The old sinful nature — the old Adam — is crucified with Christ, so God reckons the believer dead to sin and its power over daily behavior is broken.
According to the evidence, when a person believes the gospel, God puts the old Adam to death, declaring him crucified with Christ. This does not mean the old nature is physically removed or annihilated; it has been put out of commission so the believer should no longer serve sin. The believer is also identified with Christ in His resurrection, so the new life is lived by Christ in him.
Romans 6:6 — This is the key verse that directly says our old man is crucified with Him and the body of sin is destroyed, so we should not serve sin.
Galatians 2:20 — Paul's personal testimony that he is crucified with Christ and yet Christ now lives in him.
In Romans 6:4-8, Scripture sets out what happened when the believer was united to Christ. Paul writes, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." The central declaration is found in verse 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. For he that is dead is freed from sin." The death of the old man is the basis for the believer's freedom from sin's service. Then verses 5 and 8 connect that death to resurrection: "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" and "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him." Galatians 2:20 is Paul's personal confession: "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 sin nature — the old Adam that every person is born with (Clip 4). When a person believes the gospel, God reckons that old Adam as crucified with Christ (Clips 2, 4, 6). Crucifixion means death, and God puts the old nature out of commission so that the believer is no longer obligated to serve it (Clip 2). This is what Paul experienced when he said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Clips 1, 6). Les is careful to explain what this does and does not mean. God does not take the believer out of the world, and in daily experience the old Adam is still present and influential (Clips 1, 3). Although God has declared him dead and defeated, believers still wrestle against his influence; but his power over behavior has been broken, and he has been placed under subjection to the new nature (Clips 3, 7). Les also stresses that this truth is received by faith, not by feeling. True biblical believing means knowing the old Adam is crucified because the Book says so (Clip 0). No amount of human effort can break Adam's control; only God's power — in the substitutionary death of Christ — can do it (Clip 5). The believer is now dead to old Adam and alive to God, identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Clips 3, 6).
Les Feldick says that although God reckons the old Adam as dead and crucified, experientially old Adam is still in force. The believer still has to put up with his influence and wrestle against it. But he is defeated — his power has been broken — and God has placed him under subjection to the new nature that came in by God's power.
Scripture says the old man is crucified so "that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Crucifixion kills, and death frees a person from sin (Romans 6:6-7). Les pictures it as putting the old Adam out of commission: as long as Adam is alive he reigns as a king, but the moment he dies he loses control over us. Only God's power could accomplish this; human discipline can only go so far.
God saw every true believer in Christ when Christ hung on the cross, was buried, and rose again. As Christ was buried, we were buried; as He rose in resurrection power, we also are resurrected in newness of life. The believer is therefore dead to old Adam and alive to God, living by the faithfulness of Christ rather than by the old nature. This knowledge is received by faith — the believer knows it because the Book says so.
Faith in What the Book Says
Les shows that true biblical believing is knowing the old Adam is crucified because the Book declares it, not because of a feeling or experience.
Old Adam Died With Christ
Les explains that old Adam has been put to death and crucified, and that his power over daily behavior has been broken; Paul's 'I live, yet not I' is the believer's experience.
Old Adam Crucified and Put Out of Commission
Les ties crucifixion to death: God kills the old Adam and puts him out of commission, so that the body of sin is destroyed and the believer should no longer serve sin.
Reckoned Dead but Still a Wrestle
Les distinguishes God's reckoning from daily experience: God has declared the old Adam dead and defeated, but the believer still faces his influence and must wrestle against it.
The Old Man Is the Sin Nature
Les identifies the old man of Scripture as the sin nature, the old Adam we are born with, which is crucified when we believe the gospel.
Only God Can Break Adam's Control
Les says no human discipline can fully break the control of the old Adamic nature; only God's power, through substitutionary death, can crucify Adam.
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
Les applies the text to daily living: being dead to old Adam is the reason a believer cannot continue in sin; the believer is crucified with Christ and Christ lives in him.
Death Frees Us From Adam's Rule
Les compares Adam to a king who reigns until he dies; once Adam is put to death, he loses control and the believer is freed from him.
Romans 6:4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
This verse shows the believer's identification with Christ's burial and resurrection, which is the outcome of the old man's death.
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:
Union with Christ in death guarantees union with Him in 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 directly declaring that the old man — the sinful nature — is crucified with Christ.
Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
This explains the result of crucifixion: death frees the believer from sin's dominion.
Romans 6:8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Being dead with Christ leads to the certainty of living with Him in 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 testimony that the old self has been crucified and the believer now lives by Christ's indwelling life.
Not in experience. Les Feldick teaches that God reckons the old Adam as crucified and dead, and his power is broken, but in daily life the believer still wrestles with his influence. The old nature is defeated and out of commission, but it is not annihilated.
Because the believer is dead to old Adam. As Romans 6 says, our old man is crucified with Christ, the body of sin is destroyed, and he that is dead is freed from sin. Les puts it simply: God has killed the old Adam and put him out of commission.
By faith, not by feeling. Les Feldick says true biblical believing means knowing the old Adam is crucified because the Book says so. The believer accepts what Romans 6 declares and then lives in the newness of life that Christ's resurrection provides.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About the Old Sin Nature