To crucify the flesh by the Spirit is to experience the death of Christ in a practical way and not to live habitually according to the flesh. If we would be conformed to the death of Christ and thereby conformed to His image, we should not live habitually, that is, we should not live according to our habits. Because we are accustomed to living habitually according to the flesh, we need to be on the alert moment by moment and be careful about our habits. We need to reject, abandon, set aside, our habits and live according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:13 says, “If you live according to flesh, you are about to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.” If we live according to flesh, we are about to die spiritually. However, if by the Spirit we put to death the practices of the body-that is, to mortify or crucify them-we shall live in spirit.
Romans 8:13 corresponds to 8:6, which says that the mind set on the flesh is death and that the mind set on the spirit is life. To live according to flesh primarily means to set our mind upon the flesh, and, likewise, to set our mind upon the flesh mainly means to live according to flesh. In order to put to death the practices of the body by the Spirit, we need to set our mind on the spirit and walk according to spirit. When we have our mind set on our spirit, our flesh will be put to death. Therefore, by setting our mind on our spirit we put to death all the practices of the body.
The genuine experience of the co-crucifixion with Christ is to be had in putting to death the practices of the body by the Spirit. This does not happen once for all; it is a constant daily exercise. Every practice of the body must be put to death by turning our mind to the spirit and setting it on the spirit.
To put to death the practices of the body by the Spirit means that we do not live habitually according to the flesh. This requires coordination with God through the exercise of our will. We need to make a strong decision and say, “Lord, I take sides with You. I want to be conformed to Your death. Lord, have mercy on me so that I will no longer live habitually according to the flesh but set aside all the habits of my natural life.” This is the putting to death of the practices of our body.
Matthew 16:24 speaks of denying the self. Self is the soul life (v. 25) with the emphasis on human thoughts and opinions. Self, soul life, and opinion are three aspects of one thing. Self in essence is the soul life, and the expression of self is opinion. The soul life is lived out by the self, and the self is expressed through the mind. What the mind thinks or considers is an opinion, idea, or concept. The mind’s opinion, concept, or idea is the expression of the self, the embodiment of the soul life. Because opinions are the expression of the self, we need to deny the self by applying the cross to our opinions.
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