Galatians 2:20 — Crucified With Christ | Speak His Word Only

“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 KJV

Galatians 2:20 is one of Paul's clearest statements concerning the believer's union and identification with Jesus Christ. Paul is not speaking of physically dying on Christ's cross. He is describing what Christ's death means for his old identity, his relationship to sin, and his attempt to obtain righteousness through the law.

“I Am Crucified With Christ”

To be “crucified with Christ” means that the believer identifies with Christ in His death. The old life in which self ruled is no longer to govern us.

Paul had just declared:

“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.” — Galatians 2:19 KJV

His righteousness before God was no longer being sought through his own works or law-keeping. His confidence was now in Christ.

“Nevertheless I Live”

Paul immediately adds:

“nevertheless I live…”

The Christian life is not the destruction of the person. Paul was still Paul. He still thought, worked, traveled, preached, suffered, and made decisions.

But the controlling center of his life had changed.

He continues:

“yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”

This describes a life no longer centered upon self, but upon Christ.

Christianity is therefore more than attempting to imitate Jesus through human determination. The believer has been brought into a living relationship with Christ, and Christ's life is to be manifested through that believer.

“The Life Which I Now Live”

Paul distinguishes between his former life and:

“the life which I now live…”

Something has changed.

There was an old life, and now there is a new life in Christ.

This agrees with 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…”

Being in Christ changes the believer's identity and the direction of life.

“I Live by the Faith of the Son of God”

Paul's daily life was now governed by faith rather than confidence in himself.

Faith is not merely how we begin our relationship with Christ. We are called to continue living by faith.

When circumstances change, we live by faith.

When we cannot see the outcome, we live by faith.

When obedience is difficult, we live by faith.

Our confidence rests in Christ rather than our own ability.

“Who Loved Me”

Paul makes the statement deeply personal:

“who loved me…”

He does not merely say that Christ loved humanity.

Paul understood:

Christ loved me.

The cross was not an abstract theological doctrine to Paul. He understood the sacrifice of Christ personally.

The same apostle who once persecuted believers could now testify that the Son of God loved him.

Grace had transformed his identity.

“And Gave Himself for Me”

Here we reach the foundation of the entire verse.

Christ:

“gave himself for me.”

Jesus willingly gave Himself.

Paul's new life was therefore not founded upon how much Paul had done for Christ but upon what Christ had done for Paul.

The order matters:

Christ loved me.
Christ gave Himself for me.
I am crucified with Christ.
Christ lives in me.
Now I live by faith.

Grace comes first.

The transformed life follows.

Personal Application

Galatians 2:20 challenges us to ask:

Who is living at the center of my life—Christ or self?

Being crucified with Christ means we can no longer allow our old desires, pride, ambitions, and self-righteousness to determine how we live.

Every morning we can remember:

My life belongs to Christ.

When we are tempted to depend entirely upon ourselves, we return to faith. When the old nature attempts to control our decisions, we remember our identification with Christ.

And when we question whether we are loved, we can return to Paul's testimony:

“the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20 teaches us that the Christian life is not simply living for Christ. It is also Christ living in us as we live by faith in Him.