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20 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 2:20 NKJV
Crucified with Christ
One of the most profound of all statements is found in this verse. It is said in regard to a person being crucified with Christ. To die to ourselves and our selfish desires happens first. The harboring of thoughts that serve only ourselves is abandoned. I wish to identify with Christ so deeply that union with Him is paramount. Since we consciously and wholeheartedly turn from gratifying ourselves to serving Christ, we “die” to our old lives. Thus, we have been crucified with Jesus.
Baptism
The act of baptism shows this graphically. We step into the water and in the act of submersion, we die to our old selves and rise out of the water into a new life with Christ.
When we have been crucified with Christ, we think of the things of God and not the things of man. We let go of earthly materialism and care more about growing spiritually into the person that God created us to be.
Desiring to be More like Jesus
We desire to be more like Christ and to live for Him.
New life in Christ is not a clique but a way of daily living in joy and service to God and others.
Christ is Alive in Us
Paul goes on to say that we no longer live selfishly as we once did.
It is now Christ who is alive in us. God gives us new life in Christ.
Therefore, the life that we now live in our fleshly bodies is now lived by faith in Jesus Christ.
His Love for Us and Our Love for Him
Christ loved us so much that He gave Himself for us in death on the cross in place of us. He died for our sins that we might have a new life here on earth and for eternity with God in Heaven when we leave our earthly life.
Such totally sacrificial giving of His life for us makes us desire more and more to live fully for Him.
Thus, I turn from my old life without Him and die to it while turning to my new life In Him.
Joyfully, I want to live for Him all of my days.
Don’t you?