Crucifying the flesh

[SoldierOfSoul]

"Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)

I have been thinking about this verse tonight and I was wanting some thoughts on it's meaning from other Christians.

Blessings!

 

[lutherangerman]

I would be mindful of being conscious of the whole paragraph this verse is situated in:

Galatians 5:22-26

And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law; and those who are Christ's, the flesh did crucify with the affections, and the desires; if we may live in the Spirit, in the Spirit also we may walk;let us not become vain-glorious -- one another provoking, one another envying!

Basically, it is about not allowing the flesh to harm our peace with God and with each other. It's not about wanting to eat something nice sometimes or enjoying sex with our spouse, but specifically the carnality that is in interhuman strive and conflict. To peace we have been called.

 

[Incariol]

Its the call for Christians to at least not be hedonistic, or follow some asceticism.

 

[singpeace]

Going back to verse 22 and the list of attributes one has if living in the Spirit;

22. The Holy Spirit, however, causes us to have love, joy, peace, and patience. He causes us to behave with kindness and goodness. He causes us to be loyal to other people. 23. He causes us to be gentle and to control ourselves. There are no laws against these things.

Christians should love God and people. And they should be humble. Christians like that show that they are obeying Jesus.

Joy comes when God forgives our sins (Psalm 5:11).
Peace and patience come by knowing God (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20; Isaiah 26:3).
God tells us to be kind to other people (Romans 12:10).
God expects us to be true to him (Luke 16:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 4:2).
He is true to us (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 1:9).
We must be gentle to other people (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13).
If we do not control ourselves, we do not please God.

24. Christ’s people have put their human nature to death. Their human nature with all its loves and desires has died.

 

[wayfaring man]

It also helps to consider potential "companion verses", such as -

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
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. <-----> Galatians 2:16-20

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. <-----> Galatians 6:14-16

Since the flesh and the Spirit are very much contrary to each other consistent denial is like unto a sacrificial death.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. <-----> Galatians 5:16+17

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: <-----> Colossians 3:1-5

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. <-----> Ephesians 4:22-24

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. <-----> Romans 8:13+14

He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me.
He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. <-----> Matthew 10:37-39

For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. <-----> 1st Peter 4:1+2

Basically the flesh only has a few years, but The Spirit has all of eternity...therefore the flesh is very short-sighted, while The Spirit sees "afar off".

Wherefore "crucifying the flesh with it's affections and lusts", signifies a disabling/destroying of the "flesh ruled mind", so that "The Spirit led mind", can lead us in The Way of Christ.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. <-----> Romans 8:5-10

That this is possible by faith indicates that the emphasis is one of disesteeming the fleshly minded things, in the light of how much greater/grander are the things of Christ's Spirit !

And this, like many things, is something which need be maintained on a day to day basis.

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. <-----> 1st Corinthians 15:31

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. <-----> 1st Corinthians 9:27

See Also ROMANS CHAPTER 6

May The Lord Be Pleased !

wm

 

[spiritual warrior]

"Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)

I have been thinking about this verse tonight and I was wanting some thoughts on it's meaning from other Christians.

Blessings!

Here's one I have used since a young man..."If you don't crucify the things of the flesh, the things of the flesh will crucify you."

The only way you can crucify (put to death) the flesh is by walking in the spirit. Read Romans ch. 8 verses 1-14 to learn what it means...it does not mean the esoteric thoughts that many attach to it today.

Walking in the spirit (small "s"...not big "S") means that we focus our minds upon spiritual, godly things so that our minds are tuned into God's voice, so that we can hear Him when He would speak to us. But we cannot walk in the spirit until we first renew our minds...memorize, think upon, and meditate upon the Word of God and the things of God.

We know when we are being successful because Godly things will begin to permeate our minds and thoughts...and then, and ONLY then, will we be able to be led by the Spirit, wherein is life.

 

[critical3]

1 Peter 1:14-17 (King James Version)


14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:




fear in the greek (in that verse) = phobos - a moral fear


we are to turn away from the fleshly/worldly lusts and turn to God.. seek to be Holy.


the fear: many Christians today no longer fear the consequences of living in sin, nor do they fear what their life may be/become outside of living for the Lord.

 

[lutherangerman]

I'm of the opinion that this isn't about something exotic, about certain spiritual feats to be achieved in regards to our flesh. It's simply about having other priorities, about escaping a certain lifestyle which the bible calls the flesh. "Flesh", in Pauline writings anyway, is mainly about trying to get righteous not through the Spirit who gives peace, but through aggressive things, through the self. Basically, when you deal with other people and don't have their peace and their best in mind, you are letting loose your flesh, your desire to disregard God who called you to a life of peace.

I wouldn't equal that with asceticism. To be or not to be ascetic is a personal matter. Paul writes that those who eat and drink do it in the Lord, while those who don't eat or drink do it in the Lord too. The problem of the flesh isn't found in these things, because I am not hurting anyone if I eat a piece of cake today and am glad about it in Christ, or if I fast to feel better about myself in Christ. These things are simply no problem in our faith because everything has become lawful to us.

The flesh is found more in the darkening of the spirit in terms of love and hate, like when I damn a brother because he likes to drink a beer sometimes or smoke a cigarette, or when I ridicule a brother who finds he must abstain from beer and cigarettes in order to please God. If we see ourselves as the measure of everything we create our own laws, so to speak, and that while we have just been liberated from the law in Jesus Christ and in His cross. But we are free indeed now, yet so that we could love more.

 

[Maremma]

Try to think of how you were before you got saved. REALLY think hard about it, right down to attitudes, emotions etc.

Now think about how you are now.

Can you identify things that you once found quite "acceptable" and thought and felt there was nothing wrong them maybe felt no guilt about etc but now when you consider that thought emotion or action you feel repulsed by it?

That specific ungodly attitude.emotion/act has been crucified. It is literally dead to you.It is not something that you would ever "do" again because it is now so completely against your new God nature. (sanctification removed the sin right through and through with NOTHING left of it. Nailed to the cross and left behind you)

Now think about things (be honest with yourself) that based on scripture are not Godly thoughts, emotions, deeds. Yet you still fight not to think,feel or do them. These things you are still fighting. They have NOT been crucified yet. They are not totally dead to you and are are still a threat to your walk with the Lord. These are the things that the Holy Spirit is working to help you completely and totally nail to that cross so that it is eternally dead to you. Process of sanctification goes on through out our lifetimes.

 

[Johnnz]

'Flesh does not refer to our natural human feelings, drives, etc. Basically, Paul uses the word 'flesh' in contrast to 'life in the Spirit'. 'Flesh' is all that is outside of the life of Christ, what people live by without recognition of God. Nor is it some inner part of us. The NT teaches that we become people within whom the life of Christ dwells by the Holy Spirit, creating within us the desires to relate to our Father just as He always does.

To crucify the flesh is to live out of the life of Christ instead of what we lived by and for when we did not know him. We live and think differently, what Paul calls 'being transformed by the renewing of your mind', with a radically altered perspective about life.

John
NZ

 

[aiki]

"Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)

I have been thinking about this verse tonight and I was wanting some thoughts on it's meaning from other Christians.

Blessings!

You'll notice that the verse says "have crucified" - past tense - of those who belong to Christ. Why is that? Paul explains in detail in Romans 6.

Romans 6:5-7
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that 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.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

The truth is that every believer in Christ is crucified with him spiritually at the moment of their conversion. What does this mean? Paul explains some more in Galatians 3.

Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me.

So, Paul has declared that every believer is crucified with Christ which means:

1. Freedom from sin. A Christian is no longer a slave to sin. Paul explains:

Romans 6:10-14
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

2. A life lived in Christ. Paul explains:

Romans 13:12-14
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Philippians 1:21
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Selah.

 

[Maremma]

Flesh indeed IS anything sinful/ against God. That includes "feelings"/"emotions" "attitudes" that are contrary to God's nature. They start in the mind move to our hearts and then influence our actions. Thus why we need the renewal of the mind in the first place.

If we walk around getting angry at people all the time that is an emotion/feeling that comes not from the Holy Spirit but rather from some fleshy issue that needs nailed to the cross and "put to death" in us. Envy, hate, pride, bitterness are all examples of emotions that need crucified to walk close to the Lord. Those were once "natural" emotions, thoughts, attittudes we had when we were children of satan. Once we get saved and are children of God He replaces those things with peace, joy, love, which are also emotions from within the heart.

God looks at our hearts. We get cleaned from the inside out. Flesh IS also the "inside" of us, that which is within.