Go! And Crucify the Flesh: Living the New Life in Christ
Galatians 5:24 (NLT) — “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”
Introduction: The Call to the Cross
There’s an old story of a missionary who once asked a tribal chief, “If I could show you how to have peace with God, would you listen?” The chief nodded. The missionary held up a cross and said, “Peace begins here.” The chief replied, “But I do not see anyone hanging there.” The missionary responded, “He was there — and He hung there for you.”
That, dear friends, is where our passage leads us today. To the cross.
We are continuing our “Go! And…” series — and today, God’s Word calls us to Go! And Crucify the Flesh.
In Galatians 5:24, Paul paints a vivid picture of what it truly means to belong to Jesus: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”
This is not poetic imagery — it is the reality of Christian discipleship. To belong to Christ means our old nature, our sinful desires, have been nailed to the cross — put to death so that we may live new lives through Him.
1. Belonging to Christ: The Mark of True Discipleship
Paul begins: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus…”
The Greek word used here for “belong” (hoi tou Christou Iesou) carries a sense of possession and relationship — not ownership by force, but by love. It speaks of being united to Christ, identified with Him.
This echoes what Paul said in Romans 8:9:
“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”
To belong to Christ means the Holy Spirit now directs your life. It is no longer about self-rule, but Spirit-rule.
The Galatian believers were being influenced by false teachers who taught that salvation required adherence to Jewish law. Paul was reminding them that true belonging is not about keeping religious customs — it is about being crucified with Christ.
Paul already declared this earlier in Galatians 2:20 (NLT): “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
To belong to Christ means our identity is no longer shaped by the flesh but by faith.
We live in a world obsessed with self-identity — people define themselves by career, politics, sexuality, possessions, or popularity. But Paul reminds us: the only identity that truly matters is belonging to Jesus.
Max Lucado once said, “You were bought by Christ, so you belong to Christ. No one else has the right to tell you who you are.”
What a freeing truth that is! The world says, “Be true to yourself.” The Gospel says, “Be true to Christ — for you belong to Him.”
2. Nailing the Passions and Desires: The Act of Crucifixion
Paul continues: “...have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”
This is the language of execution. Crucifixion was not a quick death — it was painful, public, and purposeful.
The Greek word for “crucified” (stauroo) literally means to affix to a cross with nails. It signifies a decisive act — a one-time surrender of the old self to Christ’s Lordship.
When Paul says believers “have nailed” their sinful nature, he uses the aorist tense, indicating a completed action in the past.
In other words, when you came to Christ, your old self was nailed there with Him — the power of sin was broken.
Romans 6:6 (NLT) confirms this: “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”
This is not about sinless perfection — it’s about sin having lost its dominion.
John Piper puts it this way: “When you are united to Christ, His death becomes your death. The old you dies — not because you killed it, but because you were crucified with Him.”
Imagine a man carrying a heavy backpack full of rocks — guilt, lust, pride, anger, shame. Then he comes to the cross, kneels down, and leaves it there. But the next day, he goes back and picks it up again.
How many of us do that?
The Gospel calls us not just to visit the cross, but to live there. The cross is not a decoration — it’s a declaration that the old life is finished.
3. Living by the Spirit: The Evidence of a Crucified Life
Paul continues this thought in Galatians 5:25: “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
The crucified life leads to the Spirit-filled life. When we die to self, the Spirit breathes new life in us.
Romans 8:13 (NLT) says: “If you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”
The phrase “put to death” translates the Greek thanatoute — a continuous action. It means to keep killing the deeds of the flesh daily.
R.T. Kendall writes, “You cannot crucify yourself — you can only consent to be crucified. The Spirit does the work when you surrender.”
In other words, crucifixion is not a one-time prayer but a daily posture.
Every day, we must decide: will I live by the flesh or by the Spirit?
When we surrender to the Spirit, we find the fruit of the Spirit flourishing — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
It’s not about trying harder; it’s about trusting deeper.
4. The Cross: God’s Power to Save
At the heart of this verse lies the Gospel itself.
The cross was not only where Jesus died for us — it is where we die with Him.
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT) says: “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
Christ’s death was substitutionary — He took the penalty we deserved. His burial proved the finality of His death. His resurrection demonstrated the victory of His life.
Charles Stanley once said, “The cross is where sin was conquered, death was defeated, and life began for every believer.”
When we place our faith in Jesus, we are united to that victory.
A caterpillar cannot imagine what it’s like to fly — but after it enters the cocoon and dies to its old form, it emerges transformed.
That’s what happens when a person comes to Christ. The old has gone; the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) declares: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
5. The Call to Crucify the Flesh Today
Paul’s message is not theoretical. It’s practical.
What does it look like in 2025 to crucify the flesh?
It means saying no to sin — not because we fear punishment, but because we love Jesus more.
It means forgiving those who hurt us, choosing purity in a corrupt world, and living with integrity when no one is watching.
Tim Keller wrote, “The gospel is not just the ABCs of Christianity, it is the A to Z. Every day, we must apply the gospel to our hearts again.”
To crucify the flesh means returning to the cross daily — repenting, trusting, surrendering, and rejoicing that Christ has already won.
A Clear Gospel Invitation:
My friend, if you have never come to that cross — if you have never nailed your sin there — today is the day.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, left heaven’s glory, took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, and willingly went to the cross for you.
He died in your place — to pay for your sin. He was buried — but on the third day, He rose again, defeating death forever.
Romans 10:9 (NLT) promises: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Salvation is not about religion; it’s about relationship. Not about trying, but trusting. Not about working, but believing.
If you will turn from sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ today — He will forgive you, transform you, and give you eternal life.
Conclusion: Go! And Crucify the Flesh
Beloved, the call of Galatians 5:24 is not optional. It’s essential.
To belong to Christ means to die with Him — and to live through Him.
So go — and crucify the flesh.
Go — and live by the Spirit.
Go — and show the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And remember: every nail that pierced His hands proclaims your freedom. Every drop of His blood declares your forgiveness. Every breath He took after rising again assures your victory.
Benediction:
May the God who called you out of darkness fill you with the light of Christ.
May you walk daily in the power of the Spirit, crucifying the flesh and living for the glory of Jesus.
And may your life proclaim to all the world that you belong to Him — now and forever. Amen.
