Galatians 2:20

New King James Version

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.

For Encouragement

We believers are God’s beloved. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is our Big Brother, Savior and Lord.

In Him, we have gained this position as the beloved children of God. Our Father in heaven, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, loves us beyond measure. The evidence is the Cross of Calvary—the altar on which Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption (Rom 5:8). Can any love surpass His?

What is our responsibility, given this exalted relationship? How must we respond to such amazing grace?

Our best response is to take a cue from our Big Brother and learn from Him. We must learn from how He lived here on earth: His self-emptying, servant attitude, humility, and the learning of obedience, even to death, death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-8). And there is more.

We must learn from His self-giving, prayerful life, and constant communion with the Father as he sought His will always. He did just what the Father said, sought His glory alone in everything, and deflected every attention away from Himself and to the Father. These, too, we must do as the beloved of God through Christ Jesus.

We can do all this through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us. It is He who empowers us, guides and reminds us of Christ’s teachings. We should remember that we no longer own ourselves. God has bought us at a costly price, withthe precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pt. 1:19). 

As Paul said, 

“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” (Galatians 2:20).

This scripture must be our worldview. It is a call to live by faith, to trust in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. And I pray to our Lord to help us live by faith in Him, the way He lived on earth, for the glory of the Father. Amen.

I challenge you to join hands in this as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We can help ourselves love the Lord with our very lives. And to love one another as ourselves (Mk. 12:30-31).

Pray with Me

Father, I desire to live after the pattern of the earthly life of your Son and my Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no alternative for me, for my life is your life. I confess that it is you who work in me both to will and to do for your good pleasure. Help me by your Spirit to apprehend this truth and live it with determined boldness in Christ. In His exalted name, I pray, amen.