Crucified, Yet Alive in Him
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
Paul describes a profound exchange at the heart of the Christian life: the old self, with all its striving and self-reliance, has been put to death, and in its place Christ himself now lives within the believer. This isn't about erasing our identity but about who truly animates it. The life we now live isn't powered by our own willpower or performance—it's sustained by faith in the Son of God.
What makes this truth bearable, even beautiful, is the reason behind it: Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. This wasn't a distant, abstract act. It was personal. Paul doesn't say "who loved the world" in general terms here—he says "who loved me." That kind of love is what makes daily faith possible, especially on the days when we feel weak or uncertain about our standing with God.
Many believers wrestle with assurance. They know the truths of the gospel but struggle to feel settled in their identity in Christ. That tension between head-knowledge and heart-confidence is something many Christians quietly carry, often without knowing how to talk about it or move through it toward real spiritual stability.
This is part of what Michael Bagano addresses in his testimony and in his book, Life in the Light. He wrote it specifically to help Christians who feel like they're striving in their own strength find a deeper assurance in Christ and grow through intentional discipleship, echoing the same truth Paul proclaims: it's no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.
If this verse stirs something in you—a longing for deeper assurance or a renewed sense of what it means to live by faith rather than performance—take a moment to read True Christian Ministry's piece, "Life Light and Love - Why I wrote Life in the Light." It offers a fuller picture of this journey toward resting in Christ's love for you.
Read the source: True Christian Ministry →