Hello Bro John!
I have a couple questions regarding putting off the old man and putting on the new man. I know at salvation a part of us dies and that is our old man or our old spirit. What would Romans 8:10 be referring to when it is says “the body is dead because of sin” and then also Romans 6:6 where it talks about “that the body of sin might be destroyed.” Is this talking about our flesh? I know we become dead to sin at salvation. But our body doesn’t die, and it still sins. Can you clear it up for me?
Thank you

Justin

Hello Justin,

Great questions! Regarding putting off and putting on, Colossians 3 is clarifying. The idea is that since your old man has been put off (your unregenerated human spirit died with Christ), now, based on your new provision, put off all that he was about. And since your new man has been put on (your human spirit was raised with Christ as a new creation of God’s implanted nature), now, with this provision, put on all that he is about. 

At salvation, you, your human spirit, died with Christ unto sin (your old man was severed from your old master of indwelling sin) and was raised with Christ as the new man and joined by the indwelling Spirit. However, indwelling sin still resides in your soul and body levels, even though your spirit has been freed from union with the old master. The phrase “the body is dead because of sin” (Rom. 8:10) points out that the body is not yet glorified. It’s not saved at all—not yet. The old master resides there, attempting to deceive and persuade us to follow him. The old master of indwelling sin is entirely separated from the new life within us, from both our regenerated spirits and the Holy Spirit, and this is death—a complete separation from the life of God. Thus, the body is dead because of [indwelling] sin.

Thankfully, Romans 6:6 declares our old man was crucified with Christ “that the body of sin might be destroyed.” Crucified with Him, the sphere for sinful activity, the body (because indwelling sin cannot sin without a body or, more specifically, body parts), might now be rendered inoperative (destroyed). The real us is severed through death with Christ from the old master of indwelling sin. The real us—the new man—now is righteous, consisting of God’s seed (1 John 3:9) and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. When we take the provision of Christ in us to obey His will, He easily overcomes indwelling sin as we experience Jesus. In doing so, the body as the active sphere for indwelling sin is rendered inoperative.

John

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