But did you die? - The Art of Spiritual Assassination

By Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

The phrase "But did you die?" is often used as a punchline for surviving a risky situation. But in the economy of the Kingdom of heaven, it isn’t a joke—it’s a requirement. To live the resurrection life, there must first be a funeral. As the title suggests, we are called to a radical surrender that insinuates a total change in behavior. If there is no death to self, there is no fruit of the Spirit.

As Pastor Steve reminds us, "What you believe will determine how you live." If you truly believe you have been raised with Christ, you cannot remain comfortable wearing the "grave clothes" of your old life.

In our modern, comfortable era of Christianity, we have a tendency to treat the Gospel like a self-improvement seminar. We want Jesus to fix our finances, patch up our marriages, and boost our self-esteem. But the theology of Colossians 3 and Luke 9 doesn’t offer a makeover; it demands an execution. When we ask the question, "But did you die?" we are probing the very foundation of what it means to be a disciple. If there is no corpse of the "old man," there is no resurrected life in the "new man."

To truly understand the "Spiritual Assassination" Paul describes in Colossians, we have to look back at the mandate Jesus gave in the Gospels. In Luke 9:23 (NKJV), Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

We often romanticize the cross as a piece of jewelry, but to a first-century ear, the cross was a singular, gruesome instrument of death. John MacArthur notes that "Taking up one's cross is not bearing a physical burden or enduring a difficult circumstance; it is a willingness to suffer and die for the sake of Christ. It is the death of self-will."

The Greek word for "deny" here is aparneomai. It is a strong, intensive verb that means to disown or to renounce completely. It is the same word used to describe Peter denying Jesus—a total severance of association. To live like you believe it, you must disown your right to yourself. You aren't just "struggling" with your old nature; you are disowning it.

When Paul tells us to "put to death" the members of our earthly body in Colossians 3:5, he uses the word nekrosate. This is an aorist imperative, which implies a decisive, once-and-for-all action. It literally means "to make a corpse."

Scholars often point out that this is not a suggestion for a slow, gradual fading of sin. It is a command for a sudden strike. Warren Wiersbe explains it this way: "The believer must have a 'crisis' attitude toward sin. We don't grow out of these sins; we put them to death."

This is further deepened by the word apekdysis found earlier in Colossians 2:11, referring to the "putting off" of the body of the sins of the flesh. It refers to a total stripping away, like a soldier stripping off his blood-stained battle gear after the war is over. Pastor Steve’s manuscript hits this perfectly: "Christ has cut off the body of sin in us by His being cut off on the cross." The "cutting off" was done by Christ (justification), but the "putting to death" of the daily habits is our response (sanctification).

The reason we can be so radical—so violent—with our sin is that our true life is no longer at risk. Colossians 3:3 (NKJV) says, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

The Greek word for "hidden" is keryptō, which is where we get the word "crypt." It speaks of something that is concealed, secret, and absolutely secure. Your identity is tucked away in the throne room of God. MacArthur explains that this "hiddenness" implies both secrecy and safety. The world doesn't understand your new life because they didn't understand Christ, but the world also cannot touch your new life because it is stored in a Divine Vault.

Since your life is secure, you don't have to protect your "ego" or your "reputation" on this earth. You are free to kill the pride, the anger, and the greed because those things aren't "you" anymore. They are just the grave clothes you’ve been dragging around.

1. The "Daily" Mandate of Luke 9 We must embrace the "daily" aspect of taking up the cross. Execution isn't a one-time event at an altar call; it is a morning-by-morning decision. Pastor Steve asks, "What occupies your mind?" If you aren't waking up and intentionally "setting your mind on things above" (Colossians 3:2), your mind will default to the earth.

Start your day by literally saying aloud: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20 NKJV). Identify the one sin that usually trips you up by noon and "assassinate" it before you leave the house.

2. Identifying the "Idolatry" of Covetousness Paul makes a startling claim in Colossians 3:5: he calls covetousness "idolatry." Most of us don't think we are idolaters because we don't have statues in our living rooms. But Wiersbe points out that "a covetous person is an idolater because he worships the gift instead of the Giver."

Review your "Seeking Audit." Look at what you spent money on this week. Did it serve your comfort, your status, or the Kingdom? If you find an idol of "stuff," break it by giving something away. Generosity is the bullet that kills covetousness.

3. The Speech Fast: Killing the "Filthy Communication" Pastor Steve highlights that "lying is involved in all sin." Paul commands us to put off "anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language" (Colossians 3:8 NKJV). These aren't just "bad habits"; they are the stench of the grave.

Instead of praying "Take this bad language away from me," Shift your focus to meditating on how to use your language to lift up. Pray instead for wisdom to speak life. This shifts our focus meditating on the things that are honorable and worthy of praise. 

4. The "Renewed Knowledge" Habit In Colossians 3:10, we are told the new man is "renewed in knowledge." The Greek word is epignōsis, meaning a deep, experiential knowledge. You cannot kill sin with a shallow understanding of God. You need the "heavy artillery" of the Word.

Move beyond "devotionals" and into study. Take one of the attributes of God (His holiness, His sovereignty, His justice) and meditate on it until it changes your perspective on your current "earthly" problems. As Pastor Steve says, "Are we trying to get our minds wrapped around the wisdom, knowledge, and glory of Christ?"

5. Radical Amputation of the "Access Points" If you are serious about spiritual assassination, you must destroy the supply lines. If your "passion" or "evil desire" (Colossians 3:5) is fueled by certain media, locations, or people, those are the members that must be "cut off."

Identify your "Access Point." What is the one thing that makes it easy for you to sin? Is it an unrestricted phone at night? Is it a certain group of coworkers? Apply the "But Did You Die" principle: If that access point died today, would your walk with Christ be healthier? If yes, kill it.

It's time to live like we actually believe it!
The resurrection life of Jesus Christ is not a destination we reach through better effort; it is a reality we inhabit through a daily execution. To answer the question, "But did you die?" requires more than a nod to theology—it requires the visible evidence of a vacated throne. As Pastor Steve reminds us, if we truly believe the preeminence of Christ, then our lives must be the demonstration of that truth. We cannot afford to be spiritual pacifists, gently negotiating with the very sins that nailed our Savior to the tree. We must be spiritual assassins, decisively putting to death the old man so that the new man, "renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10 NKJV), can finally breathe.

Warren Wiersbe challenged us to ensure our declaration matches our demonstration, and John MacArthur reminded us that we are entirely new creatures. Therefore, do not leave this study with merely a fuller head, but with a emptier self. Take up your cross, disown your right to your own will, and step out of the grave clothes that no longer fit a citizen of Heaven. The world is not looking for more people who "believe" in a historical Jesus; it is looking for people who are so "hidden with Christ in God" that their very presence tastes like the Kingdom. The funeral is over, the debt is paid, and the power of the Spirit is yours. Now, in the name of the One who died so you could live—go live like you believe it.