The Old Man and Its Relationship with Diseases
We give thanks to God, our Father, for His grace and mercy, which allow us to stand before His Holy Spirit to be guided, instructed, and corrected. Today, we delve into the topic of the old man, a crucial concept for the life of faith, as its activity directly impacts our relationship with God and our spiritual and physical health.
The Word of God warns us not to be ignorant of the enemy’s schemes. In the Old Testament, we are told: “My people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). This lack of knowledge is not only about being unaware of God or His Gospel but also about ignoring the enemy’s tactics, which use the old man within us to hinder our spiritual growth. The old man is the sinful nature we all carry, inclined toward sin, evil, and perversity, acting as an internal enemy that can betray, disappoint, and stall our life of faith.
The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:22, exhorts us: “As for the former way of life, put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful desires”. The Greek word translated as “corrupt” means “to decay” or “to destroy itself.” Thus, this verse reveals that the old man not only tends toward sin but also destroys itself and, in doing so, destroys the person who harbors it. This self-destruction is not harmless; it directly affects our lives, including our physical health, particularly through degenerative, congenital, or genetic diseases.
Many believers have accepted diseases as an inevitable part of aging, assuming it is normal for illnesses to arise as we grow older. However, God’s Word challenges this worldly belief. The Bible declares that Jesus the Christ “bore our sicknesses” (Isaiah 53:4) and “carried our pains” (Isaiah 53:4), showing that we are not destined to live under the burden of disease. In John 10:10, Jesus the Christ states: “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. This abundant life refers not only to eternity but to a full life on earth, free from the destruction caused by the old man.
In Romans 7:24, Paul cries out: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”. Here, Paul is not referring to an external punishment, as some have suggested, but to the old man acting within him, causing deterioration. In Romans 7:20-23, he explains that sin dwells in him, creating an internal struggle that leads him to do what he does not want. The solution is found in Romans 7:25: “Thanks be to God through Jesus the Christ our Lord”. Only through Jesus the Christ can we crucify the old man and be freed from its destructive influence.
The connection between the old man and diseases is evident: its activity leads to deterioration that manifests as physical ailments, particularly degenerative, congenital, or genetic diseases. These do not arise on their own but as a result of the old man’s activity. Therefore, Paul urges us to crucify it, as stated in Romans 8:13: “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live”. The flesh is where the old man operates, and living according to it leads to death, while living by the Spirit brings life.
In 1 Corinthians 15:54, Paul writes: “When this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying: Death is swallowed up in victory”. This passage acknowledges that the old man corrupts our body, but victory in Jesus the Christ delivers us from that corruption. Likewise, in Philippians 1:23, Paul expresses his desire to be released from this body to be with Christ, recognizing the burden of the old man in his earthly life.
To counter the old man’s activity, medical treatments alone are insufficient, as the root is spiritual. In 2 Corinthians 7:1, we are exhorted: “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God”. Crucifying the old man requires conscious effort, as Ephesians 5:11-13 states: “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, for it is shameful even to speak of the things they do in secret. But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light”. Ignoring or tolerating the old man only strengthens it; we must confront and crucify it.
The life of faith is not limited to religious activities but involves living out the doctrine of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus the Christ calls us to be living testimonies of His Word, not just to speak of Him. In John 10:10, the enemy is described as the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and the old man is his diligent servant within us. Therefore, we must choose to crucify it to live the abundant life Jesus the Christ promises.
In Isaiah 40:31, we are assured: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint”. This is the reality of the Gospel: a life free from the old man’s destruction. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25), we are reminded that one day we will give an account before God, not only for what we believed but for how we managed our life and body. We cannot present ourselves before Him deteriorated by the old man’s activity.
Therefore, the Spirit of God calls us to take a stand: crucify the old man to stop its destructive influence. We cannot continue tolerating diseases as something normal, as doing so is accepting the enemy’s work in our lives. In the name of Jesus the Christ, we declare that every argument justifying disease as part of aging falls to the ground. May God’s people rise in authority, crucify the old man, and live the abundant life He promises. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you and your household. Amen.
