In my daily devotion of the book of Galatians, I noticed a small detail that I have overlooked for years.  How am I crucified with Christ?  Galatians 2:20 states: “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.”  Paul writes that he was crucified with Christ.  How does that work?  He was not at the cross or even on the cross with Christ.  So how does this work?

 

Of course, I do what I always do, go to several commentaries.  Mike Baker wrote, “Being crucified with Christi is an awareness that today may be the last day and living our lives accordingly.”  That is interesting, but is that it?  John R. W. Stott writes, “That is, being united in Christ in His sin-bearing death, my sinful past has been blotted out.”  Still confused, so was I. 

 

Until I noticed this verse in Philippians 2:8, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Something happened more at the cross then our forgiveness of sin.  Jesus did the ultimate act of obedience, He died.  In the garden Jesus prayed to the Father, “Not my will, but Your will be done.”  Jesus followed the Father’s will.

 

Crucified like Jesus means that we surrender our will and replace it with the Father’s will.  It does not matter how painful that may be (it will be painful).  My will dies on the cross.  His will lives because of the cross.  Think about it.