SCRIPTURE: Galatians 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Galatians 2:20] This past week I met a former muslim extremist (he failed in an attempt to kill a christian at his university) who became a Jesus-follower. When he converted, he was disowned by his family, he lost his name and his place in his community. In other words, for him to become a Jesus-follower, he had to die to his old way of life, and all that was dear to him. This is what it was for Paul too, who as a Jewish extremist, also gave up everything to become a Jesus-follower.

Jesus also talks about this dying that precedes being born again as His disciple as a form of being crucified: And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [Luke 14:27] The prior verse [Luke 14:26] talks about ‘hating’ family, even one’s own life – an intense way of saying that the decision will mean loving Jesus more than being accepted by one’s family, or more than having a ‘good’ life. Isn’t this what carrying the cross meant for Jesus too?

Jesus does not invite us to add a little religious activity to our lives. The decision to follow Him is not just for a few hours a week, with the rest of the time safe for us to pursue our own life and agenda. Following Jesus means a whole new life, one that is free from the slavery of God-and-people-pleasing. Paul is confident that he is loved and accepted, that Jesus’ death proves he is secure in God’s love. This security fills him with a love, joy, peace, etc. that overflows. He is so full of Jesus that everything else in life seems shallow, hollow, fake in comparison. What else would lead someone to sacrifice everything to know and live in the love of God in Christ.

Paul’s passion in this chapter is that this good news not be lost in the midst of religion and religious duties. He challenges Peter for compromising the good news, for which he has given up everything. He gave up being a religious Jew to follow Jesus; we can appreciate why he is agitated that Peter is resurrecting some of the Jewish expectations for Jesus-followers. For Paul, the heart of his faith is Jesus. His religion is Jesus. His life is wrapped up in Jesus. He is sold-out for Jesus. He has given up everything for Jesus. He has died to worldly ambition and gain, because he has found so much more in Jesus. It makes me look at my own faith-life: am I sold-out to Jesus? Have I surrendered my own life for Jesus and the Jesus life?

PRAYER:
Lord, I became religious years ago, but I’m still learning how to be a Jesus-follower. I want to be able to say: I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.