Dying To Self

 

VERSE PASSAGE: Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – NIV

“I have been crucified with Christ” 

VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 6:6 “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” – NIV

The idea and word usage “crucified” is something more than that of merely “dying with Christ” imitating the death of Christ after a spiritual manner: it involves, besides, a special reference to the cross. Because it is through the power of the cross and the event that took place on the cross, that had subdued sin. It is through crucifixion that our sin can be taken care of. 

“and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 8:10-11 “But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” – NIV 

We have died. Death upon one side of my nature, does not hinder me from having life upon another side. The fact is that I live in a truer sense than ever before. Because now it is Christ who lives in me and now I am actually living. 

“The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God”

VERSE PASSAGE: 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith, not by sight.” – NIV 

However, it is no longer the old natural man in me that lives: it is not that part of the human personality which has its root in the matter, and is of the earth. That part has since been re-formed by the Spirit of Christ. 

The usage of the word “now” is talking about the present. In our present condition as a Christian opposed to the old condition prior to the conversion.

A interesting part is the statement of living faith now. See we now have Christ in us and live by faith. We have human frame as others but now the inside of us is different that non-Christians. Because it is Christ who is in us. We have a re-formed life or a born again life. Paul does not quite go so far as to say that faith is the cause of his physical life, though we may see, by other passages, that he is at least prepared to look upon faith as the great pledge, and even cause, of the physical resurrection. But here he is speaking of faith rather as the element in which the Christian lives.

If we really considered ourselves crucified with Christ and our motto was “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” we’d be much less concerned about our personal image or reputation and we’d be all about Him and His concerns. When we truly die to self, we no longer worry about whether or not we’re getting respect for who we are and what we do. We wouldn’t be bothered by misunderstandings that put us in a bad light, situations that are to our disadvantage, circumstances that humiliate us, jobs that are beneath us, or rumors that are false. Being crucified with Christ means His name is my name. I can live knowing He’s got my back because it’s His back. We no longer have an image we have the image of Christ and that should be our focus. 

Our old self is gone. It was crucified with Christ. We are dead! A new life has been awakened within us. Christ lives inside of us. We live by having faith. We live by feeding on His Word. We live by following in the footsteps of Christ. We have a totally different life. Some people wish they could have a redo in their life. As Christians we have been given that redo. How? Because our old self is dead. Our old ways are over. Our past history is gone and forgotten in the eyes of God. We are now heirs to Him and representatives of Christ because it is Him who lives in us. When people see us they should see Jesus through you. We no longer have the image of self but the image of the Kingdom. That is the Christian life! You have died to the image of self and have taken up the cross of Jesus Christ.

VERSE PASSAGE: Matthew 16:25 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” – NIV 

Our salvation is in direct connection to dying. As we become saved and willfully die. We are born again and a new life is made within us. In doing so we can actually find our life. We are truly living now. 

Be blessed my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. 

VERSES USED: 

• Galatians 2:20

• Romans 6:6 

• Romans 8:10-11

• 2 Corinthians 5:7

• Matthew 16:25

Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger