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.
Who am I? If I live according to this verse, I am a dead person, crucified with Christ, and I no longer live. Not sure how Paul could have been more clear here. Any life which I continue to live in my body, I live only by faith in the Son of God.
There's no other way I can do it.
I've tried to be good.
I've tried to be obedient.
I've tried to be stoic and stubborn and to stand my ground.
And sometimes I'm a marble pillar in the middle of a roaring river, defiantly throwing aside all temptation and sin, living victoriously. And other times, I find myself crumbled beneath the current, tiny pieces of stone swept along at the will of the river.
Oh wretched man that I am!
I fail so often that I must come to no other conclusion than that I cannot live a life in the flesh by effort or exertion or extreme force of will. I can only live that life by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
When dealing with the sin in my life, I am forced to conclude simply that I cannot deal with it. This is not license to not fight it, but only permission to fail occasionally. Because when Christ hung on the cross, every sin I would ever commit was yet future, but He went anyway. Every sin I have left to commit in my life is already covered by the Son of God. But if I am to be a good and faithful servant to Him, I am to do all within my power to obey His Holy Will. A great friend of mine used to say "God is not a cosmic wet blanket, trying to put out your fun." The things He commands us to do or to not do are for our own good, because He is a loving Father to each of us.So give it a shot. Die to yourself. Live by faith in the Son of God. And realize that when you fail, He will be there to pick you up again.
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