Live by Faith
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Galatians 2:20, and it says this, “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.” I’d like for us to take a closer look at this verse and it’s message for our lives.
• I have been crucified with Christ- Paul is telling us that our old self, the person we were before trusting in Jesus, with our self-centered desires and sinful pursuits, died on the cross when Jesus died.
• It is no longer I who live- So the self-centered desires and sinful pursuits of our older selves are to no longer rule and direct our lives.
• But Christ who lives in me- After the death of our old selves, the very Spirit of Christ comes to live within us, breathing a new life, a new focus, and a new power in us. He is to now rule and direct our lives.
• And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God- We are still living in the same bodies as we did before following Jesus, but our dependence and priorities are no longer set by ourselves. We are to now live in a way where we actively respond to all God is and all He has said. Faith is not just a belief in Jesus, but an active response to what we believe about Him.
• Who loved me and gave himself for me- This line reveals the nature of His personal love for each of us, as well as the personal substitute that Jesus is for each of us.
What a gift faith is to us. God knows that living for ourselves leads only to death, so to sacrifice His Son in our place to forgive our sins, and give us the abilities, by faith, to live for Him, is an absolute, life-giving, eternity-impacting, God-glorifying gift to us.
As we specifically consider the money God has entrusted to each of us, I’d like for us to ask ourselves these questions- If I truly believe in the God of the Bible, are my money habits a reflection of this belief? Do I spend, save, give, and tithe in ways that are mindful responses to who God is and what He has said? Do my habits reveal that I am living according to Galatians 2:20?
When we tithe, we are to tithe by faith in Jesus who is the Head of the church and gave His life for her. When we give, we are to give by faith in the God who gave His Son for us. When we spend, we are to spend by faith in Him who is our true Treasure. And when we save, we are to save by faith in our Provider who has given us the means to prepare for the future.
As I have paused to confess my failures to live by faith as I was writing this blog, I encourage you to pause and do the same if the Lord has brought a lack of faith to your attention. May our lives be proof of our faith in Jesus, and may His grace continue to keep us and strengthen us as we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us.