Paraphrase? Our salvation is a "done deal."
I know the popular statement is that Jesus died for our sins, or that "Jesus paid it all." Yet our text says that, "I am crucified together with Christ." This is not just, "Oh, well, the 'old man' in me has to die." No. The old nature did die when Our Lord Jesus died, "I am crucified together with Christ", and, wonders of wonders, now that, "....Christ lives in me",...the life which I now live in the flesh I live...in the Son of God...."
No, it is not that we shed our blood for our forgiveness, nor anything else we could have done to "purchase our salvation." But I repeat: We still died, "together with Christ." The "sin issue" was dealt with in the Cross of Jesus, His Shed Blood, His Death and Resurrection. The Bible calls it, "once for all." Can I say that since you and, "I have been crucified together with Christ," our sin, our "flesh," our every malady is dead in Christ Jesus? "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God."
Perhaps we should stop the talk of "dying to the flesh" or "crucifying the flesh." That all "happened" when, "I have been crucified with Christ", was fulfilled in Jesus' Blood, Death, and Resurrection.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that all I needed and need you did in the, "Blood of His Cross." Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
