What is the crucified life?  

Romans chapter six explains the crucified life in detail.  When Christ died, we died with Him. Can you picture yourself in Him hanging on the cross? When He became our sacrifice He took on all of our human nature. He didn’t ask our permission. It just was. To pay for our sins He became sin for us.

When we were born again by faith we are taken out of Adam’s race and placed in Christ’s (in His lifeline). So what happened to Christ happened to us even before we were born. Romans 6:3 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” 

How does it work?

Living the crucified life is simply accepting the fact that with Christ in us we are dead to the past, to our old nature. We no longer need to be controlled by sinful desires, selfish desires. No longer are we subject to our natural personality, by our shortcomings, or strengths. The crucified life means to acknowledge that it is so and believe it by faith. Romans 6:11 “…reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  See more about Christ living in us here.

Do I have a choice?

It is God’s plan for each of us. Colossians 3:3 “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” I don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where it says – “if you want, you can have this.” It simply states a fact. If we don’t go along with God’s plan we shortchange ourselves and distort God’s picture of grace, and we deny ourselves the opportunity for a life-changing experience. We deny ourselves a faith that is strong every day of the week. I don’t really see this as an option.

Is it for me?

Now, what do we do with this information? We might like who we are and don’t really want to change. We might want to hold onto our faults as an excuse to not be different.

God wants your permission to completely change you. Are you ready to become someone you are not? Are you ready to give up your efforts to change yourself? God wants to create in each of us a new person. Old things have passed away. All is new. 

Words to light your path – 

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

So Yes! It is for me. It is for you.

Lord, help us see what You have for us and not be afraid of change, especially if it comes by Your hand.