Galatians 5:24 – Living from a FACT!

Now those of Christ Jesus crucify the flesh together with its passions and lusts.

By “those of Christ Jesus” Paul refers to those who acknowledge Christ as Lord and therefore know that they are His (cf. 1 Cor.15:23). Earlier in this letter, Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ, but I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (2:20). Every believer is crucified with Christ Jesus. Whoever belongs to Him is made one with Him in death and in resurrection. And even seated with Him “among the celestials” (Eph.2:6;). His position is our position. He died and we are reckoned by God as having died with Him. In recognizing that we belong to Christ Jesus, we also recognize that our ‘I’ (= the flesh) has been crucified.

Crucifying the flesh means: including the passions and the desires. Note that no order is given here, but a fact is stated. The verb “crucify” is in the aorist form, i.e. it concerns the fact ‘in itself’ without notion of time. We died with Christ and yet we live, because He lives in us! Not my ‘I’, and therefore also not my passions and desires, but the risen Christ will rule my life!

Delen: