commit after hearing that some are there to see you.  But it’s not really that odd once we see what Christ is saying to them.

He is saying don’t worry, your time is coming, but first I must go to the cross and raise from the dead.  I must do all this so that the glory of God can shine on all nations.  The seeds that are planted in spring must first die before they grow in the wonderful foods that we eat.  Before we eat that wonderful fruit or vegetable we should stop and think it started as a seed just a small good for nothing seed.  Then it was planted, watered and died but in its death came a wonderful plant or tree that brought much glory to that seed and nourished the bodies of those who partake in it.  In the same way we are to go out and bring glory to God in all we do.  Can we really bring Glory to God if we still hanging on to sin?  John tells us no in 1^st John chapter three; “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children.  Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.  Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God.  And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him.  So if we continue to live in him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.  But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. ⁹ Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God.  So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians^* does not belong to God.” (1^st Jn 3:1-10)

Christ was on His way to the cross, why?  It was not to bring Glory to Himself or those who followed Him. It was through being obedient to God, so that glory would be brought to God.   It was through the cross that Satan lost, that many, including us who are not Jews, came to be saved from our sins.  It is when we die to our own self and allow Gods Holy Spirit to enter into our life that we then are able to see God glorified in our lives.  Through allowing God to take control we can watch Him use us to see others come to know who Christ is and see them saved.  Who wants to come to serve a God who doesn’t changes lives, and all His followers do what they want to do?  But coming to God and giving our lives to Him means that we are no longer a part of this world, but we become a part of His Kingdom, we become His children.