Let me take just a few moments of your time to talk to you about something vital — the Christian life. Not just any version of it, but the kind of life the apostle Paul described in Galatians 2:20-21 — “The life which I now live in the flesh.” Paul is one of the greatest examples we have of what it means to truly live as a disciple of Christ. And I want you to ask yourself — can you say what Paul said about his life? Can you live the same way?
Paul said plainly, “I have been crucified with Christ.” That’s where I want to begin. I want you to understand this — Paul wasn’t talking about some emotional feeling or spiritual metaphor. He was pointing to a real, transformative moment: baptism. Over in Romans 6, Paul explains it clearly — when I was baptized, I was buried with Christ, united with Him in His death. I didn’t just get wet. I died to my old self. I crucified the man I used to be — full of sin, selfishness, and pride — and I came up from that water walking in a newness of life.
So when Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ,” he means it. And so must I. Baptism isn’t just a ritual — it’s a funeral for the old me. The life I used to live is over. And now, something incredible has taken place: Christ lives in me.
Let me tell you — I can’t fully explain how Christ lives in me. It’s like electricity. I can’t see it, but I know it’s there. I know it’s working because it changes me. It powers me. It shapes my thoughts, my words, my decisions. Jesus Himself said in John 14 that if I love Him and keep His commandments, He and the Father will come and make their home in me. That’s not poetry — that’s a promise.
So yes, Christ lives in me — and because He does, I live by faith in the Son of God. That’s not just believing in His existence. That’s trusting Him. Trusting His blood to cleanse me when I stumble. Trusting His Word to guide me when the world is loud. Trusting His promises, even when I can’t see the outcome. And why do I trust Him? Because — as Paul said — He loved me and gave Himself for me. He didn’t just die for the world — He died for me. That’s personal.
And hear this: I refuse to set aside the grace of God. I know that if I ever start thinking I can earn my salvation — by my goodness, by my law-keeping, by checking off boxes — then Christ died in vain. I can never be righteous on my own. Without grace, my faith would be worthless. My repentance would be empty. My obedience would be hopeless. It’s only by grace that I stand.
So let me ask you now, directly:
Have you been crucified with Christ — truly, in baptism, burying the old you?
Is Christ living in you — evident in the way you obey His Word, love His will, and serve His purpose?
Are you living by faith — trusting in Jesus for your salvation, not your own efforts or the approval of others?
Are you depending on grace — or trying to do it all yourself?
Because, friend, if you’re not living this kind of life, you’re not living the Christian life Paul described. And if Jesus were to come back today, what would He find in you?
Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Can you say the same?
Now is the time to live the life you now live — not for yourself, but in Christ, by faith, through grace. Don’t wait. Don’t settle. Because if righteousness could come any other way, then Christ died in vain. And I promise you, He did not die in vain. He died for you.
So what will you do with this life now?
