God counts the old Adamic nature as crucified and dead with Christ, putting it out of commission.
The old nature is the old Adam, the sin nature we are born with. When we believe the gospel, God treats it as crucified with Christ. Crucifixion means death, so the old Adam is put to death and defeated, though not annihilated — his power over our daily behavior is broken by God's power, not human effort.
Romans 6:6 — This is the central verse directly stating that our old man is crucified with Christ so the body of sin might be destroyed.
Romans 6:7 — Explains the result: one who is dead is freed from sin, which is what happens to the old nature at crucifixion.
Romans 6:5 — Connects being planted together in the likeness of Christ's death to the hope of resurrection.
Galatians 2:20 — Paul's personal testimony of living as one crucified with Christ.
The Bible speaks directly to the question in 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 states that the old man was crucified with Christ, and the purpose of that crucifixion was the destruction of the body of sin so that we should no longer serve sin. Verse 7 explains the result: 'For he that is dead is freed from sin.' Death ends sin's claim. Verse 8 connects this to resurrection: 'Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.' Paul applies the same truth personally in 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.'
Les Feldick teaches that the 'old man' is the old Adam — the sin nature every person is born with. It is the nature that Ephesians 2 describes as disobedient by nature, and people are under its control before salvation. Paul's statement 'knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him' means that when Christ was crucified, God crucified our old Adam with Him. 'With Him' is the crucial part. Crucifixion means death; therefore the old Adam is put to death and put out of commission. Les says the word 'destroyed' in Romans 6:6 does not mean annihilation — the old Adam is not removed but merely defeated, placed where we can control him. God sees our old Adam as on the cross. Experientially the old Adam is still in force, but God reckons him dead. No human endeavor can break old Adam's control; only God's power can. Once old Adam is dead, he loses control over us, just as a dead man is freed from sin. This death is applied by identification, faith, and trust: when Christ died, we died. Because we are planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.
Paul refers to 'our old man' in Romans 6:6. Les Feldick explains that this old man is the sin nature — the old Adam — the nature we are all born with. It is the nature that Ephesians 2 describes as disobedient by nature, and it holds people under its control until it is dealt with. When a person believes the gospel, Paul says this old Adam was crucified with Christ.
Les is emphatic that the word 'destroyed' in Romans 6:6 does not mean annihilation. The old Adam is not removed when a person gets saved; he is merely defeated. He is put in a place where the believer can now control him. God sees the old Adam as on the cross, crucified with Christ. Experientially, old Adam can still assert himself in daily life, but God reckons him dead.
Les explains that the whole human race is under a death sentence because we are born in sin. The loophole God provided is that we can die in the person of Christ on the cross by identification, by faith, by trust. When Christ died, we died. If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we will also be in the likeness of His resurrection. This is not human effort; it is God's power that breaks the old Adamic nature's control.
Les uses a legal illustration: when a guilty man dies before his case is finished, no further legal action can be taken against him. In the same way, once old Adam is put to death, he loses his control over the believer. Paul's statement — 'he that is dead is freed from sin' — means the believer is freed from old Adam's domination. Until Adam is put to death, he reigns as a king; once dead, he is out of commission.
The Loophole of Dying in Christ
Les shows that because every person is born in sin and must die, the only loophole is to die in the person of Christ on the cross through identification, faith, and trust; his death counts as our death and leads to resurrection.
The Old Man Is the Sin Nature
Les identifies the 'old man' of Romans 6:6 as the sin nature — the old Adam — the nature we are born with that was under the control of the sin nature until it was crucified with Christ when we believed the gospel.
Experientially Present, Reckoned Dead
Les explains that although old Adam is still in force experientially day to day, God reckons him dead, which is why Paul could say 'not I, but Christ liveth in me.'
Crucified With Him
Les stresses the phrase 'with him' — our old Adam was crucified when Christ was crucified, so the crucifixion is not a separate event but a sharing in Christ's death.
Only God's Power Breaks Old Adam's Control
Les teaches that no human effort, good parenting, or training can break the control of the old Adamic nature; Adam has to die, and God did this in a substitutionary manner when Christ died our death.
The Old Adamic Nature Must Die
Les shows that the old Adamic nature is present from childhood, producing anger, lying, and bad language without being taught, and God's decree is that it must die; the loophole is that it is crucified with Christ.
Death Ends Old Adam's Case
Using the illustration of a criminal who dies before his case ends, Les shows that once old Adam is put to death he loses control over us, and the one who is dead is freed from old Adam.
Destroyed Means Defeated, Not Annihilated
Les clarifies that the 'body of sin' being destroyed does not mean the old Adam is annihilated; he is defeated and put in a place where we can control him, and God sees the old Adam as on the cross.
Romans 6:5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Les references this verse to show that identification with Christ's death carries the believer into resurrection life.
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 central verse showing what happens to the old nature when a believer is crucified with Christ.
Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Explains that death breaks the old nature's hold, so the crucified old man no longer has power over the believer.
Romans 6:8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Connects the believer's death with Christ to the promise of resurrection life.
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.
Paul's personal testimony of what it means to live as one crucified with Christ.
Les teaches that the old man is the old Adamic sin nature we are born with — the sinful condition referred to in Ephesians 2. It is the old Adam that controls us until it is crucified with Christ.
Not in the sense of annihilation. God sees the old Adam as dead on the cross, and he is put out of commission, but experientially he can still be in force. The believer is to reckon him dead and live by Christ's faithfulness.
No. Les says no human endeavor can break its control. Good parenting and training can help only to a degree. Only God's power — the substitutionary death of Christ — can put Adam to death.
Les explains that this is identification: by faith we trust that when Christ died, we died. Because we have died with Christ, we have the hope of living with Him in resurrection.
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