Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Many Christians are familiar with these words of Paul, yet few will proclaim it to be true of them as well, as a lot of believers would be far more comfortable to proclaim their faith through religious traditions or type of slogans than to say what Paul wrote down here.
Let me ask you, do you believe that you have been crucified with Christ and that the life you now live in the flesh you live by faith in the Son of God?
For here's the great news to all who are unashamed to proclaim that they have been crucified with Christ: That means you deny yourself and your works in the flesh making any contribution to making you a Christian, and that only by your faith in Christ, the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us you now live based off of what He has done in us.
You see, we all live in a world where everybody wants to hold up their identity by their characteristics by pointing to what we do or don’t do. The thing is, believers in Christ know for sure that who we are is not based upon what we do, or not do, for we know we have been crucified with Christ, which points to live by HIS DOING FOR US AND IN US which determines who we are!
That’s why Paul made it clear that his identity was not rooted in his background, race, traditions nor religious doing and works, but in Christ, and speaking of Christ, he goes on to say that Paul have died, meaning Paul lives by faith that he was included in Jesus’ crucifixion and no longer live, but that the life he now lives in the flesh, is by faith in Christ who loved him, gave himself for him, and for us.
See the believers in Galatia unto whom Paul wrote back then were bombarded with false teachings that placed the emphasis on their works and religious efforts in the flesh, rather relying on their faith in Christ which was completely and fully based on what Jesus alone had done in and for us.
Oh, it's such a beautiful paradox when a believer proclaims that we no longer live, but that Christ lives in us, and that the life we now live in the flesh is living by faith in the Son of God 🙌!
Listen, nobody can add anything to the finished work that Christ accomplished for us through His death on the cross, and nothing except our faith in Him determines our true identity. Thats why we shouldnt miss the latter part of Paul's confession when he wrote: And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me!
Think about this for a moment, and behold the life you live in the flesh. Is this true of you?
Because if you believe in Jesus Christ, and not in your effort at all but solidly in what He did for you through His death on the cross where He gave Himself for you, then your identity in the flesh can also be boldly proclaiming that "I no longer live, but Christ lives in ME, because I believe what He did FOR ME and WITH ME, and His doing determines who I AM."
Amen