The memory verse for this week is Galatians 2:20
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.
Galatians 2:20
Ephesians 6:17
God’s Word is so amazing. It is true and unchanging. It is without error and is always relevant.
No matter what passage you are reading, you can always find other scripture that is similar or that points to other passages. Every word leads to the Gospel and is perfectly intertwined.
Today, I am going to show you how this works. We are going to take Galatians 2:20 divided into sections and relate it to Romans 6:5-14 & 23. Each verse in Romans 6 clarifies any questions we have about Galatians 2:20.
Take a look.
I have been crucified with Christ…
True believers are symbolically crucified with Christ. Why?
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, Romans 6:5
For he who has died has been freed from sin. Romans 6:7
Do you see the answers to the question?
When believers symbolically join with Christ in His death, they will be raised from death as He was.
The difference, of course, is that Christ was innocent of sin. We are made guiltless by grace. Therefore, we rise from death to walk in a new way of life, and we are free from sin’s power and curse.
…it is no longer I who live…
When we are justified by faith in Christ, then we no longer live for ourselves, but for the Savior.
Committed believers will be devoted to walk in the new way of living. We will not walk with halfhearted devotion. (Romans 6:6)
Believers are not sinless. But we love God’s ways and long to walk in them. We hate the sin that separates us from God and are quick to confess and repent of any known sin.
…but Christ lives in me…
When we read Galatians 2:20 and Romans 6:11 in a familiar way, instead of in a seeking way, we may miss one tiny little word. Do you see it?
Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:11
The Spirit of God, who draws us to Jesus in the first place, is alive within our hearts. That gives us endurance, hope, joy, wisdom, and peace to keep walking closely devoted to Him.
The little word is “in”. Read verse 11 below. What does that mean to you as a believer? It should mean everything.
…and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…
This part of Galatians 2:20 states the obvious. That is for now, we certainly do have to live in this world. How can a believer possibly live in the world, but be separate from it? How can we defeat the fleshly battles that always lure us to sin?
Romans 6:13 and 14 echo our key verse. Read it prayerfully, below.
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:13 & 14
If we belong to Christ, then we are not to be enslaved to habitual sin. Sin should not be our master, because we walk in grace.
And the last and most profound part of Galatians 2:20-
…Who loved me and gave Himself for me…
Look fully at the love of Jesus.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Jesus loves me! This I know!
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong; They are weak but He is strong!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so!1
Share the Good News in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Statement of Faith
Baptist Faith and Message 2000
- Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
Anna Bartlett Warner
ca. 1859
Public Domain ↩︎
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 