Galatians 2:20

"As a result of his participation in Christ’s death on the cross, Paul now explains . . ., the life he now lives is not lived by him-by the ’I’ of Galatians 2:19, the self-righteous Pharisee who based his hope for righteousness and salvation on strict observance of the law-but by Christ, the risen and exalted One, who dwells in him." [Note: Ibid.]

When a person trusts Christ, God identifies him or her with Christ not only in the present and future but also in the past. The believer did what Christ did. When Christ died, I died. When Christ arose from the grave, I arose to newness of life. My old self-centered life died when I died with Christ. His Spirit-directed life began in me when I arose with Christ. Therefore in this sense the Christian’s life is really the life of Christ. [Note: See Robert L. Saucy, "’Sinners’ Who Are Forgiven or ’Saints’ Who Sin?" Biblitheca Sacra 152:608 (October-December 1995):400-12, for discussion of the Christian’s essential identity. See also Robert A. Pyne and Matthew L. Blackmon, "A Critique of the ’Exchanged Life,’" Bibliotheca Sacra 163:650 (April-June 2006):131-57.]

We can also live by faith daily just as we became Christians by faith (Galatians 2:16). Faith in both cases means trust in Christ. We can trust Him because He loved us and gave Himself up as a sacrifice for us.

In this verse Paul’s use of "crucified" instead of "put to death" or "died" stresses our sinfulness. Only the worst criminals suffered crucifixion in Paul’s day. His reference to "the flesh" here is literal. It means our physical bodies. We can see Paul’s great appreciation of God’s love for him. He said Christ loved "me" and gave Himself for "me."

"The whole of Christian life is a response to the love exhibited in the death of the Son of God for men." [Note: James Denney, The Death of Christ, p. 151.]

May we ever grow in our appreciation of the fact that He loved "me!"

"The man on the cross is facing in only one direction. He is not going back, and he has no further plans of his own." [Note: A. W. Tozer, "Total Commitment," Decision (August 1963), p. 4.]

"Nothing but love would have been a sufficient motive for God to send his Son to the cross, nor for the Son voluntarily to accept it." [Note: Guthrie, Galatians, p. 91.]