Galatians 2:20. 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.
Think together: Can you name another religion besides Christianity? What makes Christianity different from all other religions?
Read together:
Galatians 2:20 is a really important Bible verse. It shows us how Christianity is different from all other religions, because it shows us that we don’t just believe IN Jesus, but that we are connected TO Jesus. Let’s break it down:
I have been crucified with Christ: Paul is saying that when Jesus died on the cross, everyone who believes in Jesus died on the cross with him. Not physically in our bodies, but spiritually. This means that what the cross did for Jesus, it has done for us – all our sins have already been punished and paid for!
It is no longer I who live: OK, this is going to get a bit tricky. Paul is teaching us that there is an “Old You” that died with Jesus, and a “New You” that was resurrected with Jesus. So when Paul says, “I no longer live,” he means the “Old Paul” (and the old version of us) that died with Jesus. The old version of us is dead and gone.
But Christ who lives in me: The “old” us is gone, but we are still alive spiritually because the resurrected Jesus Christ now lives in us!
The life I now live in the flesh: That old spiritual you is gone, but you are obviously still alive, living inside of your “flesh” or body.
I live by faith in the Son of God: The whole book of Galatians (and the whole Bible) is teaching us that we must live by faith in Jesus and not by our own good works. Faith is not a way to get god to do something new; it is trusting in what god has already done for us through Jesus.
who loved me and gave himself for me: What has god done for us? he sent his Son, who loves us and gave himself for us. This is the truth that we must trust in if we are going to become like Jesus.
Do something together: Make Galatians 2:20 a family memory verse. Let it be one that you talk about often as a family.
Because of Jesus: The old person who is guilty is gone, and the new person who is forgiven, innocent, and loved has come.
With Jesus: We can live by faith in god’s love.
Pray: Father, I’m not just trying to be good, I AM good because Jesus lives in me. Help me to live my life by faith in this amazing reality of who I am. Amen.
