Connect Galatians 2:20 with Romans 6:6 on being "crucified with Him." Living and Dying in One Moment “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 up for me.” “We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Two Verses, One Reality • Same historical cross, same Savior, same decisive act • Galatians highlights the personal: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” • Romans highlights the corporate and judicial: “our old self was crucified… the body of sin rendered powerless.” • Together they show both identity (who I am) and freedom (what no longer controls me). What Was Crucified? • “I” (Galatians 2:20) – my independent, sin-ruled self-life • “Our old self” (Romans 6:6) – the total person I was in Adam, bound to sin’s mastery • Result: that entire past identity is counted dead before God and stripped of authority. What Lives Now? • “Christ lives in me” – His indwelling life animates every obedient step • “We… no longer slaves to sin” – the risen Christ supplies power for holiness • Colossians 3:3-4 confirms: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” The Ongoing Experience 1. Reckon it true (Romans 6:11): count yourself dead to sin, alive to God. 2. Yield daily (Romans 6:13): present your body as an instrument of righteousness. 3. Walk by faith (Galatians 2:20): trust the Son who “loved me and gave Himself up for me.” 4. Put to death deeds of the body (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:24): reject every urge that belongs to the crucified old self. 5. Cultivate the Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22-23): new life produces new character. Why This Matters • Freedom: the dominion of sin is legally broken. • Identity: the Christian is no longer defined by past failures or present struggles. • Assurance: union with Christ guarantees participation in His resurrection life (Romans 6:4-5). • Purpose: living “by faith in the Son of God” fuels obedience and mission. Supporting Verses • Romans 6:4 – “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death… so we too may walk in newness of life.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” • Colossians 2:12 – “Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him.” • Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Key Takeaways • The believer’s old identity truly died with Christ. • The risen Christ now lives His life through the believer. • Sin’s rule is broken; righteousness is now possible and expected. • Daily faith appropriates what the cross accomplished once for all. |
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