Have you heard of “self-anointing?”
Question:
I would like to know the Church Of Christ views on "Anointing yourself Daily." I had not heard of this practice.
You are called to die, just like Jesus. You may not be called to die for your faith physically, but you are called to die to yourself so that you can live once again in Christ-likeness.
Losing your life for Him - Luke 9:23-24 KJV
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that His disciples would be His witnesses. The word "witnesses" is the same word as "martyrs." We may never be crucified, but we are still called to die. With us, it is bloodless martyrdom. We don't die in the flesh. We die to the flesh. If I am truly saved, I am a dead person, resurrected and walking in Christ-likeness.
Bloodless martyrdom for all Christians - Acts 1:8 KJV
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."Every morning, in acknowledgement of my death to self and my anointing to be like Jesus, I anoint myself with fragrant olive oil. I recall that I have died to the flesh and come alive in the Spirit, and my life is hidden with Christ in God. I am now dedicated to God. I am no longer my own. I was bought with the price of Christ's blood.
How to anoint yourself each day As you begin each day, you can recommit yourself to God by anointing your body with oil. Here are the eight parts of the body to anoint in this "Eightfold Anointing":
Head
Mouth
Eyes
Ears
Nose
Hands
Feet
Body
Answer:
"These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh" (Colossians 2:23).
The opening statement is somewhat like Romans 6:3-4, but Romans 6 is not about anointing but about baptism. "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4). Likely this person alluded to the passage so that people would say, "I remember reading something like that," but since they can't remember where (and the reference was not given), they would not discover that a substitution was made.
Next notice that the only two verses given don't mention anointing at all. Luke 9:23-24 is talking about dedication or commitment. Acts 1:8 wasn't even directed to all Christians, it was a statement given to the apostles about what would be happening to them shortly, which was fulfilled in Acts 2.
There is no passage saying we are to anoint ourselves as a religious practice. This is just someone making up their own religious practice. It isn't from God. "Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Proverbs 30:6).
