Galatians 2:20 ~ Daily Devotion June 22 2023

Galatians 2:20 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me

Galatians 2:20 is Paul’s expression of the new identity of a Christian vide the words “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me“. He published this expression on the backdrop of having boldly declared that he had “died to the law through the same so that he could live for God” (Galatians 2:19).

The law and Paul’s death to it

You will, therefore, notice that the law, which is a reflection of the holy heart and character of God, didn’t die. Rather, it was Paul who died to it so that he could be acceptable to God. And this is because there was nothing wrong with the law. No wonder Paul focused on the freedom that Christ gives to you when you receive Him into your life in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 2

Moreover, the context of Galatians 2 is how a believer is made right with God. This is because false teachers were telling the Galatian churches and believers that faith in Christ was not enough. The false teachers, therefore, told the Galatian believers that they had to be circumcised and become “Jewish” (that is, strictly observe the law) so that they would be wholly right with God.

Paul, therefore, countered their false teaching with the words recorded in Galatians 2:15-16: “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

The law “killed” Paul

In other words, the law “killed” Paul because he never could live up to it by fulfilling its holy standard. Despite his keeping the law for a long time, thinking that God would accept him because of his law-keeping, he came to understand that the law made him guilty before God. He realized that the law did not justify him before God. This is the realization that “killed” Paul because he appreciated that keeping the law wasn’t the answer to being justified before God.

Therefore, when Paul died to the law, he ended up living for God. He died to it when he was crucified with Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20). That is, Paul died to the law when he received Christ and His work on the cross into his life. Because Christ died in his place and your place on the cross at Calvary.

Specifically, Paul being crucified with Christ means that he was no longer under the penalty of the Law. His penalty was paid by Christ. That is, when Christ was crucified, it was as if he was crucified with Him – Paul united with Christ in His death. Therefore, his penalty was fully paid.

When Christ rose from the dead, Paul rose too – Paul was united with Christ in His resurrection. Therefore, the risen Christ empowered him to live for Him in a way that pleased God.

Christ lives in you

Consequently, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, then He lives in you just as He lived in Paul. You now live a new life by faith in Christ just as Paul did (2 Corinthians 5:17). And a new life is synonymous with new love (Galatians 5:24 and 1 Peter 1:8), new commitment (Matthew 10:38), and new way of life (Ephesians 2:2 and Hebrews 12:2).

Before, Paul was zealous about what he could do for God. He, therefore, had faith in himself or his works.

But after receiving the work of Christ for him (what Jesus Christ had done for him), he placed his faith in Jesus (what Jesus had done and could do for him).

Prayer/Blessing

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice for me on the Cross. I receive Your saving work with a lot of humility because You gave me an opportunity to be united with You in Your death and resurrection. So, I am now a new creation.

This is my humble prayer of thanksgiving in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Joshua 7-8 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))