Because of Jesus, Flesh Dead and Spirit Alive

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8: 13)

When I was growing in grace, I heard people say things like "You have to die to yourself".

What does the Bible say about our dying?

First of all, because of Adam's sin, we are all already dead:

"12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5: 12-14)

and also

"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." (1 Corinthians 15: 56)

The law brings out the sin that lies in man, which produces death.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He did away with sin, and granted us His life:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2:13)

Notice that His life is revived in us when we recognize that all our sins -- all of them -- have been put away, forgiven, sent away.

Also:

"4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 4-6)

We are dead to the law, dead to sin, and dead to our flesh because of all that Jesus did at the Cross.

The New Covenant makes more sense to us when we see His life working in us:

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

 

1"1And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

 

"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

 

What is one of the laws which God places in our hearts and minds?

 

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8: 2)