September 15

Romans 6:6‑7
“Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (or, rendered powerless), that henceforth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed (or justified) from sin” ―Romans 6:6, 76Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin. (Romans 6:6‑7).
MY old man is not merely my old nature. It is rather all that I was as a man in the flesh, the “man of old,” the unsaved man with all his habits and desires. That man was crucified with Christ. When Jesus died I (as a man after the flesh) died too. I was seen by God on that cross with His blessed Son.
How many people were crucified on Calvary? There were the thieves, there was Christ Himself—three! But are these all? Paul says in Galatians 2:20,20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ.” He was there too; so that makes four. And each believer can say, “Our old man is crucified with Him.” So untold millions were seen by God as hanging there upon that cross with Christ. And this was not merely that our sins were being dealt with, but that we ourselves as sinners, as children of Adam’s fallen race, might be removed from under the eye of God and our old standing come to an end forever.
“Death and judgment are behind us,
Grace and glory are before;
All the billows rolled o’er Jesus,
There they spent their utmost power.
‘First-fruits’ of the resurrection,
He is risen from the tomb;
Now we stand in new creation.
Free, because beyond our doom.
Jesus died, and we died with Him.
‘Buried’ in His grave we lay,
One with Him in resurrection,
Now ‘in Him’ in heaven’s bright day.”
—Mrs. J. A. Trench.