(Galatians 2:19-21) "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 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. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." In this passage of Galatians we read where Paul says that he is crucified with Christ. It's not I (Paul) but Christ living in me. The Apostle Paul is dead unto the law because Christ lives in him. What does it mean to be crucified with Christ? How is a believer crucified with Christ? A believer that's crucified with Christ is a Christian that's walking in the Spirit. Therefore, that person is dead unto the law because he has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him. Therefore, he is led by the Spirit. In order to be crucified with Christ, we must allow self to die. We must allow our lives and our purpose for living to be centered in Christ.
A believer that's crucified with Christ allows his flesh to die daily. I Corinthians 9:27 says, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: let that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Our bodies must be brought under subjection. If we don't do that, then we can't be crucified with Christ. Our flesh can't be in control. A believer that's crucified with Christ has his body under subjection as well as his appetites. He's yielded himself unto the Spirit of God so that the Spirit can work in his life the way the Spirit desires. A crucified believer lives a life of submission unto God. He's God's instrument. In order for a believer to be yielded unto God, his flesh must be crucified.
How are we to be crucified with Christ? First of all, our bodies must be placed under subjection as I Corinthians 9:27 bears out. We must deny ourselves and allow the Spirit to lead and guide us. If we don't place our body under subjection, then we won't walk in the Spirit. Instead, our flesh will be in control. Our lives will be dictated by our flesh if we don't crucify it. Along with crucifying our flesh, we must also allow our minds to be held captive by Christ. In order for that to happen, we must watch what we allow our minds to dwell upon. There are certain places we shouldn't visit with our minds. The problems that we face with our minds such as our pathetic attitudes and dispositions is a result on what we allow our minds to ponder upon. That's why it's so important what we feed our minds with. If we feed our minds with Hollywood, music that's ungodly, pornography, and all kinds of filth, we will have all kinds of problems with our self. What we allow to enter our minds will enter our hearts and before too long we'll be defeated spiritually. I've heard people that have struggled with certain situations or certain kinds of people who are trying to overcome whatever barrier that's in their life say they don't spend their time concentrating on the very things that will defeat them. If for example a person has an issue with alcohol he doesn't want to place himself in a situation where he tempts himself with that drug. He doesn't want to participate in any kind of activity which will remind him of alcohol. We must watch what we read or what we allow our eyes to behold. We must center our thoughts on pure and wholesome things as Philippians 4:8 bears out.
A believer who's crucified with Christ will be in total subjection unto Christ. His whole life revolves around the will of God. We can't be in the perfect will of God as long as our flesh is out of control. We as believers not only have a new nature but we still carry around the old Adamic nature. The old Adamic nature must be crucified. We must lay down ourselves before God to be crucified with Christ. We present ourselves to the Lord and allow him to have his way with us. We then follow Christ and walk in the Spirit. When we are crucified with Christ, we are dead unto the law. When we are dead unto the law, we live unto the Lord. In order for a child of God to walk in victory, he must lay down his life before God and allow his flesh to die. Jesus says he came so we could have life and have it more abundantly. Only those that are crucified with Christ can enjoy that abundant life. The Holy Spirit will never work in and through us as long as the flesh isn't under subjection. The flesh will dominate our lives and destroy us if it's not put to death. God has desires for his children to move on and serve the Lord in greater avenues. That won't take place until we are crucified with Christ.
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