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. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
The Greek Interlinear puts it this way: “And I no longer live but in me Christ lives.” As believers we are alive to Jesus Christ and Jesus is alive in us. Why? Because:
He loved me
and
gave Himself for me
What are the lifestyle implications of this truth? Paul tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ.” Or, as he said to the Romans:
…knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Romans 6:6 (KJV)
There was a vast difference between ‘Saul of Tarsus’ and ‘Paul the Apostle’. Before his conversion he was a persecutor attempting to destroy the church. Now he lived to spread the gospel of the same Jesus that he once persecuted! He was dead to the old way of living.
Paul also tells us, “I no longer live.” Or, as he said in 2 Corinthians 5:15:
He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (AMP)
Paul also tells us, “Christ lives in me.” Realise Who is in you:
Christ in you, the hope of glory… Colossians 1:27 (KJV)
Then Paul says, “The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God.” It is a life of total dependency in Him.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith… Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
Four times in the Bible we are told, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Living by faith will take our life out of the natural and into the supernatural. Faith is standing on God’s integrity and acting on His promises.
Can you say what Paul said?
He loved me and gave Himself for me.
I have been crucified with Christ.
I no longer live.
But Christ lives in me.
The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God.