The Deliverance of the Cross — The Spiritual Man

The Deliverance of the Cross

After the apostle lists many works of the flesh in Galatians chapter 5, he continues, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). This is the way of deliverance.

What believers focus on today is vastly different from what God emphasizes. Believers are preoccupied with the “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19)—the individual manifestations of the flesh. They focus on individual sins: today, it may be anger; tomorrow, jealousy; the day after, strife. What they grieve over and hope to overcome are these specific sins. But these are merely the fruits borne by the tree. Even if you manage to pluck one off—which is often not possible—another will grow. The cycle never ends; there is no day of victory.

God, however, emphasizes the “flesh” itself (Gal 5:24), not merely its deeds. If the tree is put to death, will it still bear fruit? Believers attempt to deal with the transgressions (the fruit) but forget to address the flesh (the root), so before one sin is resolved, another arises. We must now deal with the source of sin.

Infants in Christ Must Understand the Cross More Deeply

Those who are still carnal, babes in Christ, must come to a deeper understanding of the meaning of the cross. God’s work is this: that the believer’s old self has been crucified with Christ, so that all who belong to Him “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Whether it is the flesh itself or its strong desires, all have been crucified on the cross. Just as sinners were once born again through this same cross—coming to realize their sins were redeemed by the Lord—so also the carnal, infantile Christians (who may have been born again for years) are delivered through this cross from the dominion of the flesh. In this way, they may walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, and soon become spiritual persons.

The Cross—Perfectly Fitted to Man’s Fall

Thus, humanity’s fall and the work of the cross directly correspond to each other. The salvation brought by the latter precisely remedies the tragedy of the former. One disease, one cure—they match perfectly. On one hand, the Savior died on the cross in place of the sinner, redeeming him from sin so that a holy God could justly forgive him. On the other hand, the sinner died with the Savior on the cross, so that he might no longer be ruled by the flesh. Thus his spirit may regain dominion, the body may become the outward servant, and the soul may serve as the mediator—restoring the original order of spirit, soul, and body.

We Must Understand What This “Death” Means

Unless we understand what this verse means by death, we cannot receive deliverance. May the Holy Spirit be our revealer.

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus” refers to every person who believes in the Lord. Anyone who believes and is born again belongs to Christ. Regardless of their spiritual maturity, their ministry, whether they have been delivered from sin, or have achieved sanctification, or have been overcome by fleshly desires—none of these conditions matter here. What matters is only one thing: whether this person has a life union with Christ. In other words, whether they have been born again; whether they have believed in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. If they have, then regardless of their current spiritual state—whether victorious or defeated—they are someone who “has crucified the flesh.”

Not a Moral, Spiritual, or Intellectual Issue—but a Fact

This is not a question of morality, spirituality, knowledge, or even ministry. The only question is: do they belong to Christ? If they do, then this person “has crucified the flesh.” Not that they are now crucifying it, nor that they will crucify it—it has already been crucified.

We must see clearly that this is not about our experience—no matter what your experience may be—but about God’s fact. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus”—whether weak or strong—“have crucified the flesh.” You say you still sin; God says your flesh has been crucified. You say your temper remains; God says your flesh has been crucified. You say your lusts are fierce; God says your flesh has been crucified. Do not focus on your experience right now; first, pay attention to what God says. If you do not listen to or believe God’s Word and only keep your eyes on your experience, you will never experience the crucifixion of the flesh. Forget your experience for now. God says your flesh has been crucified—so it has. Believe God's Word first, and you will have the experience. God says: “Your flesh has been crucified.” You should respond, “Amen! Yes, my flesh has been crucified with Christ.” When you do this, you will see that your flesh truly has been put to death.

Even the Flesh of the Corinthians Was Crucified

The Corinthian believers committed many sins—immorality, jealousy, strife, factions, lawsuits, and more. They were fleshly. Yet they were “infants in Christ” and still belonged to Him. Can it be said that their flesh was also crucified? Yes—it can. Even the flesh of the carnal Corinthians had already been crucified. How can this be?

We Were Crucified With Christ

We must understand that Scripture never commands us to crucify ourselves. Rather, it tells us we have already been crucified. Because we were crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20; Rom 6:6). Since it is with Him, then at the very moment Christ was crucified, our flesh was crucified with Him. And this crucifixion was not something we accomplished ourselves—it was Christ who brought us with Him to the cross when He was crucified. Therefore, in God’s sight, our flesh has already been crucified. In God’s view, this has already been accomplished, already completed—it is an established fact. So regardless of whether one has the experience or not, God still declares: “All—every single one—who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh.”

To Experience the Crucifixion, Believe the Fact

The way to experience this crucifixion of the flesh is not to focus excessively on experience (though experience has its place)—but to believe God’s Word. “God says my flesh has been crucified—I believe it has.” “God says my flesh was nailed to the cross—I acknowledge that His Word is true.” Then you will have the experience. First regard God’s fact; afterward, experience will follow.

The Corinthians Lacked Experience Because They Didn’t See the Fact

From God’s perspective, the flesh of the Corinthians had already been crucified with Christ. Yet they lacked this experience—likely because they failed to understand God’s fact. Thus, the first step toward deliverance is to treat the flesh as God sees it. Not that we will crucify it, but that it has already been crucified. Not living by what we see, but walking by faith—faith in God’s Word.

If, on this point—that the flesh has been crucified—we stand firm, regardless of our current spiritual state, then we can begin to deal with the flesh experientially. But if we waver from this fact, if we are not unshakably grounded in the truth that “my flesh has already been crucified with Christ,” then it will be impossible to gain any real experience of that truth. Whoever desires this experience must first disregard their current state and believe God’s Word—then the experience will surely come.