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"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their sinful nature with its passions
and desires. Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit" (5: 24, 25,
N.I.V.).
What does Paul mean by believers crucifying their sinful nature? In his experience
this had been achieved, not by his own efforts, but by the work of Christ.
"I have been crucified with Christ",
he says in 2: 20 and we should refer to his later epistle to the Romans, especially the
inner section of chapters 5:-8: that unfold the great doctrine of identification of the
believer with Christ in crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection as unfolded in
chapters 5: and 6: This is entirely God's work, not the believer's, but he is exhorted to
count on it or to "reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus
Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6: 11). Thus he is delivered from the constant bondage of trying
to overcome the flesh in his own strength and by his own efforts.
In chapter 6:, in constant to the "troubler", Paul deals with the "restorer". The word
in Greek as a broken net (Matt. 4: 21) is found in medical works for the resetting of a
fractured limb. Instead of the overbearing spirit of the troubler the Apostle speaks of "the
spirit of meekness" which seeks to restore one overtaken by a fault, considering himself
lest he be likewise tempted:
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one
in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (6: 1, A.V.).
The Apostle goes on to deal with burden bearing and there seems to be a
contradiction. In verse 2 he exhorts believers to "bear one another's burdens and so fulfil
the law of Christ". Yet in verse 5 he says "for every man shall bear his own burden".
Two words are used for burden here and two aspects of truth are presented. In verse 2
baros refers to pressure or weight and the believer is enjoined to assist another who is
overloaded. But in verse 5 the Greek phortion refers to the equipment of a soldier which
can be shared with none. There are responsibilities both in life and in the Lord's service
which are personal and cannot be passed on to someone else. Wisdom is needed here to
discriminate between the two. The "spirit of meekness" will avoid any ideas of pride or
aggrandizement, for "if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceives himself" and needs the warning of verse 7, "do not be deceived; God is not
mocked". A man reaps what he sows. "The one who sows to please his sinful nature will
reap destruction; the one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal
life" (6: 8 N.I.V.)