Understanding Your Participation in Christ’s Death and Resurrection and the Beginning of a New Way of Life
The Real-Life Struggle
Have you ever wondered why certain parts of your former life can still feel so familiar, even though you genuinely belong to Jesus?
Perhaps you have been following Him for many years.
You know that your sins have been forgiven.
You believe that He died and rose again.
And you understand that Scripture describes you as a new creation in Christ.
Yet sometimes, an old reaction catches you by surprise.
You become defensive when someone questions your decisions.
You find yourself worrying about something you thought you had already learned to trust God with.
You respond impatiently when life becomes difficult.
Or you recognise a familiar desire to gain approval, protect yourself, or prove that you are good enough.
And a question begins to form.
If my old self was crucified with Christ, why do these things still happen?
Perhaps you have read Romans 6 and wondered what Paul really meant when he said that our old self was crucified with Jesus.
Does that mean the person you used to be has completely disappeared?
Does it mean you should no longer experience temptation?
Does it mean that struggling with an old habit is evidence that you have not truly changed?
Or is Paul describing something deeper than the immediate disappearance of every familiar thought and behaviour?
These questions matter because the way we understand our former identity can profoundly influence how we approach our everyday Christian lives.
If we believe our old identity is still fundamentally who we are, we may continue living as though nothing has truly changed.
But if we misunderstand what it means to have died with Christ, we may become discouraged whenever we discover an area where growth is still needed.
Here, beside an ancient crossing along The Woodland Path, we are invited to explore what Scripture actually teaches.
And what we discover may give us an entirely new understanding of our relationship with the past.
Discover the Truth
In Romans 6:6, the apostle Paul writes:
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.” — Romans 6:6 (WEB)
This is an extraordinary declaration.
But to understand it properly, we need to consider why Paul was writing these words.
In Romans 5, Paul has been explaining the abundance of God’s grace and the gift of righteousness received through Jesus Christ.
He contrasts the consequences of Adam’s disobedience with the saving work of Jesus.
Then, at the beginning of Romans 6, he addresses an important question.
If God’s grace is so abundant, should believers continue living in sin so that grace may increase?
Paul’s response is emphatic.
“May it never be!” — Romans 6:2 (WEB)
Why?
Because believers have died to sin.
Paul then explains our identification with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection.
In Romans 6:3–4, he describes baptism into Christ Jesus and into His death, explaining that we were buried with Him so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we also might walk in newness of life.
The emphasis is not simply upon becoming more disciplined.
It is upon our participation in what Jesus accomplished.
Christ died.
Christ was buried.
Christ rose again.
And those who belong to Him are united with Him in His death and resurrection.
This is the foundation of Paul’s teaching about our old self.
What Does Paul Mean by the Old Self?
When Paul says that our old self was crucified with Christ, he is not suggesting that our personal history has been erased.
He is not saying that we have lost our personalities, memories, or individual characteristics.
Nor is he teaching that every learned behaviour immediately disappears when we receive Jesus.
He is describing the end of our former identity and standing in relation to sin.
Before Christ, we belonged to the old humanity represented by Adam, under the dominion of sin and death.
But through union with Jesus, believers have been brought into a new reality.
Our former existence under sin’s mastery no longer defines our relationship with God.
Paul explains the purpose in Romans 6:6:
“So that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.”
This is the heart of his argument.
The old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer live as slaves to sin.
The phrase translated “done away with” does not require us to understand the physical body as having disappeared or become evil. Rather, Paul’s concern is that the body should no longer be ruled and used by sin as it once was.
Sin’s former mastery has been broken through Christ.
This does not mean that sin no longer exists.
It does not mean that temptation becomes impossible.
And it does not mean that believers are incapable of making sinful choices.
It means that sin is no longer our rightful master.
We now belong to Jesus Christ.
Dead to Sin and Alive to God
Paul continues in Romans 6:11:
“Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:11 (WEB)
Notice the order.
Paul does not tell believers to imagine that they have died to sin in the hope that their thinking will eventually make it true.
He has already explained their participation in Christ’s death and resurrection.
Now he calls them to recognise and live according to that reality.
The word consider invites us to reckon with what is true.
We are to understand ourselves in the light of what Jesus has accomplished.
Dead to sin.
Alive to God.
In Christ Jesus.
This is not merely a motivational statement.
It is a declaration of our new relationship with God and sin through Christ.
And it provides the foundation for the instructions that follow.
See the Father’s Heart
Sometimes we imagine that God looks at our former lives with frustration.
We remember decisions we regret.
We recognise habits that developed over many years.
We see ways of thinking that do not yet reflect the truth of His Word.
And we may assume that the Father is continually disappointed that we have not changed more quickly.
But Romans 6 directs our attention towards something far more significant than our ability to improve ourselves.
It directs us towards what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ.
The Father did not simply tell humanity to escape the power of sin through greater determination.
He sent His Son.
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has provided the way for us to be reconciled to Him and brought into new life.
In Romans 5:8, Paul reminds us:
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8 (WEB)
Consider the timing.
Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
The Father’s love was not the reward for successfully overcoming our former way of life.
His love was revealed through the saving work of His Son.
And that same saving work is the foundation of the freedom Paul describes in Romans 6.
The Father has not merely forgiven believers while leaving them without hope of living differently.
Through Christ, He has brought us into a new relationship with Himself.
We are no longer required to approach life as though sin must inevitably control us.
We can learn to walk in obedience because we belong to the One who has made us alive to God.
And when we recognise areas where we still need to grow, we do not have to interpret those discoveries as evidence that the Father has abandoned us.
We can come to Him honestly.
We can acknowledge sin without hiding.
We can receive His correction.
And we can continue learning to live in the freedom Jesus has made possible.
The Father’s heart is revealed not through the condemnation of those who belong to Christ, but through His gracious purpose to bring them into life through His Son.
Recognise the Old Pattern
One of the difficulties we can experience after coming to Christ is continuing to interpret ourselves through the patterns of our former lives.
Perhaps you have spent many years responding to conflict by withdrawing.
Maybe you learned to protect yourself through anger.
Perhaps you developed a habit of comparing yourself with others.
Or you became accustomed to seeking security through control, approval, or personal achievement.
Over time, these responses may have become so familiar that they feel inseparable from who you are.
I’ve always been like this.
I can’t help reacting that way.
This is simply my personality.
I’ll probably never change.
Sometimes these statements contain observations about genuine patterns.
But there is a difference between recognising a familiar response and accepting that response as your unchangeable identity.
Consider a woman who has spent years responding defensively whenever someone corrects her.
Perhaps criticism once made her feel unsafe, rejected, or inadequate.
Over time, defensiveness became an automatic response.
After coming to Christ, she may still notice that familiar reaction.
But Romans 6 invites her to understand something important.
Her old way of responding does not have to remain her master.
She can acknowledge what is happening.
She can consider whether her response reflects the truth and character of Christ.
She can take responsibility where needed.
And she can begin learning another way.
Not because she is trying to create a new identity through her own efforts.
But because she now belongs to Jesus.
This does not mean that every difficult emotional response is itself sinful.
Fear, sadness, grief, and other human experiences are not automatically evidence of spiritual failure.
Nor does it mean that deeply established patterns can always be changed quickly or easily.
But it does mean that our former habits and experiences do not have the final authority to define our lives.
In Christ, we have a new foundation from which to respond.
And this is where renewing our thinking becomes so important.
Renew Your Thinking
Romans 6 does not stop with the declaration that our old self was crucified with Christ.
Paul continues by explaining how believers are to respond to this truth.
In Romans 6:12–13, he urges them not to allow sin to reign in their mortal bodies or present themselves to sin as instruments of unrighteousness.
Instead, they are to present themselves to God as those who are alive from the dead.
Notice what this reveals.
If believers were incapable of responding to sin, Paul would not need to instruct them not to let it reign.
His teaching recognises that temptation and sinful choices remain real concerns.
But those concerns must now be understood in the light of our new relationship with Christ.
We are not called to submit ourselves to sin as though nothing has changed.
We are called to present ourselves to God.
This gives us a different foundation for everyday decisions.
The Old Pattern Says:
I have always reacted this way, so I probably always will.
Renewed Thinking Says:
This may be a familiar response, but it does not have to govern my choices. I belong to Christ, and I can learn to respond in a way that honours Him.
The Old Pattern Says:
If I still experience temptation, perhaps my old self has not really died.
Renewed Thinking Says:
Temptation does not cancel what Christ has accomplished. I can recognise temptation without surrendering to it, because sin is no longer my rightful master.
The Old Pattern Says:
I failed again, so I must still be the person I used to be.
Renewed Thinking Says:
I need to acknowledge this honestly and turn away from what is wrong. But my identity rests in Christ, not in my most recent failure.
The Old Pattern Says:
Freedom means I should never have to make difficult choices again.
Renewed Thinking Says:
Christ has freed me from sin’s mastery, and I am now called to present myself to God in obedience.
This is an important distinction.
Freedom from sin’s dominion is not freedom to ignore sin.
It is freedom to live under a different Master.
And that Master is Jesus Christ.
The Christian life is therefore not a continual attempt to crucify an old identity that Paul says has already been crucified with Christ.
It is learning to understand and live consistently with the new relationship we have received through Him.
We are called to recognise what is true, turn away from what no longer reflects that truth, and offer ourselves to God.
Walk It Out
Imagine walking along an ancient woodland path.
Beside you stands a magnificent old tree.
Its enormous roots stretch across the earth, some disappearing beneath the moss while others rise above the ground.
They reveal a history of growth that has taken place over many years.
Nearby, a small stone crossing leads over a gentle stream.
Beyond it, young trees and fresh woodland growth flourish in the morning sunlight.
The old roots remain part of the landscape.
But the pathway continues.
This scene offers a gentle reminder that our past experiences may still influence familiar patterns, even though they no longer determine our identity in Christ.
We do not need to deny the existence of those patterns.
We can learn to recognise them and respond from a different foundation.
Here are three practical ways to begin.
1. Begin with What Christ Has Accomplished
Read Romans 6:1–11 slowly.
Notice how often Paul directs our attention towards Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Before considering what you need to change, consider what He has already accomplished.
Ask yourself:
What does this passage reveal about my relationship with Christ?
What does Paul say has happened to my old self?
What does it mean that I am now alive to God in Christ Jesus?
Allow Scripture to establish the foundation of your understanding.
2. Recognise One Familiar Pattern Without Making It Your Identity
Think of one response that you would like to understand more clearly.
Perhaps you become defensive when corrected.
Perhaps you withdraw when a conversation becomes uncomfortable.
Perhaps you exaggerate your mistakes or compare yourself with others.
Choose one pattern rather than trying to examine everything at once.
Then consider:
When does this response usually arise?
What am I believing in that moment?
Does this response reflect the truth of God’s Word and the character of Jesus?
Be honest without becoming harsh towards yourself.
The purpose is not to condemn yourself.
It is to recognise where your thinking and responses may need to change.
3. Practise Presenting Yourself to God
Romans 6:13 calls believers to present themselves to God as those who are alive from the dead.
Consider what that might look like in one ordinary situation.
If you notice defensiveness rising, perhaps you can pause and listen before responding.
If you feel tempted to speak unkindly, perhaps you can choose words that reflect patience and love.
If you recognise a desire to hide something you have done wrong, perhaps you can choose honesty and take responsibility.
These are not attempts to earn a new identity.
They are ways of responding to the new life you have received.
And when you do not respond as you hoped, you can acknowledge what happened, seek forgiveness where necessary, and continue learning.
You do not need to treat one difficult moment as the final verdict on your spiritual growth.
Christ remains the foundation of your identity.
Pause and Reflect
Take a quiet moment to consider what Romans 6 reveals about your former identity and your new life in Christ.
1. When I think about my former life, are there habits or experiences that I still allow to define who I am?
What is the difference between recognising those patterns and accepting them as my identity?
2. What does Romans 6:6–11 teach me about my relationship with sin through Jesus Christ?
How does this differ from simply trying harder to become a better person?
3. Is there one familiar response that I have assumed will always control me?
What might change if I began approaching that response from the understanding that I belong to Christ?
4. What would it look like to present myself to God in one ordinary situation this week?
Consider a practical response that reflects faith, honesty, patience, love, or obedience.
You do not need to solve every difficulty today.
Allow these questions to help you recognise the difference between the life you once lived and the new relationship you now have with God through Jesus Christ.
A Prayer of Response
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the extraordinary gift of new life through Jesus Christ.
Thank You that when I came to Him in faith, You did more than forgive my sins.
Through His death and resurrection, You brought me into a new relationship with Yourself.
Father, help me understand what it means that my old self was crucified with Christ.
Teach me to recognise that sin is no longer my rightful master and that I am now alive to You through Jesus.
Where I have continued defining myself through former habits, failures, or experiences, help me see those things in the light of Your Word.
Give me wisdom to recognise patterns that no longer reflect the new life I have received.
Where I need to repent, help me respond with humility and honesty.
Where I need to grow, teach me to walk in faith and obedience.
And where I have become discouraged by familiar struggles, remind me that my confidence rests in what Jesus has accomplished, not in my ability to achieve perfection.
Thank You that I do not need to return to the identity from which Christ has delivered me.
I belong to Him.
Help me present my thoughts, words, choices, and actions to You as someone who has been brought from death into life.
May my everyday walk increasingly reflect the freedom and newness of life You have given me through Your Son.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Before You Continue Along the Path
Perhaps you began this reflection wondering whether the continued presence of old habits means that your former identity is still who you truly are.
Perhaps you have struggled to understand how Scripture can declare that your old self was crucified with Christ when certain thoughts and reactions remain familiar.
Or perhaps you have spent years attempting to overcome patterns through sheer determination, without fully recognising the significance of what Jesus has accomplished.
Romans 6 invites us to begin from a different foundation.
Through Christ, believers have died to sin and have been brought into new life.
Our old self was crucified with Him.
And we are now called to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
This does not mean that temptation has disappeared.
It does not mean that every old habit has already been overcome.
And it does not mean that spiritual growth happens without our willing response to God.
But it does mean that our former relationship with sin has fundamentally changed.
We are no longer required to live as though sin is our master.
We belong to Jesus Christ.
And because we belong to Him, we can begin learning to respond differently.
We can acknowledge familiar patterns without allowing them to define us.
We can recognise temptation without treating it as inevitable defeat.
We can repent when we make wrong choices without assuming that our failures have undone the saving work of Christ.
And we can present ourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead.
Your former life may help explain where certain patterns began, but it does not have the authority to determine who you are now in Christ.
As you continue along The Woodland Path, remember that the foundation of your new identity is not your ability to eliminate every trace of your past.
It is your union with Jesus Christ.
The One who died and rose again has brought you into new life.
And you are invited to learn what it means to walk in that reality.
There is no need to hurry.
Allow the truth of Romans 6 to become increasingly established in your understanding.
And as you encounter the ordinary challenges of everyday life, remember that you can approach them as someone who now belongs to Jesus.
Continue exploring The Woodland Path — Living in Your New Identity in Christ.