What It Means to Live a Crucified Life
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30
When we think about worship, our minds often go to music, singing, and moments of corporate praise. But today, I want to explore a different kind of worship—the kind that happens when we crucify our flesh and surrender our lives fully to Christ. It's not a lighthearted topic, but it leads to deep freedom, transformation, and joy.
Crucifying the Flesh: A Call to Die to Sin
Paul’s words in Romans 6:1–2 are piercing:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
This isn't a theoretical question. It's a passionate plea. Grace doesn’t accommodate sin. It doesn’t excuse it or cover it quietly in the background. Grace kills sin. It extinguishes it. In Christ, we’re not just forgiven—we’re transformed.
Freedom Declared and Freedom Lived
As I reflected on this truth, I found myself thinking about the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, freedom was declared over millions of enslaved people. And yet, many who were freed returned to the very plantations and people who had enslaved them. Why? Because it was the only life they had ever known.
In the same way, many of us have been declared free in Christ, yet we continue to live in bondage. We keep the old self on life support. But grace doesn’t just set us free—it invites us to live free.
Baptism: More Than a Ritual
Paul says in Romans 6:3–4,
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death…”
Baptism isn’t just a ritual. It doesn’t save us, but it is more than a ceremony—it’s a declaration. When I baptize someone, I’m watching them proclaim, “That was who I was. This is who I am now.” Baptism is like a freedom document. It’s a visible reminder that we’ve died to the old life and risen to walk in newness of life.
Grace Doesn’t Excuse—It Empowers
Grace doesn’t give us permission to sin. It gives us power to overcome it. The Gospel doesn't just free us from something—it frees us for something. We are called to live differently. Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). That’s not just poetic language—it’s a new way of life.
What Sin Tries to Do to Us
There was a moment this week in the coffee shop where I just sat back, overwhelmed by a simple truth: sin doesn’t just influence our behavior—it tries to use our very bodies as instruments for its purposes.
Imagine a master violin, beautifully crafted and played with excellence, handed over to a child who smashes it, misuses it, and leaves it in pieces. That’s what sin does. But then the Master picks it up, lovingly restores it, and makes it even more beautiful than before. That’s what God does with us. That’s what He did with me.
A Legal Freedom—And a Life That Reflects It
Romans 6:7 says,
“For one who has died has been set free from sin.”
The Greek word there is a legal term—it means officially released. Like the Emancipation Proclamation declared slavery illegal, the cross has made our bondage to sin completely over.
We’re not just freed from sin’s penalty—we’re freed from its power.
But There’s More
It’s not just about what Christ has removed from us. It’s also about what He has given us. Freedom isn’t just a status—it’s a mindset. And that means we don’t just sit back passively. We live on purpose.
That’s where it gets uncomfortable, doesn’t it? Because now we have to do something with what we’ve been given.
We’re Free For Something
Romans 6:11 calls us to action:
“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
That’s not passive. That’s a mindset shift. Every day, I must actively reckon myself dead to sin and alive to God.
Jesus didn’t just take something from me—He gave me something new. He gave me Himself. And now I live, not for the old ways, not in the old mindsets, but as a new creation. Every day is a choice between life and death, good and evil (Deuteronomy 30:15). I choose to live in the light of what Jesus has done.
The Crucified Life
So what does it mean to live a crucified life?
It means killing the things Christ has already killed.
It means not keeping the old self on life support.
It means decreasing so He can increase.
And it means choosing—daily, intentionally—to walk in the freedom we’ve been given.
So today, may we worship not just with our lips, but with our lives. May we crucify the flesh, kill the old self, and rise to walk in newness of life.