Dear Ariel, RP, SS, Eagle, et.al.
I have done some checking in online commentaries (at crosswalk.com) and in my personal library to see if I can find any support for your position that I die daily means that a Christian must die to sin/self daily in order to, I suppose, live a victorious Christian life.
Guess what?
All respected Bible teachers and commentators on scripture that I have found, without fail, disagree with you.
For example:
The excellent reference Hard Saying of the Bible (Intervarsity Press) says, I die daily, Paul writes (I Cor. 15.31), meaning, I am exposed to the risk of death every day, and that for Jesus sake. He says that he and his fellow apostles always carry around in our body the death of Jesus and explains himself by saying that we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body (2 Cor,4.10-11).
No metaphorcal meaning there.
I die daily which is to be understood, not in a spiritual sense of dying unto sin; he was dead unto sin, as to its damning power, through the death of Christ, and as to its governing power, through the Spirit and grace of Christ, but still it was living and dwelling in him; but in a corporeal sense: he instances in himself in particular, who was one that was in jeopardy or danger of his life every hour; he always bore in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, and was continually delivered to death for Jesus' sake; death was always working in him, he expected it every day, and was ready for it; he did not count his life dear unto himself, but was very willing to lay it down for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; which he would never have done, if he had not good reason to believe the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. (John Gills Exposition of the Bible)
Again, no metaphorical meaning.
I die daily--This ought to stand first in the sentence, as it is so put prominently forward in the Greek. I am day by day in sight of death, exposed to it, and expecting it, 2 Corinthians 4:11,12, 1:8,9, 11:23. (Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Jamieson, Fausset, Brown)
Once again, no allegorical meaning here, either.
I die daily, v. 31. He was in continual danger of death, and carried his life, as we say, in his hand. And why should he thus expose himself, if he had no hopes after life? To live in daily view and expectation of death, and yet have no prospect beyond it, must be very heartless and uncomfortable, and his case, upon this account, a very melancholy one. He had need be very well assured of the resurrection of the dead, or he was guilty of extreme weakness, in hazarding all that was dear to him in this world, and his life into the bargain. He had encountered very great difficulties and fierce enemies; he had fought with beasts at Ephesus (v. 32), and was in danger of being pulled to pieces by an enraged multitude, stirred up by Demetrius and the other craftsmen (Acts 19:24, etc.), though some understand this literally of Pauls being exposed to fight with wild beasts in the amphitheatre, at a Roman show in that city. (Matthew Henrys Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible)
Again, no symbolic language.
In its context die daily is figurative speech for Pauls proleptic experience of martyrdom in his repeated sufferings for the gospel. (Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament)
If there is figurative language, it is figurative of physical (not spiritual) death.
As for us, why do we endanger ourselves every day . . . I die daily (vv.30-31). The Greek phrase is strong: Paul risks his life daily to promote the gospel.(The Victor Bible Background Commentary, New Testament)
No symbolic language mentioned here.
v. 31. I protest, . . . I die daily. I am in daily peril of death. (Peoples Commentary)
Again.
die daily (kaq hmeran apoqnhskw). I am in daily peril of death, 2 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 11:23; Romans 8:36. (Robertsons Word Pictures of the New Testament)
Again.
I die daily I protest by your rejoicing, which I have - Which love makes my own. I die daily - I am daily in the very jaws of death. Beside that I live, as it were, in a daily martyrdom. (John Wesleys Notes on the Bible)
Again.
I have found NO respected Bible teacher that would agree with you tha I die daily means that we are to die to sin/self daily. This is NOT what this passage is saying, no matter how true the idea may be and, furthermore, it is wresting scripture to misuse and to teach others to misuse scripture in this way.
IMO.
\o/