Putting to death that which is dead . . .

Called up to serve in the military is a good illustration of salvation. God called me to be in His family, and as soon as that happened, I became a Christian. However, like a soldier goes to bootcamp, I had to learn how to act like the new person I already am.

There are two sides to this illustration. The other side is that old civilian life. It is over. Even though what a soldier does with it is not as extreme as what God does with a Christian’s old life, it still needs to be left behind. Simply put, the old life of believers is and always has been dead to God, separated from Him by sin. With the new life, I am continually learning how to deal with the old, continually realizing that it is a dead thing, separated from God and unable to serve Him.

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. (Romans 6:6–8)

A young missionary explained how that new life must continually be offered up as a sacrifice. She said, “The big problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.”

I’ve often quoted her, but it is not the new creation that gives us the problem of crawling away from God; it is the old nature, the part of us that refuses to lie down and quit. This is the reason God gives us the challenge of continually denying it, putting it to death. (I see myself beating it with a stick!) A dead thing cannot function and if we “consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” then it is easier to not allow sin to “reign in our mortal body, to make us obey its passions” (see Romans 6)

The book called “Atomic Habits” is about giving ourselves a strong new identity so that we can persist in reaching our goals. Without realizing it, the author is describing how the Gospel works, only we don’t do the “new person” part . . . God does. He made me a “new creation” and gave me a new identity. He tells me to live according to who I now am. As for the old me, I’m to reckon or consider that a dead thing, useless and interfering with new life.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:24–26)

This isn’t as easy as it might sound. The old nature does not want to go away quietly. How easily I can be conceited, even about my spiritual life. Yikes, that is an oxymoron. Conceit is bad for my spirituality, but it also provokes others to competitive attitudes. I can also envy others who seem closer to God than I am without stopping to think that such envy keeps me from being close to God. All such nonsense is to be crucified; it does not come from the Holy Spirit and the new life God gives.

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Lord Jesus, I’m thankful that the temptations to think such old dead thoughts are not sin; sin is giving in to them and letting them rule me. My challenge for today is to refuse to let any pride and envy live in my heart and to quickly recognize such deadness and put it in the grave where it belongs. May Your Spirit put life in and boot out any deadness that tries to take His place.

Today’s thankful list . . .

Blessed time of prayer with friends.

Answered prayer.

A good workout at the gym.

The ability to take a nap even with the television on.

Leftover chicken in noodles with veggies and sauce.

Sunshine after ten days of cloud and rain.

Being who I am . . .

Most parents are dismayed if they see their children put on different personas, depending on who they are with. We tell them to “be yourself” forgetting what peer pressure is like and how we all struggle with our identity from time to time. It can happen to adults too. I remember a couple of teens telling me that when their father answered the phone, they could tell who was calling just by the way he talked.

Peer pressure happens to Christians too. One pastor retired and became an insurance salesman. I remember him saying that people talked to him differently than when he was a pastor. He was shocked; the difference was extreme.

Back in the early church, a group that called themselves Christian were pressuring others to be circumcised. This was a mark of faith for the Jews and this group became insistent. They influenced Peter to the point that he changed his behavior when they were around. He had no problem fellowshipping with Gentile believers, but if one of that group was around, he would not do it. Paul rebuked him . . .

But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:11–14)

My first thought is the courage of Paul, a relatively new Christian, to confront and correct one of the original twelve disciples. This reveals how important the Gospel was and still is. Better to risk a rift than to compromise the truth. Yet this did not cause a rift. Paul went on . . .

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (Galatians 2:17–21)

He makes sense and speaks logically in his rebuke. He humbles himself to admit that he was crucified with Christ and now lives only because of Christ and faith in Him, the One who gave His life for Him. His righteousness is not his own but a gift from God.

The stronger thought for me today is to behave according to who I am in Christ. If I live according to the flesh, I am not only sinning against God, but confusing people. The flesh is a prideful monster that will put forward my best foot and hide my shortcomings and weaknesses. If I say I am saved by faith and crucified with Christ as Paul did, then behaving otherwise brands me as a hypocrite.

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Lord Jesus, we are driving south for a funeral, seeing cousins that I’ve not seen for a while. This is an important time to be transparent and walk by faith, as is every other time! Fill me with Your Spirit and grant grace and wisdom to represent You well. Help me to say and do what will most honor You and bless these family members as we say goodbye to one of us.

Today’s thankful list . . .

Safety on the road; we are halfway there.

A nice visit with my sister who is unable to travel with us.

Talking to both my brothers this morning.

Good conversation on the drive with my hubby.

Not raining too much.

Chocolate eclairs!

Now alive . . .

Devious. Not all the time, but sometimes even a small child with determination to have what he wants becomes devious in his efforts. No matter how often or how strongly he hears the word NO, he calculates how he can have that toy or that candy. Maybe by being sweet. Maybe by raising a ruckus. Maybe some sort of distraction, but the deviousness can be seen in his eyes. He is not going to give up easily.

Try that with God? I should know better by now. It does not work. God is Lord of all and no matter my efforts to cajole, persuade, beg or bargain, I can no longer get what I want simply because I want it. If the thing is in my best interests, He is generous. Otherwise, He knows how to deal with this spoiled child and all my self-effort . . .

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Why He takes drastic measures is obvious; sin has spoiled us all. But what does it mean to be crucified with Christ? Some analogies help me get the gist of it. One is that I was ‘in’ my grandfather’s loins before I was born so in a sense, whatever happened to him was also part of my future. That is, if he lived, I would live. If he died, I would die with him.

It is the same with Christ. God put me in Christ so that when He died, I died. Sounds grim, but then He didn’t stay dead. The resurrection is the jewel of the Gospel, the shining light, the hope of all who believe. Because Jesus rose from the dead and because I am ‘in’ Him, then I also have new life! And I’m not to forget it . . .

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4)

My destiny is summed up in these four verses. I died with Christ and am raised with Christ, exhorted to put my mind on eternal matters, remembering that the old me is dead and my life is ‘in’ Christ. Whatever happens to Him happens to me — and He is eternally alive and planning to return. He will transport all His people home to glory with Him.

Crucified? It is a done deal. I died in Christ and am raised to new life with Him. No matter what I do, I cannot change that. God did it, not me nor my actions or failures to act. Instead of trying to walk a different path, I can take His hand, turning away from life’s passing interests and temptations and whole-heartedly walk with Him.

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Jesus, sometimes the good news is so overwhelmingly joyful that my heart feels full to bursting. Thank You for including me in Your grand plan of salvation. Thank You that I can set my mind on things above. Thank You also that the things of this earth have lost most of their luster, not that they are fading but that such stuff has no appeal to a dead person!