Galatians 2.20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if righteousness were through the law,
then Christ died for no purpose.
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Sadly, I often functionally believe that the Gospel is something more like, “God found a way to tolerate me through Christ,” rather than, “God… because of the great love with which He loved me, even when I was dead in my trespasses, made me alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2.4-5).” It is hard to believe that He actually pursues, loves, desires, and even wants me.
I struggle with this, oftentimes, because I am still so aware of my daily struggle with sin. I think, “how could God possibly love me? It must be like an ‘I feel bad for you’ or begrudging choice type of love.” But what I forget is that I have already been completely accepted and made righteous because I am now hidden in Christ. He has washed away the stain of all of my sin!
I live my life now knowing that the old me has died, and I now live by faith in Christ. I can confidently stand knowing that the reason why God the Father now truly does love me is because I have been made one with Christ.
There is nothing
that can be added to my life
to make me more loveable,
and there is nothing
I can do against God
to make me more unlovable,
And this is true only because I am in Christ, who is always perfectly loved and accepted by God at all times. Because of this, I am right now perfectly loved by God.
I am as perfectly righteous
in my standing with God
at this very moment
as I will be in heaven.
Jesus prayed to His Father that the love with which God loves Jesus Himself would also be in me (John 17.26). This is amazing! When I am born again and adopted, I don’t receive some second-rate love from God. I am not given leftovers or a watered-down version of His love.
God the Father loves me in the same way and with the same love that He loves Jesus! I share in a guaranteed inheritance (Ephesians 1.11, 14) that I have received in Christ because I am made one with Christ! I have become a part of His body, and therefore I stand righteous before God the Father not simply “some day,” but even right now!
Read Again Out Loud and Make it into a Prayer:
Galatians 2.20-21
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Crucified
Salvador
Personalize and Read or Pray Aloud:
Here in this moment I choose to believe
To call on the invisible as if it could be seen
Here in this moment I am unafraid
To take part in His suffering
And be called by Jesus’ Name
And I stand unashamed
I know I’ve been crucified with Christ
With all my heart, my soul, and my might
I lift up my hands, I lay down my life,
I’m crucified with Christ
Here in this moment I lay down my life
And still I know I am in this world
as a living sacrifice
Here in this moment I count all gain as loss
Take all my pride and my sinfulness
And nail it to the cross
And I stand unashamed
Who is this King, this King of Glory,
Who was and is and who will be?
Savior of man, if I die with Him,
Like Jesus I will rise again
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Pray Aloud:
Father, help __________
to glorify You in every way.
Reveal Your beauty in _________
as it is in Heaven.
Give _________ daily bread,
and thank You for Your undeserved mercy.
Help us to forgive others.
Keep __________heart soft for You,
for Your Word, for prayer,
and for those that You put in their life,
that they may keep their heart
from evil and sin.
Thank You for Your grace and mercy.
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