The Old Man Is Dead: Episode 4

Summary

Andrew Wommack argues that Christians should understand themselves through their new identity in Christ rather than through past sins, habits, or present struggles. He presents this as a teaching from Romans 6 and says it transformed his understanding of God’s love and his ability to live as a Christian.

Main Ideas

• A person’s spirit changes at conversion, but the body and mind do not automatically change. Wommack describes people as having a spirit, soul (mind and emotions), and body. In his view, the born-again spirit is made new, while the body remains physically limited and the mind still needs renewal.

• The believer’s new spirit is no longer sinful. He interprets Romans 6 as teaching that the “old man” was crucified with Christ and that believers received a new, godly nature. Being “dead to sin,” he clarifies, does not mean Christians cannot be tempted or commit sin. It means sin is no longer their nature or identity.

• Knowing this identity is essential to living it out. Wommack emphasizes Romans 6:6, especially the phrase “knowing this.” He says that although a person’s spirit is already changed, this truth may not affect everyday behavior until the person understands and believes it. In his account, old patterns persist because the mind has not yet been renewed.

• Identity can shape behavior. He warns that continuing to identify as a sinner, failure, or addict can reinforce behaviors associated with that identity. He recounts a story about Kenneth Hagin, who, after becoming a Christian, refused to pick locks for former companions because he understood himself to be a changed person.

• Addiction and recovery are discussed through this framework. Wommack acknowledges that 12-step programs can help people, particularly through practical or natural means. However, he argues that Christians should not make a former addiction their continuing identity. He suggests that, in his view, a person can seek from God the comfort or relief previously sought through alcohol or drugs. He also gives the example of a woman who stopped drinking but, he says, remained dependent on another substance.

• He distinguishes spiritual identity from physical circumstances. Wommack says believers should not deny physical realities such as aging, pain, or bodily limitations. Rather, he urges them not to treat those realities as the whole of who they are. He says his confidence in his spiritual identity affects how he responds to physical problems and life’s challenges. He adds that he is not against doctors or medicine, while describing himself as unusually focused on healing through faith.

• He presents believers as empowered for Christian life and service. Citing several Bible passages, Wommack says believers have Christ’s Spirit and possess qualities such as love, joy, and peace in their spirits. He connects this identity with confidence, spiritual power, and the possibility of doing the works described in John 14:12.

Practical Approach Presented

• Recognize the distinction between spirit, mind and emotions, and body.
• Regard conversion as a genuine change in spiritual nature, not merely the forgiveness of past sins.
• Learn and reflect on what Scripture says about the believer’s identity in Christ.
• Renew the mind so thoughts and actions increasingly align with that identity.
• Avoid defining oneself by former sins or addictions; respond to temptation and difficulty from the perspective of being changed in Christ.
• Acknowledge physical circumstances without allowing them to define one’s spiritual identity.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Andrew Wommack — main speaker and teacher.
• Ministry announcer/promotional voice — introduces the return to the program and directs viewers to program materials.
• Bible passages cited by Wommack — John 4:24; Romans 6; Ephesians 2; Proverbs 23:7; 1 John 4:17 and 2:20; 1 Corinthians 2:16, 6:17, and 13:12; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:9; and John 14:12.
• Kenneth Hagin — mentioned in an anecdote about refusing to pick locks after becoming a Christian.
• An unnamed woman — referred to in Wommack’s example about recovery from alcoholism and continued dependence on another drink.