“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.”
The Chain
Paul names a specific, decisive event here, our old man is crucified with him, past tense, already accomplished, not an ongoing process still gradually happening, but a completed event, genuinely finished, worth holding as settled fact this whole final movement’s practice of freedom actually rests upon.
Notice that henceforth we should not serve sin, the specific outcome connected to this crucifixion, freedom from serving sin named as the genuine, intended result, not merely theoretical possibility but the actual, practical consequence this settled, past event is meant to produce in your own ongoing, daily life.
This is worth examining against however much your own struggle has treated the old man as still fully alive, requiring ongoing defeat through repeated effort, rather than this verse’s actual claim, already crucified, a settled fact to be lived from, not an ongoing battle still to be repeatedly, uncertainly won.
Whatever pattern you are currently struggling against, consider today what it means to actually live from this settled fact, our old man is crucified, rather than treating this battle as still genuinely uncertain, still requiring the old man’s ongoing defeat rather than his already- accomplished, historical crucifixion.
Break the Chain
- Consider whether you have been treating the old man as still alive, requiring ongoing defeat.
- Live today from the settled fact that this crucifixion is already, genuinely accomplished.
- Refuse to serve sin today, trusting henceforth we should not as this settled fact’s actual, intended outcome.
Prayer
Lord, my old man is crucified with you, already, genuinely accomplished. Let me live from this settled fact today, henceforth not serving sin, not still fighting an already-won battle. Amen.
Carry this today
The old man’s crucifixion is a settled, past fact, not an ongoing, uncertain battle.