What does it mean to crucify the flesh (Galatians 5:24)?

In accordance, then, with this blessed truth, we have in Rom. 6:11 the following instructions: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead [or to have died] indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through [or in] Jesus Christ our Lord." We are thus told by the Holy Ghost that we are to reckon about ourselves in this way: Reckon ye also yourselves," etc. While I know I have still this evil nature, I am to reckon that it has been judicially put to death, crucified in the cross of Christ, and buried in the grave of Christ. And be assured, beloved friends, you will never get the victory over self without this. You will never be at rest in the blessed portion God has given you in Christ, until you can see in the cross of Calvary God's righteous judgment of the flesh with its affections and lusts. There is a text to which I must now refer in connection with this subject, and I call attention to it because I believe it is often misunderstood. In Gal. 5:24, we read, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Now, what does this mean? Does it not exactly fit in with what we have been considering? How have I crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts? The answer is plain. Because, as a believer, I have consented to God's just and righteous judgment of myself as a man in the flesh, as totally incapable of pleasing God, and unfit for His presence. I have not only consented to the justice of that judgment, but I have accepted it as my only ground to stand on, and that which God has in His mercy accomplished for me in Christ my Substitute; so that in this way I have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. I have thus set aside the flesh; I have crucified it; I have heard God declaring that my old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be annulled; and I have heartily agreed to it, and said, "Yes, that is a just and a righteous judgment." Faith does this, and sees that God is glorified in it. What a wondrous blessing this is! How exactly God has met our deep need! I know no parts of Scripture so full of comfort and blessing, so calculated to establish and support us, and to draw us out in devotedness to God, as those which show how completely and judicially God has set us aside as to the flesh, and yet secured our eternal acceptance before Him in Christ, giving us a standing in His presence, through the death and in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The foundation principle of a holy walk is next set forth. "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts" (ver. 24). It is not said that we should do so, as is so commonly supposed, but that we have done so. Faith judges with God; it treats flesh as dead, and gives no quarter in consequence to any of its desires. Many do not understand this. They are aware of the existence within them of the evil principle, and are earnestly endeavouring to cope with it, in order to render it nugatory. But such find they have undertaken an impossible task, and are at times disposed to sit down in despair. The truth is, God has dealt with the flesh in the cross of Christ. It is proper christian knowledge to say "knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [annulled] that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:6). Thus faith accepts in simplicity what God has done, and then victory comes.

Verse 24. "Now they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and its lusts." It is of much importance to note carefully the language of the Spirit in this place, because "crucifixion of the flesh" is often wrongly confounded with that practical mortifying of the deeds of the body to which believers are exhorted, as themselves alive to God through faith in their risen and ever-living Lord. But here he is not exhorting, but teaching and putting in remembrance. He speaks not of what they ought to do, but of what, unless their faith is vain, they did. "They who are Christ's crucified," he says, the flesh and its belongings. Now if we ask, when was this done and how? the true answer is, not when Christ personally died, but when they made by faith a saving confession of His name, through a knowledge of the grace of God in truth. For it is Christ crucified of whom the gospel speaks. If therefore believers know what they say and understand what they affirm, they confess that when Christ died for them, they died also as to their old and sinful selves. For He suffered in their stead; and when awakened to a consciousness of this amazing truth, and enabled, by the grace of Him who calls them, to believe in their hearts unto righteousness, and make confession unto salvation (Rom. 10:10), they do, by their confession, place themselves beside Him on the cross, and thenceforth live truly only by the faith of Him.

"But the ones of Jesus Christ have crucified the flesh with the emotions and passionate cravings." "The ones of Jesus Christ," remind us of Galatians 3:29: "But if you (are) of Christ, then you are Abraham's seed." We noticed that the expression "of Christ," meant more than "belonging to Christ." It has also the meaning of being a part of Christ, members of Christ, not merely the property of Christ. So here, "those of Jesus Christ" would be those who are His members, those who are truly part of Himself. These have crucified the flesh, as we have already seen in Romans 6, with the emotions and the passionate cravings. Now, as we walk by the Spirit, the Spirit keeps the flesh in this place of death; but if we walk carelessly, and do our own will, and listen to the flesh, then the works of the flesh will be manifest in our lives. The Christian does not have to die. Christ died for us, and we hold ourselves for dead, having died with Him, as though we ourselves had died upon the cross, since it was for us He suffered. Now I have this new life, and I do not acknowledge the flesh as "I" at all, but as sin which dwells in me, which I hold to be crucified. We may realize this moment by moment. God says we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). Faith thankfully believes what God says, and so holds the flesh, the old man to be dead, as we have seen in Romans 6. If the Christian is faithful, then by the Holy Spirit he applies the cross in a practical way to the flesh, so that it may not act (2 Cor. 4:10-12).

Is the old nature then forgotten? Or is the law needed for disciplining it? The belief so thinks; but the word says, on the contrary, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." He shows that all that are Christ's have gone through the great question of what was not His: they have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. They have submitted, by faith, to the sentence of death on all their nature — they have "crucified the flesh." We know, of course, that it is only really and fully done in Christ — that it is in the cross of Christ that the crucifixion of the flesh, with all its lusts, has taken place. Hence, too, it is true of every believer. The flesh, with the affections and lusts, is a thing already done with in God's sight. If we are Christians at all, we have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. If it were only a person just born of God, he might say he has "crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts."

"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (v.24). This is the step which, by faith, we take when we trust in Christ. We may not be fully conscious of it, nor would we express ourselves at that time as Scripture does, but we do, to a greater or lesser degree, condemn self and justify God. Of course, from God's side the judgment of the flesh has already been completely accomplished at the cross of Christ, so when we receive Christ as Savior, we accept God's judgment of sin as applying to our own sinful nature. We virtually admit that the flesh is only good for crucifixion, and by taking sides with Christ we therefore crucify the flesh with its passions and desires. We don't experience a thing like this, but we accept it by faith. Because God has passed this judgment on the flesh, we take sides with Him in this judgment. This is in contrast to making excuses for the sin of the flesh, or justifying what the flesh in us has been guilty of. We must be done with the flesh as an evil thing, and count it as having been crucified at the cross of Christ. Then we can rightly say we have been crucified with Christ (Gal.2:20), yet that we live, having a new life now that is the fruit of God's work, a life linked with Christ in resurrection (Eph.2:1-5).

Lastly, as to the flesh. This too is a condemned thing. It is utterly worthless, inasmuch as no good is found in it (see Rom. 7:18). "Sin in the flesh" is "condemned" (Rom. 8:3), and consequently "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal. 5:24). This last scripture shows that it is not contemplated that any are brought into allegiance to Christ, and so belong to Him, without their having themselves solemnly endorsed and verified the sentence executed against it at the Cross. For the believer, as well as for God, the flesh is a worthless thing and he condemns and repudiates it in its practical workings. This is possible, of course, by reason of the fact that we have a new nature and possess the Spirit of God.

Amalek is a type of the flesh, and with flesh God can make no terms. In it dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:18); the sin that is inherent in it was divinely condemned in the sacrifice of Christ (Rom. 8:3); and Christians are viewed as having for themselves, “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal. 5:24), which means that they have accepted the sentence of God against the evil thing. Nothing remains but to be unsparing with all its workings day by day (Col. 3:5-9).

94 Moreover, "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." They have not got to die: Christ died for us, and He who died being our life, we hold ourselves for dead, crucified with Him, as though we ourselves had died upon the cross, since it was for us He suffered. Possessing another life, I do not own the flesh as "I," but as sin which dwelleth in me, which I hold to be crucified. The faithful Christian realises this continually. God. declares us to be dead with Christ: He looks upon us thus (Col 3 . 3). Faith, accepting God's declaration with thankfulness; holds the flesh, the old man, to be dead (Rom. 6), and through the Spirit, if he is faithful, he applies the cross in a practical way to the flesh, so that it may not act (2 Cor. 4); besides this, God in His government sends that which is needful to test the Christian, and to effect this.

All this is as true now, in principle, of every Christian, as it was of the apostle, though it may not be so brightly manifested. There must first be faith in the truth, then a life answering to the strength which that faith gives. However, it is plainly written, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Not, observe, are crucifying it, but have crucified it. But of whom is this great truth stated? Of highly advanced Christians? No, simply of "they that are Christ's." It is as true of the babe, as of the young man, or the father in Christ. What was it that needed crucifying on the cross? Something that belonged to Christ, or to me? It was the old and great "I," that needed to be slain — nailed to the tree, and that was done in Christ, for ever, blessed be His name. Oh! to believe it, — to keep self where the cross has put it — to walk in the liberty and power of the Holy Spirit, and be only, and always, occupied with the risen and glorified Christ.