In message twelve we saw that we were regenerated crucified, born crucified (John 3:5; Gal. 2:20a), and that now we are dying to live (1 Cor. 15:36). In message thirteen we saw that we need to bear the cross of Christ as our cross in dealing with our soul-life, our self (Matt. 16:24-26), and that we need to crucify our flesh with its passions and lusts in dealing with our body of sin (Gal. 5:24; Rom. 6:6; 8:13b). In this message we want to see something further concerning our need to live and walk under the crucifixion of Christ.
In the Christian life we are under the killing of Christ's death, and this has a purpose. The purpose is that His life may be manifested in our body in the renewing of the inner man (2 Cor. 4:10, 16). Second Corinthians 4 is concerning the renewing of our inner man.
As regenerated believers, we are complicated persons. We were born in the physical realm, and then we were regenerated in the spiritual realm. We have had two births, so we are a "double person." By our natural birth we are an old man. Even though a person is only nineteen years old, he is still an old man. Through regeneration, through the second birth, we all became a new man. Now outwardly we are old, but inwardly we are new. However, God is not satisfied to leave us in the old man. He wants our old man to be renewed by transformation. Transformation transfers us from one form, the form of the old man, to another form, the form of the new man. The word transform means to be transferred to another form. The Lord accomplishes this by the killing of Christ's death.
In message twelve we pointed out that we were born crucified, regenerated crucified. Thus, from the day of our regeneration, we have been a dying person. In one sense, we are living, but in another sense, we are dying. We are dying to live (1 Cor. 15:36). If there is no death, there is no life. If we do not die, we cannot live.
In 2 Corinthians 4:10 Paul said we are "always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus." Putting to death here means killing. The death of Christ kills us. His death is the killing capacity within us.