by Dr. Paul Chappell

"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."

Galatians 2:20

Crucifying the old life means choosing to follow God's new life path.

An older Christian gentleman once lay dying at home. Sure of a home in Heaven through Christ, he gave testament to his final feelings:

"When you're old as I am, there are all sorts of extremely pleasant things that happen to you...the pleasantest of all is that you wake up in the night and you find that you are half in and half out of your battered old carcass. It seems quite a tossup whether you go back and resume full occupancy of your mortal body, or make off toward the bright glow you see in the sky, the lights of the city of God."

While physical death presents itself as a sweet time of release for those who know Christ, notice in today's verse a different type of "death" in which Christians are to take part.

Paul pointed out to the Galatians the fact that he had been crucified with Christ; his flesh was dead to sin. Not only was his old flesh dead-his new life was alive in the Lord. He was dead to the old and alive to the new.

The Galatians struggled with turning back to their old ways of fulfilling the law for religious merit and salvation. False teachers had encouraged them to go back to their former lives and continue their works-based religion. But Paul points out that because they are saved, their old lives are dead, crucified on Jesus' Cross.

Paul's answer to the Galatians was in his brief testament in verse 20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Paul was no longer living for himself; he lived for Christ. When you were saved, your sin was nailed to the Cross, being paid for by Jesus' blood. Yet your flesh daily seeks to pull you away from living for God.

As a believer, you face a choice every morning-will you follow your flesh or God? After Paul left the Galatians, they were faced with believing his preaching or the preaching of a false teacher. Sadly, they chose the latter. Still today, you will be faced with much the same battle. God has set His way before you, yet the old flesh will pull you to follow what it desires to do. One way to easily defeat this battle is to crucify your old flesh.

Before you begin each day, you must take time to be with God and to crucify your flesh before Him. Give God control over your actions, thoughts, and words so the flesh has no place to enter. Ask God to rule your life and guide your steps. Don't allow the devil one inch of room in your life. Crucify your flesh.

Choose to crucify your old life each day and follow the new life God offers you. Don't turn back or give up when life becomes difficult, but focus your eyes on the end of God's new life-an eternity in Heaven with your Saviour.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Deuteronomy 4-6 | Mark 11:1-18