Q4. Crucifying the Flesh

[RD35]

Crucifying the flesh is a Spiritual process where one kills the sinful and physical desires of the flesh (our bodies) so that the Holy Spirit can live in and through us.   It means to fight temptations on a daily basis and live a life led by the spirit.  It means not to give into our past ways of life, to turn away from the temporary pleasures of life and accept god’s plan in our life, His plan of eternity for us.

 

May be a very immature Christian or a Christian for name sake only.

 

Such a crop is produced because Christians have not crucified their flesh and also because a lot of them have received a diluted message of Christ.  Many a times leaders of the church are not willing to point out sin and have encouraged believers to live a comfortable life of sin.

[Thanking Joan]

To crucify the flesh with its passions and desires means dying to the old self and not gratifying the desires of the flesh. To walk in the spirit of God and not continuing with the work of the flesh.

No a person cannot be a Christian without crucifying the flesh. Christian means a follower of Christ and who follows Christ and not self.

we have produced such a crop of luke warm Christians because most of us have not really crucified self to live for the `lord. We are luke warm because we hear from the spirt and do works of the flesh..

[Craig]

Q4. (Galatians 5:24-25) What does it mean to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”? Can a person be a Christian without “crucifying the flesh”? How have we produced such a crop of lukewarm Christians?

 

It means to walk away them and to cease indulging them.  No, a person cannot be a born again Christian with an active relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and still engage in the practices of the world throughout their life time.  Born again Christians do struggle with temptation and sin, but permit the Holy Spirit to work in their lives to eventually remove any prevailing sin.

 

By ignoring the sin in one's life, ignoring the meaning of holiness in one's life and remaining self-indulgent to the exclusion of the Word of God.  There is no passion regarding honoring God, living out a Christian life, and be Christ-like.  Left unchallenged by leadership Christians will become indifferent and lukewarm.

[GoRaysXD]

Q4. (Galatians 5:24-25) What does it mean to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”? Can a person be a Christian without “crucifying the flesh”? How have we produced such a crop of lukewarm Christians?

 

 

It means to walk away them and to cease indulging them.  No, a person cannot be a born again Christian with an active relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and still engage in the practices of the world throughout their life time.  Born again Christians do struggle with temptation and sin, but permit the Holy Spirit to work in their lives to eventually remove any prevailing sin.

 

By ignoring the sin in one's life, ignoring the meaning of holiness in one's life and remaining self-indulgent to the exclusion of the Word of God.  There is no passion regarding honoring God, living out a Christian life, and be Christ-like.  Left unchallenged by leadership Christians will become indifferent and lukewarm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JoanG]

A person must "kill" their physical urges that are not healthy to their souls. This is the only way that the Spirit can work within them. A person can be called a Christian but still hold on to their worldly views. They go to church at least for Easter and Christmas. They donate to the welfare of the church. However, they live their lives in a worldly manner. These days, people do not live their faith. They do the least amount of work for God. They do not realize that they are hurting themselves and those around them.

[lighthouse2014]

Q4. (Galatians 5:24-25) What does it mean to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires”? Can a person be a Christian without “crucifying the flesh”? How have we produced such a crop of lukewarm Christians?

Galatians 5;24-25 stating "to crucify the flesh with it's passions and desires" means by the power of the Holy Spirit we put to death all worldly desires of the flesh. We can not do this by our own will, it has to be done with the power of the Holy Spirit.

A person can be saved by faith in what Christ has done for us, but without crucifying the flesh there will be no fruits of the spirit or sanctification of that person.

We have produced a crop of lukewarm Christians because we have not given ourselves totally to Christ and much damage is done by the preaching of the prosperity preachers who do not condemn sin in our lives.     

[Annie343]

CRUCIFY THE FLESH: is a reference to the flesh being brought under control and living for God; it is the spiritual battle that is lifelong - to look at the cross and realizing victory by your walk; it refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit by which we identify with Christ in His death and resurrection; it is to hold on to your faith by not submitting to the flesh (flesh and Holy Spirit opposing each other); even though we have sinful desires (sin and rebellion at work) from the old self, we seek to realize when the flesh still attacks and hinders the Spirit; its when we are joined with Christ  rising to a new life; to restrain our desires with the Spirit's power, relying on Him and experiencing victory and forgiveness that is available to us with having fellowship with God; we understand that we have to commit our tendencies to God's control

CHRISTIAN WITHOUT CRUCIFYING THE FLESH: are you walking by the Spirit or allowing sin to reign; it is the Spirit guarding us and being strengthened by the Spirit; as being crucified have you truly confessed Christ and yielded to His influences showing that you are controlled by the Spirit; it's when we turn our backs on the flesh and turn to Jesus Christ - no longer serving the flesh (living in the desires of the flesh) but giving God the control to possess us and being freed from the passions and lusts of the flesh; since it is desiring to follow righteousness and to please God in all that we do, we do not give the position of the flesh to enslave us and to be in bondage; to crucify is to walk by the Spirit - to live as God directs and not allowing the flesh to have power above God; we are challenged to live our life by walking consistently looking at Christ which means we are crucifying the flesh

PRODUCED LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS: do you trust God is the question or are you a slave to the flesh?; it is being counted as belonging to Christ (profess/confess) without changing your lifestyle; instead of living free from the flesh, we coddle it as being part of us (habits); life not being surrendered to God tells us they do not have God's life (abundant); not knowing our position in Christ but being led by feelings; the key is commitment and love to God; the blood  of Jesus and the work of the cross is not in front of our eyes but looking also to what the world offers; it's being prideful that you can do things "your way"; we are to have a life that radiates God's love (witness to others); not being conscious of living soulfully for Christ as being a priority but just giving lip service to the thought (saying that it is okay to be what you want to be); did the cross do an internal work in your life? - live like it

[Jonathan Edwards]

The Bible believer each day makes his free action of his will in counting himself separated from the power of the evil nature with the NO to.sin and doesn't yield himself to sin.  The new divine life permeates us; the sarx doesn't control us due the new life principle operating In us.

The Holy Spirit has a twofold mission in our lives.  Victory over sin and the bearing of fruit.  We have the Holy Spirit residing in us to enable us to live the highest type of Christain life.  We  step out on faith and live that life.

A true Christian needs to crucify the flesh.   It is not an option!  Just too many people who think they are Christians but are living  in serious sins.  Prophet Ezekiel preached about this often.  God has given over to stumbling blocks in their deceived minds and hearts.  Sadly they are not true Christians.   False presumptions have clouded their minds.   Lack of proper preaching of the full counsel of God's Word and faulty seminary training of new ministers have a great deal in this current quagmire of lukewarmness in many denominations.  A type of Gnosticism as affected many traditional denominations.   They mix pseudo theology with Christainity.  Mortification and self denial are foreign to these "professors" in many churches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Krissi]

I find these questions incredibly troublesome.

Which one of us has truly "crucified" his or her flesh, with all it's passions and desires? Can you really say you've done this?  I surely haven't. I'm trying ... praying ... but still have flesh. The point is that I am NOT completely crucified, just somewhat crucified, and this doesn't mean I'm lukewarm, but rather in the process of sanctification. 

Am I a Christian? Of course. No doubt. But is my flesh completely crucified? NO.

The question poses a binary situation in which "good" Christians or even "real" Christians claim their flesh is crucified, while "bad" or "lukewarm" Christians are those who haven't crucified their flesh (at all). I'm in the middle -- I'm crucifying it as I type; the job is not yet done.

The truth is somewhere inbetween, no?

If I read the question incorrectly, I apologize.

[Being Blessed]

4a: Christian life is faith life. We live by faith, not by sight. Crucify flesh means to believe that my flesh (old man) is died on the cross with Jesus when Jesus was crucified.

Romans 6:6

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”.

I cannot crucify myself. An external entity is needed to crucify me. In the case of Christians who believe in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ has already crucified with Him and they need to believe it and submit to Holy Spirit. Trying ourselves to be crucify our flesh is a worthless effort. Crucify my flesh means to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and to submit to Him completely so that I will not fulfill my fleshly desires.

4b: The question "Can a person be a Christian without crucifying the flesh” is like asking "Can a person be called a "dead body" without being dead".

4c: The right Word is not preached in many churches. Christians remember the death of Jesus Christ and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ every year. They remember it just as a historical event. But how many Christians realize that they were also died with him, and what they celebrate is the death of his own flesh (the old man) and his resurrection of his own new man, with the new identity in Christ? How many pastors teach that great hidden truth? Every Christian need to remember his death and resurrection every day and every moment and submit to the Holy Spirit to live the real Christian life.

Galatians 5:16

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”