I am crucified - I die daily!

Hello To All:

We come now, to the practical application of the truth: "I am crucified with Christ..." (Galatians 2:20). How is it that this truth effects our daily lives? What is the great work, that is being accomplished, because of the truth: "I am crucified with Christ..."?

Our text, for today's posting, comes from First Corinthians 15:31 (NKJV), where we find written: "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." The King James Text, of the King's Book, often contains old world English words and phrases, that are sometimes difficult to understand, in a contemporary setting. Thus, for today's text, I have chosen the New King James Version, of the King's Book.

"I affirm ... I die daily." When you read the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians, if you do not read carefully, you will miss the full impact and meaning of this, seemingly, off hand comment of: "I die daily." We must ask: how does this relate to the context of the fifteenth chapter? We must also ask: How does Paul, and thus us, die daily? The answers will help us, to more fully comprehend, the relationship between the natural realms and the supernatural realms. The answers will take us deeper, into our understanding, of our eternal union with Jesus Christ.

In this fifteenth chapter, Paul is writing about the supernatural reality, of the resurrection of Jesus Christ; and the reality of our own, future resurrection; and of the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to the here and now of our daily lives. In the midst of this great teaching, we have our text of today.

With his statement: "I affirm ... I die daily" - he is connecting the realities of the supernatural to the realities of the natural. With his statement: "I affirm ... I die daily" - the supernatural reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was, and is, connected to the daily realities of the natural realms. When Paul wrote these words of verse 32 (NKJV): "If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me - if the dead do not rise..?" - he gave us insight into the benefits of this connection.

Paul's reference to his having: "fought with beasts at Ephesus," can easily be regarded, as being representative of all of the challenges, that we face, in our service to Jesus Christ. Paul makes it very clear: there is no advantage to him, or to us: "if the dead do not rise." Our struggles, in the natural realms, are without any purpose, if there is no connection to the supernatural realms; and to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In verse 19 (KJV), we find written: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Thus, as Paul makes the case for the truth of the resurrection: he also makes the case, for the benefits of the resurrection, in the here and now, in the realities of our day to day challenges. When he wrote, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, these words: "I die daily" - he shows us the absolute connection between the supernatural realms and the natural realms. He not only shows us the connection; but, he also gives us insight into how and why we are benefited by that connection.

Thus, we come to the first application of: "I am crucified with Christ." Paul, and us, was and is able to "die daily," because, all of us, that is, those of us who are in Christ, can say: "I am crucified with Christ." In our daily death, we have reason to, and empowerment for, undertaking and engaging the challenges that all of us face, in our service to Jesus Christ. Our daily death, moves us to and empowers us for service to Jesus Christ, because of the promise of our eternal union with Jesus Christ, that is affirmed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In our next posting, we shall continue with our examination of the practical application of: "I am crucified with Christ."

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus