Crucified with Christ

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for all that Jesus accomplished for us, and what the Holy Spirit is doing within us. In a book I am reading (The Balanced Christian Life by Watchman Nee), in making a differentiation between the “objective” and the “subjective”, it highlights an important lesson in what we have received because of what Christ has done for us, and the ongoing work of the Spirit.

Romans 6v6-8 (New Living Translation) says “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him.” Child of God guess what, your old sinful self has already been crucified with Christ. It has been accomplished. You are no longer a slave to sin. This is the starting point, this is the objective fact, that we have been crucified with Christ.

But you might ask, how come I still see myself getting angry, or jealous, or lustful e.t.c. Now comes the work of the Holy Spirit (the subjective work). Because you are crucified with Christ, you are no longer a slave to sin. Romans 8v13 (Classic Amplified Version) says “For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.” When you notice something that is not of God, you agree with the Holy Spirit that this is not right, and you mortify it. Watchman Nee puts it this way “Tomorrow the Holy Spirit will mention to me another thing about myself that was already crucified, and it will indeed be crucified experientially if I am willing to let it go. The Holy Spirit tells me my temper has been crucified, and therefore I need not lose my temper; if I say, I am willing not to lose my temper, I will be given strength by the Holy Spirit not to lose it. The Holy Spirit tells me that my pride has been crucified, so I have no obligation to be pride; if I say, I am willing not to be proud, I will be granted power by the Holy Spirit not to be.” Hallelujah.

Let us be encouraged by these words from Romans 6v12-14 (New Living Translation) “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”

Prayer

Father we thank You so much for we have been crucified with Christ. We thank You because we are Yours and we indeed yield every part of us to be used to the glory of Your name. We thank You for Your Spirit in us and with us, through whose power we have victory over the flesh. Holy Spirit, we yield and submit to You. Have Your way in our lives and help us to live the life that glorifies God in Jesus name, amen.