Kicking a dead horse

1 Cor. 15:31
“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

2 Cor. 4:10
“…always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

I have heard so many Christians say, “You gotta crucify and die to your flesh!” “You gotta, you just gotta.” I have a question. If someone is dead then why would you have to kill them again? Romans 6 says, “We have been planted together in the likeness of His death.” We partake of His death and life by grace. The above scripture, 1 Cor. 15:31, can also read, “I am dead daily” in the Greek. I believe what Paul was saying was that he is ALWAYS dead IN Christ. All the time.

As believers, we are not who we were.
Col. 3:3
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

We do not have to “try” to die to the old self either if it is already dead. I’ve never seen a dead person “try” to die. Either they are dead or they aren’t. The next question is, “Is Christ your savior?” If He is, then you should know you are dead and no longer have to die anymore. We partake in His death. We partake of His nature by grace.

If we are trying to “be dead” in Him then this could be looked at as necromancy.

nec·ro·man·cy [nek-ruh-man-see] –noun

1. a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.
2. magic in general, esp. that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.

Essentially, necromancy is a type of witchcraft. Samuel said, “Rebellion is as witchcraft.” If a believer is trying to die to self when he/she should already be dead in Christ then the next question is, “Is Christ truly their savior?” If He is their savior then they are not who they were. They are a new creation in Him. The old has gone. Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their dead.” I wonder why?

Paul speaks of another gospel which really isn’t another gospel in Gal. 1:6-7. I’ve noticed brethren co-mingle the “other gospel” with the true Gospel and get entangled. Sounds like Galatians 5. This leads to the need and purpose for sound doctrine in the Church. It authenticates the Church and more.