“Other” Crucifixions
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesSpeak of crucifixion, and we immediately have our minds on the death of our Lord, and that’s as it should be. However, the New Testament speaks of some “other” crucifixions. In our obedience to the gospel, the old man of sin, now dying, is said to be “crucified” (Romans 6:6). One who turns from the truth, and now is in the hardening processes of sin is said to be “crucifying the Son of God afresh” (Hebrews 6:6). But we especially now speak of Galatians 6:14, where Paul refers to the proper place of glorying, and in focusing on the Christ, he says, “By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Two “crucifixions” here: The world is crucified to the child of God, and the child of God is crucified unto the world.
In Romans 6:11, the apostle sets forth a mark in attitude that should now possess the Christian: Dead unto sin, but alive unto God. This is the idea in Galatians 6:14. Now, in obedience to God, the death taken place in obedience is a death “to the world,” and its appeals, lusts, enticements. The Christian will not now let the world attract him. The Christian does not now live in that sphere! Indeed, the command now is this: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above…..set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2). The command is there, but the action must be taken by the individual, for there is no automatic work going on here. In fact, all of Christian living and Christian attitude involves the individual at work!
The Southwesterner, November 29, 1989