I. I have been crucified (divine passive) with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
1. Verse 20 is a climax of Paul’s rhetoric against his detractors
2. Paul’s detractors had imposed “add-ons” to Christian faith
3. These “add-ons” placed “human-self” at the center and became their driving force
4. These driving forces invariably lead believers to legalism, which is contrary to the Gospel (cf. 1:7)
II. What does Paul say in verse 20? (Highlight of the contrasts)
1. Death (figurative) of the past
(a) Death happened when Paul responded positively to God’s plan of salvation—justification by faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection
(b) This is Paul’s salvation experience, through which he is now able to relate to God through Jesus without the futile religious practices
(c) All need to hear and respond personally
2. Life, not Paul’s but Christ’s
(a) Paul was going through a continuous transformation based on the life and work of Jesus Christ
(b) Though he continues to live in the same body, the operating principle is Jesus Christ who loved him and sacrificed His life for him (verse 20)
(c) Life is not happening because death has not taken place yet
III. How will it look to die and live at the same time?
1. No slave mindset
(a) Obligation
(b) Legalism (trying to relate God through “dos” and don’ts”
(c) Discrimination based on caste, color, and religion
2. Child-mindset
(a) Freedom
(b) The Spirit led (looking to enjoy filial relationship)
(c) Behaves like the Son, i.e., Jesus
IV. Take Away
Be motivated and guided by the sacrificial love of Jesus
