Crucified with Christ

The life of faith is just that – a life of faith. Instead of relying on that sinful desire to ‘do it my way’ I am to live as God desires, even when His desires run at odds to mine and when they seem strange or confusing. That old life of using my own brain, common sense, rationale, or whatever else it might be called is no longer allowed to govern my behavior. The closer I draw to God, the more miserable I am when choosing “me and mine” instead of listening to and obeying the Lord.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who 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. (Galatians 2:20)

Chambers notes that Paul does not say, ‘I have determined to imitate Jesus Christ’ or ‘I will endeavor to follow Him.’ Instead, he identifies with Christ in His death so that the Holy Spirit can impart to him the holiness, even the very life of Christ. I’ve often said that Christ lives in me, but that will make no difference to how I live unless I get out of His way and let Him live out His life through me. Think of a glove moving with the hand that is in it.

When Paul says “nevertheless I live” this indicates that my individuality remains, but the mainspring or ruling disposition is not the same. My human body is still here, but my sinful right to myself is destroyed.

“And the life which I now live in the flesh” is not the life that I desired, planned, or even prayed for at one time. Instead, it is the life that others see and I myself give focus to. It is a life of faith, and it is not even ‘my’ faith, but “the faith of the Son of God,” the faith that Jesus Christ gave me.

That means this faith is not ‘faith in faith’ or ‘faith in fate’ and certainly not faith like wishful thinking. It is a faith that has no boundaries and that trusts God who speaks to me, who tells me how to pray, what to think, when and how to speak, what to do and not do, and whose thoughts begin to melt and blend into my heart and mind so that I begin to trust “this is from Him” because I know that the “me” part has been crucified.