I have been crucified with Christ
William MacDonald teaches that believers are spiritually united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, calling them to live out this reality by dying to sin and embracing new life in Him.
In this sermon, William MacDonald explores the profound spiritual truth of being crucified with Christ as described in Galatians 2:20. He explains how believers are united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and how this union calls for a practical daily reckoning with sin and newness of life. Drawing from biblical teaching and the testimony of George Muller, MacDonald challenges Christians to live in the freedom and power of their new identity in Christ.
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“I have been crucified with Christ.” (Gal. 2:20 NASB)
When the Lord Jesus died on the Cross, He died not only as my Substitute; He died also as my Representative. He died not only for me but as me. When He died, there is a real sense in which I died. All that I was as a child of Adam, all my old, evil, unregenerate self was nailed to the Cross. In God’s reckoning, my history as a man in the flesh came to an end.
That is not all! When the Savior was buried, I too was buried. I am identified with Christ in His burial. This pictures the removal of the old “I” from God’s sight forever.
And when the Lord Jesus arose from the dead, I arose too. But the picture changes here. It is not the one who was buried who arose, not the old self. No, it is the new man - Christ living in me. I arose with Christ to walk in newness of life.
God sees all this as having taken place positionally. Now He wants it to be true practically in my life. He wants me to reckon myself to have gone through this cycle of death, burial and resurrection. But how do I do this?
When temptation comes to me, I should reply to it exactly as a corpse reacts to any solicitation to evil. No response! I should say, in effect, “I have died to sin. You are no longer my master. I am dead as far as you are concerned.”
Day by day I should reckon my old, corrupt self to have been buried in the grave of Jesus. This means I will not be introspectively occupied with it. I will not look for anything worthwhile in it or be disappointed at its utter corruption.
Finally, I will live each moment as one who has risen with Christ to newness of life—new ambitions, new desires, new motives, new freedom and new power.
George Muller told how this truth of identification with Christ first came home to him:
There was a day when I died. Died to George Muller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure, to the approval or blame even of my brothers or friends, and since then, I have studied only to show myself “approved unto God.”
Sermon Outline
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I. Identification with Christ in Death
- Christ died as our Substitute and Representative
- Believers died to their old sinful selves
- Old self is crucified and reckoned dead before God
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II. Identification with Christ in Burial
- Believers are buried with Christ
- Old self is removed from God's sight
- This burial signifies the end of the old life
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III. Identification with Christ in Resurrection
- Believers arise with Christ as new creations
- New life characterized by new desires and motives
- Living in the power and freedom of resurrection
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IV. Practical Application of This Truth
- Reckon yourself dead to sin daily
- Do not respond to temptation as the old self
- Live moment by moment in newness of life
Key Quotes
“When the Lord Jesus died on the Cross, He died not only as my Substitute; He died also as my Representative.” — William MacDonald
“When temptation comes to me, I should reply to it exactly as a corpse reacts to any solicitation to evil. No response!” — William MacDonald
“I will live each moment as one who has risen with Christ to newness of life—new ambitions, new desires, new motives, new freedom and new power.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Daily reckon yourself dead to sin and refuse to respond to temptation.
- Focus on living out your new identity in Christ with fresh desires and motives.
- Trust in the power of Christ's resurrection to enable holy living.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?
It means that believers spiritually died with Christ to their old sinful nature and are no longer under sin's dominion.
How can I practically live out being crucified with Christ?
By daily reckoning yourself dead to sin, refusing to respond to temptation, and embracing new desires aligned with Christ.
Why is the burial of Christ important for believers?
The burial symbolizes the complete removal of the old self and the end of the believer's former sinful life.
What changes when a believer rises with Christ?
They receive new ambitions, motives, desires, freedom, and power to live a holy life.
Who was George Muller and why is he mentioned?
George Muller was a Christian leader whose testimony illustrates the personal impact of identifying with Christ's death and resurrection.