The Christian life isn’t a stroll down “easy street”; it’s more like a march toward death row. Jesus requires us to “pick up our cross and follow (him)”, and Scripture orders us to, “put to death the deeds of (our) sinful nature” (Ro.8:13). Dying is the destiny of every single believer, and whether we like it or not, the method of execution has already been chosen for us: “crucifixion!” (Gal.5:24). Suffocation or starvation would be much more comfortable by comparison, but alas, God only gives us this one dreadful option.
Used literally, the term “crucify” (‘stauróō’) describes the way Roman soldiers fixed Jesus Christ to a wooden cross. But it’s also used in a figurative sense for putting the old ‘self’ to death by submitting all decisions & desires to God. Either way, our fate will be similar to that of our Lord. To be precise, it’ll be one that is attended with great pain. It shouldn’t be too hard therefore, to recognize if and when you’re being crucified.
But here are just a few simple signs…
FATIGUE
Following Jesus down this path means that you’ll get tired. Not the kind of ‘tired’ that you experience after a long day of hard work, but the kind you feel from blood loss. Many things in life can wear you out, but crucifying the flesh will totally drain you. A good nap won’t fix it any more than strong coffee could. And this is just the beginning.
Your only consolation is knowing that Jesus felt the same.
IMMOBILITY
Ancient victims of this technique were typically hammered onto wooden beams with iron spikes, piercing both the wrists and both of the feet, making escape impossible. This is a vital part of the procedure because every Christian will need something to keep them from running away, especially after they’ve crossed the ‘pain threshold’.
So, if your flesh is to be crucified, you can expect, sooner or later, to feel entirely stuck…at more points than one. You’ll know it’s happened when you can’t get away, and you feel like you’re bound to die right where you are. Your situation has become a tomb.
Your only consolation is knowing that the Lord wants this for you.
AGONY
Historical records indicate that the pain felt in crucifixion was of such intensity that our English word “excruciating” was invented just to describe it. It literally means “out of the cross”; a unique word to explain a unique sensation. And this is what you’re in for. No other pain known to man will compare to the discomfort you feel when you obey the Lord on this one.
Suffocation or starvation would be much more comfortable by comparison
Lots of things have made you writhe in life, but this is unparalleled. You keep hoping to find a position for yourself that’s more comfortable than the one you’re in, but the harder you try, the more it hurts.
Your only consolation is knowing that you’re still in God’s predetermined plan.
DEATH
Death is the ultimate goal. Nobody survives this. If your flesh has been crucified properly, then some part of your life is gone forever. There’s no getting it back. It is finished.
Your only consolation is knowing that resurrection is just around the corner.
LIFE
Lo’ and behold, you survive the ordeal! Not by escaping death, but by living through it. Jesus said, “Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25). No Christian crucifixion is complete without a resurrection. There’s life on the other side of each proverbial “death”, and it’s a life that’s far better than the one you left behind when you died.
ARE YOU DYING TOO?
Neither of us is dead yet, but there are things in both of our lives that still need to die.
If following Jesus and obeying God’s Word has brought you to a place that feels frighteningly ‘narrow’, you might be headed in the right direction (Mt.7:14). It’s not always bad to seem stuck in a place you wish you could escape but can’t. If life hurts, and you feel tired, join the club. Lots of Christians have died like this.
But going through such an excruciating process will make you more like Christ than ever before.
And that should be the only consolation you ever really need.