I Have Been Crucified With Christ And I No Longer Live, But Christ Lives In Me

GALATIANS 2:19-20
“For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 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 ‭2:19-20‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/gal.2.19-20.nkj

Galatians 2:19-20 describes the core of Christian transformation from death to life in Christ.
Believers are spiritually crucified with Christ, dying to the Law’s condemnation and self-reliance, to live a new life in union with Jesus.
It highlights a shift from law-based righteousness to a faith-based life, where Christ lives within the believer, guiding and empowering them to do what pleases Him (PHILIPPIANS 2:13).
Paul explains that trying to keep the Law only highlighted one’s failure; the Law itself showed him his need for a Savior, leading him to stop trusting in his own works and to become dependent on God.
We believers die with Christ on a cross spiritually, this is not physical, death, but death of our old sinful nature.
It means the "old rebellious, self-centered identity” died with Jesus on the cross. And because we died with Him, we also rise with Him into resurrection life (ROMANS 6:8).
The believer’s new life is powered by the Holy Spirit. Christ’s life, character, and power, now define the believer's existence (v20).
"The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God (v20).
Daily life is now managed not by rigid legalism, but by constant trust in Jesus' love and grace.
Legally, God sees us, His people, as if we and our sins had died with Christ. No longer are we condemned to death because Jesus paid our debt of sin.
By our submission and commitment to Christ, we are “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses (COLOSSIANS 2:11-14).”
In our relationship with Christ, we have become one spirit with Him (1 CORINTHIANS 6:17), in total agreement and alignment of His plans and purposes.
No longer do we live for ourselves, but live for Christ.
His Holy Spirit lives in us (JOHN 14:15:18), “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Rationally, we have become one with Christ, and His experiences have become ours.
Our Christian life begins in the very moment we submit to Jesus and join in unity with Him, though He never sinned, we die to our old sinful selves (see ROMANS 6:5-11).
In our daily lives we find ourselves in a battle with the flesh (GALATIANS 5:16-17). But it is most important that by God’s power, we crucify our sinful desires that damage our relationship with God.
Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:23-25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
The focus of Christianity is not so much on death, but on living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with Him (ROMANS 6:5).
We have been legally reconciled with God (2 CORINTHIANS 5:19) and are free to grow into the likeness of Christ (ROMANS 8:29).
We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us-He is our power for living and our hope for the future (COLOSSIANS 1:27).
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus came to give you life, and that you might have it more abundantly (JOHN 10:10). Furthermore, He sent His holy Spirit to help you all the way.
But God doesn’t take away our free will-we can choose to live to satisfy our old sinful selves, or we can choose to live by the leading of the holy Spirit.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.