What does it mean that our old man was crucified?
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (Roman's 6:6 ASV)
From Sunday's (AM) sermon -
A lot of translations render the "old man" as "old self"
this leads to wrong thinking about what the verse is saying. Our pastor illustrated with the phrase "sphere of existence" - our "old man" = "in Adam" and our "new man" = "in Christ.
(below is my understanding, not from the sermon)
When we think of our "self" we think of who we are - hobbies, likes and dislikes. This is the "who are we?"
But our "man" is a bit different, it's not so much "who am I" and more of a "where do I live?" In other words, what is our "sphere of existence"? If I am in ADAM, I'm living in a state of sin, I'm lost, I have no interest in living in CHRIST. That is my "old man" sphere of existence.
My "new man" is in CHRIST. I am saved and I am working toward sanctification, I am a new creature.
About that "crucifixion" part
A question I've had is that if the old sphere of existence is crucified, how can it keep poking its ugly head up? Pastor spoke to exactly this.
What was crucifixion? "Crucifixion" is used metaphorically, these days. When Paul was writing, it was a literal crucifixion. Crucifixion is the reality of being nailed to tied to a cross and left to hang there until you were dead.
Key word: until.
Crucifixion did not kill a person immediately. It could take less than an hour, or it could take days.
Crucifixion was a death sentence. Oh, you will die...just slowly and with great effort.
Our "old man" is on the cross, battling for every breath, writhing in agony...and that existence is fighting to live. As Pastor put it, at the moment of justification, we move from one "sphere of existence" to another. We move from death into life, from living in Adam...to living in Christ.
We went from living at peace with Adam...and leaving that sphere, we were immediately thrust into guerilla warfare.
The Old Man is on the cross fighting for his life; however, he is not dead yet and the New Man is the one killing him.
Therefore, we sin daily and hourly and even minute by minutes, but that sin is the death throe of the Old Adam.
Living in Christ means that when Adam invites us over for dinner, we have the liberty to say "no."
