Tag: put to death

Romans 8:13 – Evidence of Faith

Posted on by Will

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Truth to Learn

Your actions indicate whether you are spiritually dead or alive.

 

Behind the Words

The words “you will” are from the Greek word mellō, which usually means “it is about to happen.” It is normally followed by a verb in the future infinitive form. However, in this verse it is followed by a verb in the present infinitive form. This makes the expression stronger than a future verb. It indicates a necessary consequence. Hence, we could translate this as “you are at the point of death” or “you are going to die.”

“Put to death” is from the verb thanatoō, meaning “to kill,” that is, “to take an active part in causing the death of something.” Paul is telling us that a person who habitually satisfies their sin nature will cause their own death.

The word “deeds” is from the Greek noun praxis, which is from the verb prassō, meaning “to practice,” that is, to perform an action over and over. Therefore, we see that the word “deeds” refers to habitual, repeated actions.

“Body” is from sōma, which refers to our physical body.

 

Meaning Explained

Let’s look at this one phrase at a time. Paul starts out with, “For if you live according to the flesh.” We have already talked about “according to the flesh,” meaning “satisfying the desires of the sin nature.” The end of this phrase is, “you will die.” It’s not a matter that you may die, but that you definitely will die. This is another indication that Paul is now talking about someone who is not saved. One of the characteristics of an unsaved person is that their actions are dictated by self, not by the Spirit of God, and he or she will suffer eternal death.

The second half of this verse is, “but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” In other words, if we personally take an active part in putting to death the deeds of our body, we will have life. This is a characteristic of a Christian. As born again Christians, we live by the power of the Holy Spirit, and we will actively fight against and put to death the selfish deeds of our sin nature.

Remember back in verse ten Paul said that if Christ is in you, the body is dead but the spirit is alive. He is now saying that one way for you to tell if Christ is in you (if you are truly saved) is that you will not continually be living to satisfy your sin nature because the Holy Spirit is living in you. Through the Holy Spirit we are continually working to kill the fleshly practices that our body (influenced by our sin nature) wants to do. But, those who are not saved are continually letting their body and its fleshly desires have their way. As a result, they are destined to die and be eternally separated from God. That’s precisely what James meant when he wrote:

Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18b)

 

Application

So where do your actions say you will spend eternity? Do they say that you are destined to die eternally or that you will live eternally in God’s presence as His adopted son or daughter?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 3:18 – Obedient Suffering

Posted on by Will

For Christ also died once for sins, for us all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ suffered! He suffered quietly, for your sake.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “once” is hapax, meaning “one time.” This declares that Christ suffered and died only one time for all sins.

“Being put to death” is translated from thanatoō, which means “to kill.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, implying past completed action with a continuous ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the ongoing effect (for you and me).

 

Meaning Explained

Peter has told us in a number of different ways that it’s a good thing for us to suffer unjustly. He has also said that not only is it pleasing to God but sometimes it is what God has determined. He now tells us that our Father, who has adopted us, is not asking us to do anything which his own Eternal Son has not already done. According to this verse, Christ died for sins. Did He commit any sins? No! So whose sins did He suffer and die for? Obviously, He suffered and died for yours and mine and for those of all mankind from the beginning of time until the great judgment day. Is that fair? No, but it is what God determined.

But why would God determine that to happen? Peter answers this in the following part of this verse, “that He might bring you to God …” God determined that this was the way that He could make himself approachable by sinful mankind. Christ Himself can now bring us to the Holy Father. In theological terms this is known as “substitutionary” death. That is, the one who did not deserve to die did so as a substitute for us. And, since He didn’t need the death applied to his account to pay for His sins (since He didn’t have any), his death was applied to our accounts as payment for our sins.

Now, for just a moment, let’s look at this from Christ’s perspective. He didn’t have to die. He didn’t have to go through the agony and suffering that He did, nor was He personally desirous of doing so. Here’s what He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane just before being taken by the crowd to be tried, tortured, and crucified,

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:36-39)  [NASB]

Christ knew what was coming and He didn’t want to go through with it, but He willingly did so because He knew that God the Father wanted Him to do it. He was obedient, even unto death.

 

Application

Now compare the suffering that you may currently be going through (or that you may go through in the future) with His suffering. He was willing to do so for the Father … and for you. Are you willing to do so for Him? Even though it isn’t fair?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:16 – Deadly Reconciliation

Posted on by Will

and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Truth to Learn

We are reconciled to God because of Jesus Christ’s death.

 

Behind the Words

“He might reconcile” is translated from the Greek verb apokatalassō. This is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” kata, used as an intensifier, and allassō, meaning “to change.” The word katalassō (without apo added) implies the setting up of a relationship of peace that did not exist before. Apokatalassō, however, implies a restoration of a relationship which comes from a dramatic change. In other words, it refers to restoring harmony or fellowship (which existed previously) between two parties as a result of a dramatic change on the part of one of them.

Amphoteros is the Greek word that is translated “both.” It refers to “both of two,” that is, “both the one and the other.”

The word “body” is soma, which refers to “a body, either literally or figuratively.” In this case it refers to the physical body of Jesus Christ.

“Cross” is from the Greek noun stauros, which is derived from the base of the verb histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It refers to “a tree,” “a stake,” or “a cross” (something set upright) to which criminals were tied or nailed as a form of execution.

The expression “putting to death” comes from the verb apokteinō, which is composed of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and the verb kteinō, meaning “to slay.” Thus, apokteinō means “to kill” or “to put to death.”

 

Meaning Explained

This verse really focuses on the Greek word apokatalassō, the reconciliation of mankind to God. In other words, God has restored harmony and fellowship between us and Him as a result of a change in our status. That change is from a condition of us being a condemned sinner to the condition of us having the righteousness of Christ. But Paul makes a special point of declaring that both Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God. Jews needed reconciliation because they failed to keep the whole law. And Gentiles needed reconciliation as well because we were estranged from God and His blessing.

This reconciliation took place in the physical body of Jesus Christ. As the second person of the Godhead, Jesus is completely God. But, because He took on human form, that is, a physical human body just like you and I have, subject to pain, suffering, and death, He is also completely human. Because He became completely human and lived a life without sin, he was able to offer up His human life in that body, through the pain and suffering of the cross, as the payment for our sins.

At this point Paul employs one of his “play on words” for which he is noted. He tells us that because of the death of His body, Jesus put to death the enmity, the hatred and hostility between Jews and Gentiles. By His death, He reconciled both Jew and Gentile with God and put to death the hostility between us.

 

Application

In his letter to the Romans, Paul said:

For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. So also you count yourselves to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:10-11)

If we are dead to sin then it cannot have mastery over us, and we can live our lives to God as a result of the bodily death of Jesus Christ. So, now the question we all have to ask ourselves is, “Do we consider ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God?” Think about that for a few minutes.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 2:16 – Deadly Reconciliation

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 2:16  – Deadly Reconciliation

and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Truth to Learn

We are reconciled to God because of Jesus Christ’s death.

Behind the Words

“He might reconcile” is translated from the Greek verb apokatalassō. This is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” kata, used as an intensifier, and allassō, meaning “to change.” This word implies a reconciliation which comes from a dramatic change. In other words, it refers to restoring harmony or fellowship between two parties as a result of a dramatic change on the part of one of them.

The word “body” is soma, which refers to “a body, either literally or figuratively.” In this case it refers to the physical body of Jesus Christ.

“Cross” is from the Greek noun stauros, which is derived from the base of the verb histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It refers to “a stake” or “a cross” (something set upright) to which criminals were tied or nailed as a form of execution.

The expression “putting to death” comes from the verb apokteinō, which is composed of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and the verb kteinō, meaning “to slay.” Thus, apokteinō means “to kill” or “to put to death.”

Meaning Explained

This verse really focuses on the Greek word apokatalassō, the reconciliation of mankind to God. In other words, God has restored harmony and fellowship between us and Him as a result of a change in our status. That change is from being a condemned sinner to having the righteousness of Christ. But Paul makes a special point of declaring that both Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God. Jews needed reconciliation because they failed to keep the whole law. And Gentiles needed reconciliation as well because we were estranged from God and His blessing.

This reconciliation took place in the physical body of Jesus Christ. As the second person of the Godhead, Jesus is completely God. But, because He took on human form, that is, a physical human body just like you and I have, subject to pain, suffering, and death, He is also completely human. Because He became completely human and lived a life without sin, he was able to offer up His life in that body, through the pain and suffering of the cross, as the payment for our sins.

At this point Paul employs one of his “play on words” for which he is noted. He tells us that because of the death of His body, Jesus put to death the enmity, the hatred and hostility between Jews and Gentiles. By His death, He reconciled both Jew and Gentile with God and put to death the hostility between us.

Application

In his letter to the Romans, Paul said:

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:10-11)

If we are dead to sin then it cannot have mastery over us, and we can live our lives to God as a result of the bodily death of Jesus Christ. Do you consider yourself to be dead to sin and alive to God?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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