“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
A believer lives for God by doing four things. First of all, you need to die to the law (Gal. 2:19). The law shows you that you are a sinner and that you fall ever so short of perfection and righteousness. The law shows you that you stand no chance of ever being accepted by God. And no man is capable of obeying every point in the law continually and consistently. He is always coming short of the law and of God’s glory. The first thing you must do in order to live for God is to die to all self-righteous works and to put your faith in Jesus Christ.
Secondly, you need to be crucified with Christ (2:20). How in the world can a man be crucified with Christ when Christ died so many centuries ago? When you believe that Jesus Christ died for you-that Jesus Christ bore the punishment of sin for you-God takes your faith and counts you as having died with Christ. That identification is further strengthened through water baptism. Romans 6:34 says, Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” After baptism, you must reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:11). That means, on a daily basis, you must consider your old sinful self as nailed with Jesus on the cross!
Thirdly, you need to allow Christ to live His life through your body (Gal. 2:20). You are no longer in charge of your life. By faith you have been crucified with Christ. Therefore, you are to live with Christ. The way you do that is by allowing Jesus to live in and through your body; to control and to be in charge of your life. Jesus is the vine and you are the branch. You now draw your very life and nourishment from Him (John 15:16).
Fourthly, you need to trust the grace of God (Gal. 2:21). Paul says, I do not set aside the grace of God.” The word set aside” means to invalidate, make ineffective, and nullify. The grace of God is the supernatural strength that enables you to do His will. Yet you can invalidate that power when you choose not to use it. So many Christians treat God’s grace as something unnecessary and rely instead on their own talents, intellect and experience. To live for God, you need His grace to attempt the incredible and achieve the impossible!
A believer lives for God by doing four things. First of all, you need to die to the law (Gal. 2:19). The law shows you that you are a sinner and that you fall ever so short of perfection and righteousness. The law shows you that you stand no chance of ever being accepted by God. And no man is capable of obeying every point in the law continually and consistently. He is always coming short of the law and of God’s glory. The first thing you must do in order to live for God is to die to all self-righteous works and to put your faith in Jesus Christ.
Secondly, you need to be crucified with Christ (2:20). How in the world can a man be crucified with Christ when Christ died so many centuries ago? When you believe that Jesus Christ died for you-that Jesus Christ bore the punishment of sin for you-God takes your faith and counts you as having died with Christ. That identification is further strengthened through water baptism. Romans 6:34 says, Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” After baptism, you must reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:11). That means, on a daily basis, you must consider your old sinful self as nailed with Jesus on the cross!
Thirdly, you need to allow Christ to live His life through your body (Gal. 2:20). You are no longer in charge of your life. By faith you have been crucified with Christ. Therefore, you are to live with Christ. The way you do that is by allowing Jesus to live in and through your body; to control and to be in charge of your life. Jesus is the vine and you are the branch. You now draw your very life and nourishment from Him (John 15:16).
Fourthly, you need to trust the grace of God (Gal. 2:21). Paul says, I do not set aside the grace of God.” The word set aside” means to invalidate, make ineffective, and nullify. The grace of God is the supernatural strength that enables you to do His will. Yet you can invalidate that power when you choose not to use it. So many Christians treat God’s grace as something unnecessary and rely instead on their own talents, intellect and experience. To live for God, you need His grace to attempt the incredible and achieve the impossible!
