What Does It Mean to be Crucified with Christ? By Emilee Kurt

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life 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, ESV

You may have heard the words “but my flesh is dead” in regards to the battle of sin. Or, “We have been crucified with Christ” in a prayer or benediction. But what does this actually mean for a life still impacted by sin, brokenness, and decay? 

What does it mean that I’m crucified with Christ when I catch myself in the same lust, greed, or envy? 

What does it mean that I’m crucified with Christ when I yell at my kids or hurt my husband’s feelings on purpose? 

What does it mean that I’m crucified with Christ when I still crave the trappings of the past - and find that the enticement to pleasure is all too present in my life right now? 

Does this mean that my faith is not genuine? Does this mean that I am not saved? 

Friend, your sin does not make you irreparable in the hands of the Great Potter. As I study Galatians 2, I see several context clues that help us see what this looks like as a majestic idea, but also in our gritty prayers and folding-laundry life.

We no longer cling to the law for our hope.

Paul, the writer of Galatians, was a man of the law. He knew all the rules even before his personal transformation by Christ. A “Pharisee of Pharisees”, he previously persecuted those that did not meticulously do the same. He says in verse 19, “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” This doesn’t mean that he has thrown out every good command that he was acquainted with in his past, and he can now live following his every whim. Instead, he is freed in the love of God!

No longer do we need to tirelessly plot our every move, hoping that we will not be struck by lightning (or worse, the actual wrath of God). Our life is hidden in Christ! When God looks at us, He sees us covered by the perfect blood of Jesus. We are free to obey, free to ask Him about grey areas that are controversial or confusing, free to repent when we make a mistake, and free to approach the throne of grace with confidence.

We no longer cling to the world for our guidance.

Paul has left behind empty-shell living, hiding behind the perfect answers and vindictive resolutions. He traded all of that to “live in the flesh…by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). He was an affluent, worldly man who is no stranger to what it means to please those around you and rise in your rank. Like it says in Ezekiel, Paul has traded a heart of stone for a heart of flesh! “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” does not void Paul of all his personality, background, or giftings. We see that when his life is hidden in Christ, no longer are those areas under attack or used for evil, but they are sanctified for the good of others and the glory of God. Paul’s life is no longer run by his ego, fear, colleagues, or status. He is now free to walk by the Spirit day by day! 

No longer must we settle for empty-shell living, hiding behind being “good enough” compared to our sisters on the left or right. We must not spend all of our time polishing up what is seen by those on the outside. We don’t need to worry about stuffing down our personality traits in our pursuit of being more Christ-like. Instead, we get to walk by the Spirit! We exchange our heart of stone for a genuine heart of flesh. This means that we are no longer propelled by fear or pride, but by the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the strength and comfort of Holy Spirit. 

We find our very life inside of Jesus Christ. 

In Eugene H. Peterson’s paraphrase of this passage, he re-states Paul’s words in this way: “Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.”

No longer was Paul’s life held in tidy compartments, which is the preamble to leading a double life. Now, all of his life poured out from his inner life with Christ! It was not his own life to white-knuckle to the perfect results so that others would be impressed by him. His life was given by God, sanctified by Christ, and now lived freely in the Spirit! Not only does he see the beauty in living this way, but he says that to go back to living for himself would be saying that Christ died for no purpose. If His crucifixion is something that I cast my entire soul onto, surely there is nothing but peace when I also let Christ’s life inform my daily living. I trust the Lord with my soul for eternity. But do I trust Him with my earthly, day-to-day living?

Do I trust that He is holding me? 

Do I trust the love of the Father?

Do I trust that Christ has not forgotten me and is with me? 

Do I trust the Holy Spirit to give me strength for the next hour?

No longer must we toil in our minds day and night about making our lives seem impressive from the outside. We are freed to cultivate our inner life with Christ, and allow Him to finish His good work in us! 

Christ has lived the perfect life. And if He truly died, rose again, and ascended to the Father - then we must not go back to figuring it out on our own. What is the point of figuring it out on our own, when Christ died because He knew that we could never get to a holy God in our sinful state? Instead, we get to live by faith! We are safe in the care and victory of the One who loved us and gave His life for us. 

Christ has lived the perfect life. And if He truly died, rose again, and ascended to the Father - then we must not go back to figuring it out on our own. What is the point of figuring it out on our own, when Christ died because He knew that we could never get to a holy God in our sinful state? Instead, we get to live by faith! We are safe in the care and victory of the One who loved us and gave His life for us.