The Christian life begins with an act of self-renunciation, and is continued by self-mortification . The first question of Saul of Tarsus, when Christ apprehended him, was, "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" The Christian life is likened unto a "race," and the racer is called upon to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset" which "sin" is in the love of self, the desire and determination to have our "own way" The one great aim, end, task, set before the Christian is to follow Christ—to follow the example He has left us and He "pleased not Himself" And there are difficulties in the way, obstacles in the path, the chief of which is self.