How Are You Living?

Daily Reading: Galatians 2

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. (Galatians 2.20)

Devotional Thought: We are tempted to use the “flesh vs. Spirit” argument as an excuse for continuing to live as “slaves to sin” rather than “slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6.18). The Apostle Paul did not accept this argument.  The flesh was crucified with Christ and the Spirit of God replaced the old flesh nature: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that…we too may live a new life” (Romans 6.1-4, NIV). 

Gordon D. Fee in Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God wrote, “We live in the flesh, only in the sense of living in the present body of humiliation, subject to the realities of the present age; but we do not walk according to the flesh.  Such a way of life belongs to the past, and those who live that way are outside Christ and “shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5.21, KJV) … [This] does not mean to accept constantly living in willful sin as inevitable, like a slow leak deflating our lives, as though the Spirit were not sufficient for life in the present.” 

How are you living today?  Do you live as though you have been crucified with Christ, as though you are a new creation?  You can!  The Spirit will empower you to “offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ” (Romans 6.13).

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for living in me.  By the power of your presence in me, help me to live as a slave to righteousness and not sin.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 103.15-22

15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul.