Principles To Live By: Is There A Change In You?

 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

Paul knew the importance of a changed life. Since in our old life (the life we lived in sin) we were separated from God because of sin, when we start this new life (life in Jesus Christ), we must put that past life behind us. Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ." What does he mean by this statement?

Paul writes in Colossians 3:5, "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. (New Living Translation)." We must put to death (crucify) the earthly things that live in us. Those "earthly things" are the sins of our past life, we must not walk in those any longer. To keep walking in the old way of life means that Jesus died on the cross in vain. Believe me, Jesus didn't give up His life on the cross so that we can continue to live in sin. Just one encounter with Jesus is enough to change people. Take Paul, as an example. In Acts 9, we see him setting out for Damascus to take prisoner anyone who believes in Jesus. Along the way, he had a divine encounter with Jesus, and walked away as one of the greatest missionaries of all time. Paul was not the same. Take Zacchaeus, the tax collector. In Luke 19, we discover that he had to climb a tree to see Jesus passing by. Jesus called to him and told him to come down because He was going to go to his house. He had a life changing encounter with Jesus. We read in Luke 19:8, "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (King James Version)." Zacchaeus was not the same.

Are you the same now as you were before you gave your life to Jesus? Tomorrow, we're going to dig a little deeper into what it means to be crucified with Christ. For now, can others see a change in you, or do you just go about living in the same sins? Think About It.