Spurgeon: December PM
* 12/14/PM
"I am crucified with Christ."
--Galatians 2:20
The Lord Jesus Christ acted in what He did as a great public
representative person, and His dying upon the cross was the
virtual dying of all His people. Then all His saints rendered
unto justice what was due, and made an expiation to divine
vengeance for all their sins. The apostle of the Gentiles
delighted to think that as one of Christ's chosen people, he
died upon the cross in Christ. He did more than believe this
doctrinally, he accepted it confidently, resting his hope upon
it. He believed that by virtue of Christ's death, he had
satisfied divine justice, and found reconciliation with God.
Beloved, what a blessed thing it is when the soul can, as it
were, stretch itself upon the cross of Christ, and feel, "I am
dead; the law has slain me, and I am therefore free from its
power, because in my Surety I have borne the curse, and in the
person of my Substitute the whole that the law could do, by way
of condemnation, has been executed upon me, for I am crucified
with Christ."
But Paul meant even more than this. He not only believed in
Christ's death, and trusted in it, but he actually felt its
power in himself in causing the crucifixion of his old corrupt
nature. When he saw the pleasures of sin, he said, "I cannot
enjoy these: I am dead to them." Such is the experience of every
true Christian. Having received Christ, he is to this world as
one who is utterly dead. Yet, while conscious of death to the
world, he can, at the same time, exclaim with the apostle,
"Nevertheless I live." He is fully alive unto God. The
Christian's life is a matchless riddle. No worldling can
comprehend it; even the believer himself cannot understand it.
Dead, yet alive! crucified with Christ, and yet at the same time
risen with Christ in newness of life! Union with the suffering,
bleeding Saviour, and death to the world and sin, are
soul-cheering things. O for more enjoyment of them!