Co-Crucifixion

"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6).

Co-Crucifixion is a term used by Oswald Chambers and is rightly so stated. We must crucify our sins! How often have I come to a decision that what I am doing is not according to God's Word and is sinful in its nature if not at times in its substance. I make the decision to stop, and then I put it aside determining not to let it back into my life. I treat this sin like a rubber raft, I deflate it, stuff it into a closet or put away in the garage and there it stays: until I need it again.  Everyone sees the change, of course, the needed change is stuffed away, hidden as it were from sight: but not from my life. When life's situation calls for it, I pull it out from hiding, pump it back up, and take it for a ride. This raft might represent different things to different people such as, alcoholism, I only need to take it for a short ride, but the waters grow deep, and rough and soon you are fighting for the shoreline for safety, safety comes, deflate, stuff it away out of sight, but not out of mind. Maybe it is pornography, over-spending, anger, anything that is not in accordance with God's Word.  We have deflated it, and hidden it but we have not crucified it.

Moral decision are easily made after a period of time but if that decision does not include a co-crucifixion of oneself, one's selfish desires, then out comes the raft, inflate, get in and take it for another round.We may attend meetings, hear the words of great orators, and those who have overcome; that isn't enough. We must make that decision to crucify the sin no one can do it for us; no speaker, no great testimonies, only our firm decision to do what Jesus did for our sin, Crucify it!

How you may ask! Get alone with God, take time daily to be in His Word and you will come to that radical, divine and definite experience that will transform you by the searching out of your souls by Holy Spirit. I get into agreement with God, that this lust of the spirit and against the Spirit has God's verdict, Crucify it!

Enter now into that great privilege of being crucified with Christ. Reckon yourself dead to sin, "...Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness" (Romans 6:13b).  Then we like Paul can shout from the top of our lungs, "But thanks be to God than, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching t which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness" (Romans 6:17-18). I struggle you shout back, and again Paul raises his voice, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to god--through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7: 24,25a).

There it lies, we co-crucify with Christ, and the help we need is available by our Loving God and Father, through the work of the Holy Spirit by means of the death, resurrection, and  ascension of the Son, Jesus. Will it be easy! NO! It wasn't easy for Jesus to go to the cross knowing all in advance what would happen when He does go; BUT HE WENT ANYWAY! It was love that drove Him on, let it be love that drives you on, first for our God and Savior, then your wife, and children and extended family and friends.  It is our decision to make.

Daily Prayer:

Jesus, you went to the cross to crucify sin, help me now for I want to crucify my sin with You. Forgive me, lead me into Your Truth.  Shine Your Light through my life out into the darkness of this world, the world in which I travel, work, and reside.  Lead them Father to crucify their sins with You and they too will reap the reward, predestined for all who believe in Your Son as the Redeemer, Life Eternal.            Amen