Yes, when Paul says 'I died,' he means the death of the old Adam, the sinful nature, not physical death.
In Romans, Paul's 'I died' refers to the end of his self-confidence and assumed righteousness when the law exposed his sin. This is the death of the old Adam in the believer through identification with Christ's death. Les Feldick teaches this is a positional truth, not an experiential one.
Romans 6:6 — This verse directly states that our old man (old Adam) is crucified with Christ, which is the core of what Paul means by 'I died.'
In Romans 6:6, Paul writes, 'Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.' This shows that the believer has been united with Christ in His death, putting the old self to death. Romans 7:9 says, 'For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' This illustrates that before the law fully convicted Paul, he felt alive; but when he truly understood the law's demands, he recognized his sinfulness and died to his old self-reliance. Galatians 2:20 also testifies, 'I 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.'
Les Feldick explains that old Adam, the sinful nature we all inherit, must be put to death. He teaches that this happens positionally at the moment of belief, when God reckons us crucified with Christ. This is not a physical death, but a spiritual death to the old man. He emphasizes that this death separates us from old Adam's control, breaking his power over our behavior. Paul, a fanatical religious Jew, came to see himself as a great sinner when the law woke him up, and he died to his former confidence. This death is a constant experience as we 'die daily,' putting old Adam in subjection.
Les Feldick uses the analogy of a cattle prod to explain the law's role. People can have everything under control, but when the law truly comes, it smashes old Adam and causes him to erupt. Paul was a religious Jew, but the law's words had not truly penetrated until he met the risen Lord. Then he saw himself as a great lawbreaker and sinner, and his self-confidence died. This is what Paul means when he says 'I died' in Romans 7:9.
Les Feldick clarifies that while God reckons old Adam dead positionally the moment we believe, experientially he is still present and plagues us. This is why Paul could say 'I die daily' in 1 Corinthians 15:31—it means constantly keeping old Adam in subjection. The power of old Adam over our behavior is broken, but his presence remains until we leave this mortal body. We are alive in Christ and have the duty to present ourselves as living sacrifices.
No, 'I died' does not mean we are sinless. Les Feldick explains that old Adam is dead positionally, but he is still in force experientially. A believer can still sin. The difference is that old Adam no longer has the same control; he is a defeated enemy. We have been freed from his dominion and now have the power to say no to sin. This is not a command to stop sinning, but a truth about our identity in Christ.
The Law Smashes Old Adam
Les teaches that the law acts like a cattle prod, exposing and triggering the sinful nature. For Paul, this realization brought an end to his self-confidence, which is the 'I died' experience.
Paul's Old Adam Died
Les shows from Acts that Paul was a fanatical religious Jew. When the law woke him up, his old Adam died, meaning his old way of self-righteousness came to an end.
Dead to Old Adam
Les explains that believers are dead to old Adam at the moment of belief, which is what Romans 6 means by being dead to sin.
Crucified and Buried in the Mind of God
Les clarifies that as Christ died and was buried, believers were also put to death and buried in the mind of God, and we are now resurrected out of that condition.
We Died, But We Live
Les points out that although we have died in God's mind, we are alive and have a duty to live for God because of all He has done.
Dying Daily
Les explains Paul's 'I die daily' as constantly putting old Adam to death in our daily experience, even though he is already dead positionally.
Freed from Old Adam
Les teaches that being dead with Christ severs the control old Adam has over us, freeing us from his dominion, which is exactly what Romans 6:7 states.
Crucified With Christ, Yet Living
Les uses Galatians 2:20 to show that while old Adam is dead, the believer lives by the faithfulness of Christ, experiencing a new life while still in the flesh.
Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
This is the foundational verse showing the death of the old man (old Adam) with Christ.
Romans 7:9: For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Paul describes his personal experience of 'I died' when the law exposed his sin.
Galatians 2:20: I 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.
This verse clarifies that 'I died' means crucifixion with Christ, yet the believer continues to live a new life.
Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
This verse signifies that death breaks the power of old Adam over us.
1 Corinthians 15:31: I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Paul's 'I die daily' is explained by Les as the continuous practice of subjecting old Adam.
No, Paul was not speaking of physical death. He was describing the death of his old sinful nature, old Adam. He realized he was a sinner when the law exposed him, and his former confidence in his own righteousness died.
Old Adam is the sinful nature inherited from the first Adam. Les teaches that it must be put to death. This was accomplished positionally for the believer at Christ's crucifixion, but experientially we still have to deal with it until we leave this body.
The law acts like a cattle prod, exposing and provoking the sin that is already within. When we truly see ourselves as lawbreakers, we 'die' to our self-righteousness and come to the end of ourselves. This opens the door to grace.
Yes, at the moment of belief, God reckons us as crucified with Christ. This is a legal, positional truth. Old Adam is dead in God's eyes, and its power over us is broken.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 3:19-20 Explained