Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (Christ lives in me is Paul's liberating and revealed truth to and for the Church)

Why is our total identification to Christ living in us so important? Why is separatism thinking in Adam such a hindrance to the Christian? How does our Heavenly Father view us in Christ? Why is so important to let the Holy Spirit transform our choices and thinking to the mind of Christ within us? Why is Paul so specific in telling us that Christ is the expression and the life in and through us? Is not Christ still ever giving His life up for us as He lives in us daily? Father, thank you for your Son Jesus. Thank you that He now lives fully in us, with your Spirit birthing. Holy Spirit continue to open up the liberating truth of Christ living in us as our only life, to do the Father's will in us as in this new creation shared-life -- the Christ-life.

CHRIST LIVES IN ME

"I have already been co-crucified with Christ; nevertheless I ever live, yet no longer I, but Christ ever lives in me; and the life I now ever live in the flesh, I ever live in faith by the Son of God, who once then having loved me, also at intervals is giving Himself up in behalf of me" (Gal. 2:20, Expanded Greek Transl’n - EGT).

First, We Were Co-Crucified With Christ to Put to Death Every Link to Adam
Paul declares that we were "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). The verb crucified in the Greek is sunestauromai. Therefore, crucified is better translated in the English as co-crucified. Considering the full meaning in context, we were co-crucified together as one with Christ. When Christ was crucified, my old Adamic nature and the original sin of Adam were co-crucified together with Him as one. All my sin was placed upon Christ on the cross. Christ's finished work on the cross put to death every part of me and my link to Adam that Satan could ever again use against me. The revelation of this Christ-life truth is revolutionary and liberating. Do we not know that everything that we have done or could do that would separate us from our Father, was put to death with Christ on the cross? Yes, it was all paid in full by His supreme sacrifice that fully satisfied the Father.

Second, Our Father Considers Adam & Old Me Crucified, Dead, and Buried
Paul also declares, "Therefore we were once then co-buried with him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was once then raised out of the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might once then walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4, EGT). The verb co-buried in the Greek is sunetaphemen. The sune prefixes on these Greek verbs translate to mean co or together with. When Christ died and was buried, everything of Adam and the old me that was placed together with Christ was also put to death and buried with Christ. Our Father considers everything of Adam and the old me crucified, dead, and buried. If that is truth to the Father and the way He considers it, then how can anyone consider it any other way and still remain in truth? Of course, the answer is that we must only consider things as the Father does to remain in truth.

Third, We Choose to Live Either Christ-Life Cross-Truth or Self-Lies
This is why Paul "determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Cor. 2:2). The Christ-life in him was revealed to Paul as the liberating secret to every Spirit birthed son (Gal. 1:16). Paul then knew that, "Christ is the power and wisdom of God" (I Cor. 1:24). Paul also clearly knew that Christ crucified is the other half of the liberating secret of the Christ-life in us. For "the message of the cross. . .is the power of God" (I Cor. 1:18). Why? The full revelation of the message of the cross reveals that everything of Adam and the old me was crucified, dead, and buried. Anything of Adam or the old me, that I refuse to accept put to death by the finished work of the cross, will "deprive the cross of Christ of its outworking force" in me (I Cor. 1:17b, EGT). Paul says, "Knowing continually this, that our old man was once then co-crucified with Him, in order that the body of sin might once then be rendered unemployed" (Rom. 6:6a, EGT). We choose either Christ-life cross-truth or self-lies.

Fourth, The Father Co-quickened, Co-raised, and Co-seated Us in Christ
When Christ was raised from the dead by our Father, we were "co-raised" with Him. Paul declares, that we were once then "co-quickened' (sunezoopoiesen – Gk.) "together with Christ" (Eph.2:5b). Our Father "once then co-raised" (sunegeiren – Gk.) "us, and once then co-seated" (sunekathisen – Gk.) "us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). With our Spirit birthing as new creatures in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17), Christ lives in us as our very life. This "new creation" life focuses and revolves around Christ living in us. We are literally saved by His life (Rom. 5:10). I am literally saved because Christ lives in me. I have eternal life now, because Christ lives in me, as the source of eternal life.

Fifth, Christ Ever Lives In Me to Be the Life to Be Expressed Through Me
This is why Paul declares, "I ever live yet no longer I, but Christ ever lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). Paul knows that everything of Adam and the old me was put to death in Christ on the cross. Paul also knows that everything of the new me, revolves around Christ who ever lives in me. Paul clearly affirms and states, "For to me, to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21a). Paul tells us that it is Christ that will be magnified or expressed in his body (Phil. 1:20). Paul tells us this is the mystery that God the Father willed to make known, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Some quote these verses and say, "Christ lives in us." Then, comes the caveat. "But God lives it in us, through the Person of the Holy Spirit." The caveat alters and changes the liberating truth of God's Word. Why would anyone preach or teach that? Paul clearly stated, "Christ ever lives in me" (Gal.2:20, EGT). John clearly declares, that he who has the Son has life, and that the life is in the Son (I John 5:11,12). "Let God and His Word be true, and every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4). Christ ever lives in me, as the life expressed through me as me.

Sixth, The Holy Spirit is the Teacher of Christ Who Lives in Me as the Life
Some may say, what difference is it to say the Holy Spirit lives in me versus that Christ lives in me? Are they not one in the same any way? I have found, that if the Word of God makes a clear distinction, it is for a divine purpose. We need to be found always "rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). Perhaps, it is just a lack of the full revelation of what God has already revealed to the Apostle Paul. Paul is firm and committed to share this mystery of the final gospel to the Church. These are things that just aren't seen by the natural eye, ear, and heart. However, for those that genuinely love and seek Him, the Holy Spirit has revealed them to us (I Cor. 2:9-10). Ah, there is the distinction. The Holy Spirit is the teacher and revealer of Christ to renew the mind (I Cor. 2:13; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:13-15). Christ lives in me to be the expression of all life.

Seventh, Christ With Great Love is Still Giving Himself Up to Live in Me
Paul states that at our Spirit rebirthing, "we were all baptized into one body" (I Cor. 12:13). Paul clearly declares, "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually" (I Cor. 12:27). Paul declares, "we have this treasure in earthen vessels" and that treasure is Christ living in us as us (II Cor. 4:7,4-6). Paul also tells us that we are "always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (II Cor. 4:10). Christ lives in me! Christ with great love, is still giving up Himself at intervals just to ever live in me as me (Gal. 2:20b). That is an awesome truth!