The Spiritual Death and Life of the Believer
W. Linn, D. D. Galatians 2:20-21 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me… In discoursing on this subject, I shall direct your attention to the leading thoughts; and therefore I shall endeavour to show, Firstly, What is implied in being crucified with Christ. Secondly, What we are to understand by Christ living in the believer; and point out the great influence of faith in the Divine life. Or, in fewer words, show — HOW THE BELIEVER DIES, AND HOW HE LIVES. I. Expressions similar to this, of being crucified with Christ, are more than once used in the writings of the apostle. No one will be so weak as to imagine that Paul was a sharer with Christ in the merit of His sufferings. Such a thought would be horrid and blasphemous. There is implied in being crucified with Christ — First, a refusing obedience to the ceremonial law, as being no longer necessary to salvation. Secondly, there is implied a cheerfulness it, undergoing all that scorn and contempt with which a firm adherence to the doctrine of the cross was attended. Thirdly, there is implied in this expression, a partaking of the merits of the death of Christ, and the being dead to the moral law, in the manner mentioned in the preceding verse. As in this and other places, the ceremonial law is to be understood, so the moral law is evidently to be included In the fourth place, there is implied, in being crucified with Christ, an experience of the efficacy of His death. This is no doubt an important, if not the principal idea in the words, and which we find plainly expressed in the following passages: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." Thus is the believer crucified with Christ; and the death of sin in him resembles a crucifixion. It was a painful, shameful, lingering, and accursed death; and so is the death of sin. It is painful. The first entrance upon a religious course is difficult; and the more so, where sin has long had the dominion. Conversion is a strait gate through which we must pass, and holiness a narrow way, in which we must walk to eternal life. We must be denied to ourselves and to the world; difficulties are to be surmounted, temptations resisted, injuries forgiven, and reproaches endured. This is a painful work; often like to be overcome, and still renewing the combat. Again, it is shameful. When iniquities prevail, the believer is covered with shame and confusion of face. This may rise to such a degree, that he will be tempted to cease from seeking God. Again, the death of sin is very lingering. It is dying from the moment Christ is formed in the soul, till glory commences. Moreover, the death of the cross was an accursed death; inflicted on none but those guilty of the blackest crimes; such as were accursed of men, and held to be accursed of God too. From these considerations we may see the propriety and force of this expression, "crucified with Christ," and all of the like kind in Scripture. In the last place, there is implied a self-denied temper towards this present world. Every believer, indeed, ought to be a martyr in his temper, and hang so loose to this world and its enjoyments, nay, to life itself, that he may readily part with all to win Christ. These things are implied in the crucifixion of the believer. I proceed now — II. To CONSIDER HIS LIFE. "Christ liveth in" him; and the life which he now lives in the flesh, is "by the faith of the Son of God." This is the Divine or spiritual life which he lives in consequence of sin being mortified, and the heart renewed. As he dies to sin, so he rises to holiness. The manner in which Christ lives in the believer, is by His Holy Spirit, who begins and carries on the Divine life. We cannot make ourselves alive to God. The great instrument of this spiritual life is faith. By this they are united to the Son of God; depend upon His merits for pardon, and derive influences for sanctification. It is called "the faith of the Son of God," because He is the great object of it, and because it is of His bestowing. Perhaps there is something in this phrase more peculiar to the time in which the apostle lived. The faith of the Son of God; that is, a firm belief that Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified on Calvary, was the true and expected Messiah; that He was no impostor, but really the Son of God; that He rose again and ascended up into heaven; and that there is forgiveness of sins through His blood. Faith in Christ, as being the Son of God, is that by which every believer lives. Allow me, in a few particulars, to point out its influence. First, faith is that act of the soul which receives and rests upon the righteousness of Christ for pardon and acceptance with God. Secondly, by faith, influences are derived for the mortification of sin and the promotion of holiness. "He that abideth in Me," saith Christ, "and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing." Once more, faith influences the believer to live with regard to another world. It is described in the Epistle to the Hebrews to be "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Let us now turn our attention to some improvement of this subject. First, learn, my brethren, that the religion of Jesus leads to strict holiness of heart and life. Secondly, this subject ought to be faithfully improved for the trial of ourselves. (W. Linn, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. WEB: I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.