What is Dying to Self and Crucifying the Flesh?

What is Dying to Self and Crucifying the Flesh

We hear the terms often.

How do we crucify ourselves?  How do we die to self? You can nail your feet to the cross, metaphorically speaking, and then one hand, and then what? You will need help with that third nail.

In other words you can’t do this yourself. This help only comes through the Holy Spirit. He is working every circumstance to bring you to an end of yourself. Every tough experience you go through is Him, helping you with your problem of needing to die to self. Your dying to self is Holy Spirit’s work.

This makes sense of Jesus’ words: “Pick up your cross”. March to your execution. “Deny yourself” ( Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:27 ). How? Yield to Holy Spirit. How do you do that?  Hear, listen, respond, obey His voice.

The Bible presents all this as a warning and as an encouragement. If you are suffering trials of many kinds, sometimes it is not because you lack faith (James 1:2-4 ). It is because God means it for good — the strengthening of your faith, the slow destruction of your self-life, the salvation of your soul ( 1 Peter 1:6-9 ).

Dying to self; crucifying yourself; mortification of self.

         1. Which "self" do they seek to die to? 

         2. Usually renouncing the "straw-man" of humanistic self-potential

 There is much misuse of the following scriptures:

             a. Matt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34; Lk. 9:23 - "take up cross daily"

             b. Rom. 8:36 - "put to death all day long"

             c. I Cor. 15:31 - "I die daily"

             d. II Cor. 4:11 - "constantly delivered over to death"

             e. Phil. 3:10 - "conformed to His death"

Understanding what it means to "deny ourselves"

(Gal 2:20)  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

This does not refer to a subjective (emotional) or  psychological (mind) denial,  not even a volitional denial (by one’s own will).

Denying ourselves is part of the process of sanctification by Holy Spirit.

Paul tells is in Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our “old man” is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” And verse 11, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD indeed unto sin, but ALIVE unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

Mirror Translation

Romans 6:6 We perceive that our old identity was co-crucified together with Him, this concludes that the vehicle that accommodated sin in us, was scrapped and rendered entirely useless. Our slavery to sin has come to an end.

6:7 If nothing else stops you from doing something wrong, death certainly does.

6:8 Faith sees us joined in His death and alive with Him in His resurrection.

6:9 It is plain for all to see that death lost its dominion over Christ in His resurrection, he need not ever die again to prove a further point.

6:10 His appointment with death was a once-off. As far as sin is concerned, He is dead.  This is the final testimony of the fact that sin’s power over man is destroyed. Now it is all life as far as God is concerned. His life reveals an uninterrupted union with the life of God.

6:11 This reasoning is equally relevant to you. Make the calculation, you died and are now alive unto God. You are absent to sin and present with God in Christ Jesus who is our Master.

6:12 You are under no obligation to sin, it has no further rights to dominate your dead body. Therefore let it not entice you to obey its lusts.

Giving Up Selfish Life:

(Rev 12:11)  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.

Did not love their lives to death: Dying of Self Process in the soulish realm)

DYING TO SELF/CRUCIFYING THE FLESH (Getting rid of selfishness)

Gal. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their lower  corrupt nature with its passions and appetites. (Rom 8:13)  For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify( put to death) the deeds of the body, you shall live.

We that are of Christ Jesus; we that belong to Christ Jesus;  are being "led by (His) Spirit" (Gal. 5:18) have crucified the flesh. (past tense) (Rom 6:11)  Likewise count/reckon yourselves also to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We nailed the flesh to the cross once for all when we became Christ's, on believing (Ro 6:3, 4), trusting, knowing who we are:  keep this now in a state of crucifixion (Ro 6:6)(Gal. 2:20) so that the Spirit can produce in us comparatively uninterrupted "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22). 

Man, by faith, is dead to the former standing point of a sinful life, and rises to a new life (Gal. 5:25) of communion with Christ (Col 3:3). The act by which we have crucified the flesh with its lust, is already accomplished  legally in principle. 

DEAD, BURIED, RAISED, SEATED WITH CHRIST

(Col 3:1-4)  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ our Life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.(everything He is)

Legally As Colossians 3:3 says, “  For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (which is to be TOGETHER AS ONE and hidden renders one as UNSEEN!) Therefore the enemy is rendered powerless for he cannot see INTO God!

Legally WITH CHRIST :

1.   We Were CRUCIFIED, (Gal. 2:20, Romans 6:6, Gal. 5:24)

2.   We DIED,  (Romans 6:8, Col. 2:20,Col. 3:3, Romans 6:10-11)

3.   We were BURIED, (Romans 6:4-5, Col. 2:12)

4.   We were QUICKENED/MADE ALIVE (Col. 2:13, Eph. 2:5)

5.   We were RAISED, (Col. 3:1, Eph. 1:19-21, Eph. 2:6, Col. 2:12)

6.   We ASCENDED, (Eph. 2:6,Eph. 4:8)

7.   and We are SEATED in HEAVENLY places IN Christ Jesus! ( Eph. 2:6) FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS AND EVERYTHING IS UNDER OUR FEET (Eph. 1:20-23)

But the practice vital aspect, or outward conformation of this life, must harmonize with the tendency given to the inward life" (Gal. 5:25) We are to be executioners, dealing cruelly with the body of sin, which has caused the acting of all cruelties on Christ's body with the affections-"with its passions." Thus we are dead to the law's condemning power, which is only for the fleshly, and their lusts (Gal. 5:23).

How to enforce that state of crucifixion and ascension: IT IS A FINISHED WORK

In the past I have always thought of sanctification as a process, however the Word clearly states that I am sanctified by one offering of the blood of Christ. So the process involved is not a process of being sanctified, but rather a process of renewing my mind to the fact that I am already sanctified!

* The work was finished before it even started (in a sense)! (Hebrews 4:3) "...although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8) "..the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

* We must appropriate the finished work by faith! (Hebrews 4:1-3) "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest..."

• Reckon (makeup your minds)yourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. Rom. 6:11
• Stop responding to what you see: lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, pride of life.
• Make no provision to gratify lust: Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." If we make just a small provision for the lust, it will rule over our body (Romans 6:12). If we don't make the provision, sin is less likely to occur.
• Acknowledge God's ownership of your body: God paid a high price for you. He sent His own Son to die in your place. We are obligated to live according to God's desires and not sin's desires. Let Christ live and reign in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:13 
• It takes time.(1 Peter 4:1-2 ). Crucifixion is a slow, painful  process  in the soulish realm. When we crucify our sinful desires;  Again IT IS A PROCESS,yet it is finished, see that!
• Get your mind off yourself. Use your freedom to serve others in love. Serving others in love  IS (becoming a living sacrifice)The solution to the flesh problem, is not trying not to sin. But rather living in service. Christianity is not about trying not to commit sin, but rather about becoming a living sacrifice. Paul talks about this in Romans 7. Whenever he tried not to covet, that activated the law of his members (the flesh) and caused him to do exactly what he intended not to. 
• Trying not to sin activates the flesh, perhaps because it puts the focus on ourselves. Trying to serve others deactivates the flesh, perhaps because it takes the emphasis away from ourselves.
• Quit seeing yourself as a sinner, but the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; become more righteousness conscious instead of sin conscious.

Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  Galatians 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me".

Religion seeks to reform a man; the cross has crucified him. But there are no wounds, no scars, no evidence of having ever died and what cannot be accomplished in a lifetime of self-effort was accomplished in Christ through the Cross. Only in Christ for Moses and Israel weren't able, in the flesh, to accomplish it.

The best self can do is religion.

We have died to the self-life of Adam, and are risen to oneness in the Christ-Life. Reckon/calculate yourself dead.

You have been crucified with Christ.( Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20 ).

However, we are called on to make this legal right-standing an increasing reality in our experience. To do this we need to yield to the dealings of the Holy Spirit and to co-operate in His work of changing us into the image of Christ (Galatians 5:25 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). 

This is what the Third Day is all about, shifting from a DOING (law-based) mentality, to a BEING (relationship-based) mentality.

IT IS A FINISHED WORK

The Holy Spirit’s desire is to bring each one of us to complete personhood, wholeness in spirit, soul, and body. What the Holy Spirit is up to is to bring the whole life of Jesus Christ in to the whole of our personalities so the whole love of God can be relayed to the whole world. 

We shall be perfected just like our Father in heaven who is perfect. His holy nature is going to fill my broken, weak, damaged parts IN OUR SOULSIH REALM. The character and constancy of my Father God will grow in me- His child to become a mature son. Whatever it  takes, He is committed to our completion.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Heb 13:20-21)  Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant) make you perfect (mature) in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Conclusion

Every negative, every embarrassment, every movement of self effort, knowledge based spirituality, any leaning on anything except Christ as my life must be exposed for what it is- The Illusion of independence and the ability to BECOME more spiritual. There is only ONE holy Life. Because of my union with Jesus, I am a partaker of that Life.

Christianity is Christ. Christianity is His character being expressed through my behavior, and that is what makes me the light of the world. What He is essentially, I am because of my union with Him.(I Cor.6:17)

You cannot earn a holy life, you cannot reproduce it, copy it, or anything else. You can’t memorize yourself into it, seminary your way into it. You want to know why? Because it is already yours, IF Christ is in you.

Holy living is NOT an achievement. There is nothing you can do by self effort to become more holy. Holiness is not a commodity that you need to get more of, neither is love or patience! You can’t get any of these “assets” by doing more.

Everything which God IS for us intrinsically, I am because of my inner union with Him for the world. I am an expression of His life, similar to when Jesus was asked to show the disciples the Father, He exclaimed, He who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9) Everything that happens to me in this life (good, bad, ugly- GOD DIDN'T SEND IT BUT WE COME THROUGH IT) is purposed by God to reveal to me that I live by the Life of Another- His Life.

Jn.5:19, 30, Jn.6:57, Jn.7:38, Jn.12:49-50, and II Cor.6:16. Amplified Bible

Love is not a commodity, it is a Person. Patience is not a commodity; it is the fruit of a Person- The Holy Spirit.

Dying daily means facing disappointments and disgrace with the same feeling that we face honor and fame, with UTTER INDIFFERENCE. Because both disgrace and honor involve a false sense of self, NOT OUR TRUE SELF. The True 'I' of you is ONE with God, NO SEPERATION. The task before us is to 'make the transition' from the false sense of self to the True Self who has it's BEING IN CHRIST ~