Galatians 2

Bible Passage:  Galatians 2

The problem with reading the epistles is that there is just so many teachings and lessons we can learn that it is almost impossible to write down everything.

And the amazing thing is that if we sincerely search the Scriptures each time – even if we are reading the same passage over and over again – because of our various circumstances or experiences… God speaks anew to us.  And although we may find it difficult to express it in words or writing…. we know that the seed of the Word of God has been planted in us… and as long as we pray and meditate on His Word… it will grow in us.

There are 2 main sections in today’s chapter.  Yesterday Paul talked about how he received directly from the Lord Jesus the Gospel.  And now he reaffirms the message that he is preaching by stating that even the Apostles approved of his preaching.  They recognized that he was sent to Gentiles, just as Peter was sent to the Jews.

Paul furthered his case as an authority of the Gospel by showing that he was no respector of man (no matter who you may be) when it comes to the Gospel.  Even if you are the great Peter the Apostle…. if you did something against the truth – Paul did not hold back his rebuke and admonishment.  This was very important as it showed that his teachings were completely based on the Words of God and not on man.

The Life I Now Live

Which brings me to the key verse that spoke to me today….

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.

Gal 2:20

When I read this verse… this thought kept on coming to my mind…

“The life that I now live…. the life that I now live… the life that I now live….”

“What kind of life do I now live?”

I Have Been Crucified With Christ

I used to sing a Christian song called “For I Am Crucified With Christ” some years back.  But while it is easy to sing the song, it is actually very difficult to sing it… from the heart.

For what do I mean when I sing “I am crucified with Christ”?

We all know the teaching that this means that our old life – our old man – is nailed upon the cross when we believe and are baptised in Christ.  Our past sins are blotted out.

1 Peter 2:24 reminds us…

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

When we are crucified with Christ, we are supposed to have died to sin…. so that we might live for righteousness.

I am sure you will admit it as much as I… that it does sound very nice to be able to sing or say it out like Paul… “For I am crucified with Christ!”.  BUT the fact is… there are still so many areas in my life that I know that I have not yet died to sin…. and am still struggling to live for righteouesness….

I was listening to another Christian song today that spoke about how there are so many people who are lost and desperately need our listening ears and welcoming hearts… but we, lofty people,  judge them based on our own lofty standards…  and these people are lost….

I could not stop tearing when I heard those words…. and it reminds me that indeed…. I am nowhere like Paul… crucified with Christ… dead to sins… living for righteousness and caring and bringing people to Jesus.

But Christ Lives In Me

it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me

The death and resurrection of Jesus are not just historical events.  They are life giving events where we are crucified and resurrected with the risen Saviour!  Our old life is taken away and a new life was given.  This new life, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – is Christ living IN us.

Have we taken time to just sit still and remind ourselves of this?  Do we truly understand this?  Perhaps we have done so once but it has been some time since we have done it.  It is really difficult to remain the same person if we really appreciate this.

it is no longer I who live,

How much of my life is all about me and my plans?

How much of my life is all about my ambitions, my influence and my opinions?

What do you think is the mark of a true Christian who has the life of Christ in them?  Is it just about Bible reading, prayers, service attendance, giving of tithes?  All these things are important and things that we ought to do.

But the true mark of a Christian is that Christ lives in us!

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

2 Cor 13:5

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

1 Cor 6:19

One of the favourite hymn of TK church is 468 Christ Liveth in Me.  Indeed… the chorus never fails to lift me up when I sing…

“O what a salvation this, that Christ Liveth in me!”

But this singing must be accompanied by understanding… and responsive living.  Response to the fact that Christ lives in us means we have to examine ourselves constantly to see if we are in the faith.  We are to test ourselves.  Search ourselves… and remind ourselves that we are to live for righteousness… after all … our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Our Holy God living in us…. how dare we live in sin?

A Changed Life

“the life which I now live in the flesh”

“Now” and “Then”.

This is a phrase that I liked to use when I was young.  But it actually means nothing because “now” is the opposite of “then”.

What Paul was saying was that the life we live NOW is/should/must be very different from the life we once lived (then).

Although we still live in the flesh.. we do not live after the flesh or in the ways of the flesh.

But many a times, the life we NOW live is not very different from the life we used to live.  Our old bad habits remain.  Our lust of the eyes, flesh and pride of life lingers on…

But Paul, who wrote these words, can be our inspiration.  We all have read in Acts about his Damascus moment when he changed from a persecutor of Christ to be a champion of Christ.  A murderer of Christians to a lover of mankind.  A destroyer of the church to a planter of church.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Cor 5:17

Have our lives changed?  Or are we still stuck in our ‘then’ lives?

A Life Controlled by Faith and the Love of Jesus

“I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

If we want to have a changed life … we must live by faith in Jesus!

It requires us to have this simple act of faith and trust in Jesus.

However, very often, despite the fact that we know that Jesus has died for us… we lack the faith and trust to live by faith.  We worry, we fret… we still want control over every little thing that we do…

An oft repeated Bible verse I know but one worth repeating…

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Prov 3:5-6

Do you noticed that for Gal 2:20 – it starts at the cross with “I am crucified with Christ” .

Now it also ends with the cross! ~  “who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Yes… for God so loved the world…..

But it is AWESOME (as my JY students would say) to know that Christ loves me!

Paul could look at this whole thing so personally as if he were the only object of the love and sacrifice of Christ.

I believe that if we can feel the same way that Paul feels… we will truly be crucified with Christ and dead to sin.

And we would be willingly, tirelessly, faithfully and lovingly carry out all the things that we know we should and need to do for Jesus and His Church.

Now if you want to listen to the song that I mentioned right in the beginnning of this posting… just pop by youtube at the following link….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmB0u5BQ8BM

If there is nothing else you do today… just consider this… “How do I live a life that is crucified with Christ”?

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