“I Am Crucified With Christ”
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles, uncategorizedThe correct attitude that we as Christians should have toward the call of the world versus the call of God, is exemplified in the apostle Paul when he told the Galation brethren:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; And the life which I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Simply put — a worldly lifestyle is foreign and inconsistent with the life we are to live “in Christ,” because we have been crucified with Him.
To be crucified with Christ means that we have died with Him with regard to the lusts and sinful desires of this world (1 John 2:15-16). Our “walking in newness of life” — separate and apart from the world’s influence — is fully explained in Romans 6:3-7. Our dying with Christ means that we no longer live for self, but for our Savior (Matthew 16:24).
Through our faith in the Lord in the doing of His will (Matthew 7:21; Romans 10:17), we can successfully determine the best course in life to follow by His standard for our life — His word (John 12:48). When we have a question regarding our conduct in this life, we are to be familiar enough with the New Testament scriptures to find the answer as to what our Lord would do in any given situation or circumstance (2 Timothy 2:15 ASV; Acts 17:11).
Before we begin each day, we should determine in our minds to:
“cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV).
As we begin our day in prayer, the desire of our heart should always be, “Lord, help me to make Your will, my will” (Matthew 26:39; cf. John 5:30; John 6:38; Philippians 2:8). Until we determine in our mind to do the Lord’s will instead of our own, we will find ourselves caught between God and the world — the result being inconsistency in our daily Christian walk (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). By our determination to live for Christ, we can conform our life to His example, thus having Christ live in us (1 John 2:5-6; 1 Peter 2:21; Gal. 2:20).
As we daily strive to walk with the Lord in our Christian walk, may it never be said of us that we are a reflection of the world. May we never knowingly live inconsistent lives before people we come in contact with on a daily basis, but willing to continually examine our faith by the inspired will of God and conform our lives to it (2 Corinthians 13:5; Romans 12:2; cf. Ephesians 4:21-24; Colossians 3:1-3; 1 Peter 1:13-15).
When the people of the world truly see Christ living in us, by our daily living and example, they will more likely be motivated to seek that same lifestyle. They will then be more conducive to hearing the gospel of Christ and rendering obedience to it (note the example of Paul’s life in 1 Corinthians 4:15-16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7; cf. Acts 20:17-27).