Galatians 2:20-21 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me… I. Let us attentively observe the SEVERAL CHARACTERS here given us of true godliness, and see whether we have anything like them in ourselves. Says Paul: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." It has then a character of mystery, of wonder, or (shall I say?) paradox. How strange it is to see "a bush burning with fire and unconsumed"! How marvellous is it to find that the poor only are rich, the sick only are well, and that a broken heart is the greatest blessing we can possess! How surprising is it to hear persons saying, We are "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; having nothing, and yet possessing all things; as dying, and, behold, we live" — to hear a man say, "I am crucified," though he has the use of all his limbs — crucified with Christ, though. Christ had been crucified on Calvary long before — and to add, "nevertheless I live" — then with the same breath to check himself, and deny this — "yet not I" — and to crown the whole, "Christ liveth in me," though he was then in heaven I What unintelligible jargon is all this to the carnal mind! It has a character of mortification — "I am crucified with Christ." The grace of God has to pull up, as well as sow; to destroy, as well as build. It has a character of life — "Nevertheless I live." And life brings evidence along with it. "I am susceptible of spiritual joys and sorrows. I live, for I breathe prayer and praise; I live, for I feel the pulse of sacred passions; I live, for I have appetites, and do hunger and thirst after righteousness; I live, for I walk and I work; and though all my efforts betray weakness, they prove life — I live." A real Christian is not a picture — a picture may accurately resemble an original, but it wants life: it has eyes, but it sees not; lips, but it speaks mot. A Christian is not a figure: you may take materials and make up the figure of a man, and give it the various parts of the human body, and even make them move, by wires; but a Christian is not moved in religion by machinery, but life — nothing is forced and artificial. It has a character of humility — "Yet not I." This is the unvarying strain of the apostle. "Not by fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have our conversation in the world. By the grace of God I am what I am." Compare with this language the sentiments of the Pagan philosophers. Take one as a specimen of the rest. Cicero says, "We are justly applauded for virtue, and in virtue we rightly glory; which would not be the case if we had virtue as the gift of God, and not from ourselves. Did any person ever give thanks to God that he was a good man? No, but we thank Him that we are rich, that we are honourable, that:ye are in health and safety." Now this argues not only the most dreadful pride, but the grossest ignorance, and it would be easy to prove that goodness is much less from ourselves than anything else. The material creation has not such degrees of dependence upon God as the animal; the animal world has not such degrees of dependence upon God as the rational; and rational beings have not such degrees of dependence upon God as pure and holy beings. Finally, it has a Christian character — "But Christ liveth in me." This life is indeed formally in me: I am the subject of it, but not the agent. It is not self-derived, nor self-maintained; but it comes from Him, and is so perfectly sustained by Him, that it seems better to say, not "I live," but "Christ liveth in me." He has a sovereign empire of grace, founded in His death, and He quickens whom He will. He is our life — not only as He procures it by redemption, but also as He produces it by regeneration; and He liveth in us as the sun lives in the garden, by His influence calling forth fragrance and fruits; or as the soul lives in the body, actuating every limb, and penetrating every particle with feeling. II. Let us consider the GRAND INFLUENCING PRINCIPLE of this religion — "It is the faith of the Son of God." "If you ask," says the Christian, "how it is that I live so different from others, and so different from my former self, here is the secret." To explain this, it will be necessary to observe that the communication of grace from Christ, to maintain the Divine life, depends on union with Him, and that of this union faith is the medium. Let me make this plain. It is well known that the animal spirits and nervous juices are derived from the head to the body; but then it is only to that particular body which is united to it. And the same may be said of the vine: the vine conveys a prolific sap, but it is exclusively to its own branches. It matters not how near you place the branches to the stock; if they are not in it, they may as well be a thousand miles off: they cannot be enlivened or fructified by it. "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can we except we abide in Him, for without Him we can do nothing." Now He is the head, and we are the members; He is the vine, we are the branches. And this union from which this influence flows is accomplished by faith only: "He dwells in our hearts by faith." If faith be an eye, it is only by this we can see Him; if faith be a hand, it is only by this we can lay hold of Him. III. This brings us to notice the confidence, THE APPROPRIATION, which this religion allows. But I would intimate, first, that genuine religion always produces a concern for this appropriation. It will not suffer a man to rest in distant speculations and loose generalities, but will make him anxious to bring things home to himself, and to know how they affect him. I mean also to intimate, secondly, that a Christian may attain this confidence, and draw this conclusion. Thirdly, we would intimate that nothing can exceed the blessedness which results from such an appropriation of the Saviour in His love, and in His death. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. |
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