….our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin —Romans 6:6
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
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4 15 12 Journal, DJR
Good morning, Lord,
Thank you for the many ways you speak to me and show me things. This last Easter week was full of metaphor. I hadn’t been bothered by predators for several months, then Satan came to my house Saturday, in the form of a fox. In broad daylight he slaughtered one of my 3 red hens and hauled her off. Then around midnight I went to check on the girls and both remaining red hens were gone. One was laying there 20 feet from the coop, cold and dead, torn up and eviscerated … but not eaten. I was devastated. My chicken raising operation had been wiped out … down to one black chicken that Abigail calls Strawberry Shortcake? I went to bed sadder than I’d been in a long time.
Sunday Morning I heard a chicken outside and went to greet Strawberry. To my surprise and joy, there was my last red hen. She had escaped the fox attack and had survived out in the forest all night. What an Easter surprise. It was like she had risen from the dead. Thank You.
The comparisons gave me lots to think about. In every case your pain, anguish, sacrifice and return was infinitely greater … but this personal loss helped connect me to you and your sacrifice.
Like the fox, Satan left you earlier … for a more opportune time.
Like the fox, he comes to kill, steal & destroy.
Like my dead chicken, the tomb was cold and dead on Saturday night. And like Mary, I was devastated … because we didn’t see the future.
Like Mary, on Easter Morning, I had joy at the return of what had been stolen.
Like the prodigal, that which was lost has been found. We must rejoice.
Like the fox, Satan is my adversary. The fox wants my chickens. Satan wants my friends and family. I will stay vigilant against him on both counts.
Like Satan, who, If he had known … would not have crucified the Lord of Glory … that fox didn’t know that his actions have raised my counter measures to a higher level.
Thanks for all these lenses that provide different views into your sacrifice of this last week. For sure they are imperfect, but essential comparisons. Us humans, me at least, need this personal experiential stuff to help us connect to the spiritual realities. An experience like this does not make your death and resurrection more real … but it makes it more real to me. Thank You.
