Galatians 2:11-21
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” -Galatians 2:20[NIV]
“Christ is alive and He lives in me!” – a joyful truth for every child of God! Being the owner of a transformed life through Christ, the believer enjoys liberty in Christ – his right standing in God being in Christ and His finished work on the cross (and for everyone who receives Him). Paul who had experienced this freedom defended the Gospel of grace in the face of those who tried to add works to earn salvation. He ends the chapter with this statement: “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
A person who has received Christ into his/her life, has given Christ the lordship over his/her life. This means having Christ’s rule and reign in our lives! Hence the Christian life is a constant reminder as one:
Crucified with Christ
In believing that Jesus died in my place on the cross bearing my sin, I allow my SELF to be crucified with Him. This is my old nature- the one I inherited from Adam- the sinful nature. Though I have given Christ the rein of my life, the OLD SELF often lifts its head trying to drag me into its old ways of life/thoughts/attitudes. Most often the “I” in me – my ego comes up to exert itself. This is when I need to remind myself that now I am a new person in Christ and “crucify” what came up of the Old Self to pull me away! This has to happen for a believer every day to lead a victorious life in Christ! 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Cruising with Christ
Once a person is in Christ, then on is a journey of faith! The life we live in this body (while on this earth) is one of struggles. The fallen world most often doesn’t offer us a place of haven or comfort. There are challenges that come our way and we need to understand that we cannot go it all alone. The strength we have to face our day to day challenges is derived from the inner life of Christ in us-the Spirit of God who indwells us fills us with His power to overcome and live victoriously until we reach our heavenly abode. By our close-knit relationship with Christ-the time we spend with Him in prayer and hearing from Him from His Word, we are built in our inner man to live a victorious life. Hence a believer faces each day with Christ living through Him! The wonderful promise for us from Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Dear friend, if you haven’t yet given your life to the One who loved you and gave His very life in order that you would inherit His life, why hesitate? A Lifetime with Christ is nothing compared to the unsatisfying ways of this world which lasts a moment and makes you hunger for more! There is nothing more satisfying than finding your purpose in Him who created you and calls you to share your life with Him!
Think on: He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 2 Cor.5:15[NLT]
Listen: ‘Every day with Jesus’