The Old Man

Dr. Couch, some people say we no longer have the old man working on us because he has been crucified when we trusted in Christ. What does the Bible say? ANSWER:  Romans 6:6-7 gives to us clarification. While it is true that the old self ("the old man," anthropos) has been crucified (our Position), we still must "consider" or "calculate" ("logizomai," Aorist Infinitive) ourselves to be dead to sin (v. 11). That is, in the "Experience" of the Christian life, we must reckon ourselves to be dead to sin. We must consider the fact that the old man has been judged, though he can still influence us in our Christian experience.    Notice how Paul uses the Greek tenses. Old man crucified (Aorist T., v. 6), ("we should not be slaves to sin" Present T., v. 6), "He has died to sin" (Aorist T., v. 7), "We have died with Christ" (Aorist T., v. 8). The old man has to do with Adam. Kroll writes: "We are free now to live in Christ as we once lived in Adam." "The death of our Lord completely removed the guilt and penalty of our sin." The old man has not been eradicated, his influence is still around, though Positionally, the old man has been judged.    To consider ourselves to be dead to sin "is the first principle in the process of our sanctification," Kroll writes. Christians will still struggle with the influence of the old man. That is what Romans 7 is all about. Paul says, "If I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me" (v. 20).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Mar., 10)