Christ In You
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
You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I’m not sure if it is true about dogs, but it is definitely true about our old man. Our old man cannot be rehabilitated. It can’t be taught to be good. Paul says clearly, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells.” (Romans 7:18) There is nothing good in our old man, that sinful nature. It must be crucified. And it was, nearly 2000 years ago. I was crucified with Christ.
That is our salvation. Christ “loved me and gave Himself for me.” Sin is dead, we are clothed in His righteousness. Now we confess with the Apostle, “I have been crucified with Christ.” As Paul says in Romans 6:6, “Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
Many have said that becoming a Christian totally changes your life. We can understand that, but, in reality, our life was not changed, it was exchanged. Christ has exchanged His life for yours. Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Christ came as your substitute. He died in your place and your sinful nature was crucified with Him. Now He gives you a brand-new life. The Holy Spirit creates a new heart within you where Christ Himself can dwell.
What a wonderful new life it is. We not only have the Good Shepherd protecting, providing and leading us, we have Christ living in us. Christ FOR us is our Justification and Salvation. Christ IN us is for our Sanctification.
Dear Father, we thank you for our new life in Christ. May we live that life to your glory and the good of all. Amen.