Are we ‘truly’ CRUCIFIED with CHRIST?
November
29 Bible Reading: Galatians Chapters 1-3
Are we ‘truly’ CRUCIFIED with CHRIST?
"For
I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it
is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself
for me." (Gal 2:19-20)
The penalty
for breaking the law is death (Rom. 6:23). As sinners by birth we have broken
the law, so we are condemned to die. But Christ paid the penalty of the broken
law for us by dying in our place. The only way we can now live for God is by
being dead to the law. Apostle Paul died to the law in the death of Christ; he
was crucified with Christ (v. 20), for he was united to Christ who died in his
place (3:13; Rom. 4:25; 5:6). So too, he was raised with Christ and lived in
relation to God (Col. 2:12; 3:1).
We also identify
with Christ in His death to the Mosaic Law (Rom. 7:6). Our lives are no longer
self-efforts in keeping the law, but our lives are empowered by the indwelling
Spirit of Christ. Jesus did not die for us in order that we might go on living our
lives as we choose. He died for us so that from now on He might be able to live
His life in us. We now live by continual dependence on Christ, by yielding to
Him and by allowing Him to live His life in us.
When we put
our trust in Christ by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, and publicly
identifying ourselves with Christ through water baptism, God identifies us with
His Son not only in the present and future but also in the past. Thus we can
boldly say, “When Christ died, I died.
When Christ arose from the grave, I arose to newness of life. My old
self-centered life died when I died with Christ. His Spirit-directed life began
in me when I arose with Christ.” Therefore
in this sense our new lives are really a manifestation of the life of Christ!
Let us
always remember that the power of sin has died in us – no more
self-centeredness and harboring greed, lust, pride or bitterness. We now live
by faith in the Son of God, who has died for us and has given His life for
us. We are crucified with Christ, and He
has control over our lives now. Have you
ever turned your life over to the Lord Jesus with the prayer that His life
might be manifest in your body? Are we ‘truly’ crucified with Christ?
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:20-21)
