"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2:20
This is, to me, one of the most incomprehensible passages of scripture I've read. To be crucified with Christ, dead to sin, alive to righteousness.
It a very humbling way to view your life. Dead, sacrificed completely to the will of God. It is humbling that when people see our lives, what they're seeing isn't us. Anything good...it's not us. I see more and more clearly every day just what I am apart from Christ: wretched, depraved and utterly hopeless. Because of His mercy and grace, He has seen fit to save me from myself. When you think of it that way, it really takes the boasting out of existence. When you see yourself as you truly are, and see God as he truly is, how can you even think about taking credit for anything good or holy in your life? Yes, we work toward righteousness; Yes, we strive to be more holy. But even our best efforts are in vain without His grace. He gives us the desire to be holy and righteous. That is phenomenal to me...not only does he ordain our sanctification, but He gives us the desire to strive towards it.
" But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Gal 6:14
Oh, let this be true of me!
Crucified with Christ is one of my very favorite songs. I think it is my favorite because of just how rich it is in scripture line after line, verse after verse.
I have posted it here:
Crucified with Christ
Phillips, Craig and Dean
VERSE 1:
As I look back on what I thought was living
I'm amazed at the price I choose to pay
And to think I ignored what really mattered
Cause I thought the sacrifice would be too great
But when I finally reached the point of giving in
I found the cross was calling even then
And even though it took dying to survive
I've never felt so much alive.
CHORUS:
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For its not my strength but His
There's no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
VERSE 2:
As I hear the Savior call for daily dying
I will bow beneath the weight of Calvary
Let my hands surrender to His piercing purpose
That holds be to the cross but sets me free
I will glory in the power of the cross
The things I thought were gain I count as loss
And with His suffering I identify
And by His resurrection power I am alive
BRIDGE:
And I will offer all I have
So that His cross is not in vain
For I found to live is Christ
And to die is truly gain
