In Galatians 2:20, Paul declared, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.” We died with Christ; who we used to be is dead and buried. Our self-centered life has been replaced by a Christ-centered one. We’re new creations in Christ and everything has changed for the better. Through the cross, the world has been crucified to us and we’ve been crucified to the world. In other words, we’re dead to the world. It no longer influences us; we live by the Holy Spirit.
Paul demonstrated this in his defense before Agrippa. Despite being in chains, Paul was truly free. He didn’t care about what anybody thought of him. On the other hand, although he believed the prophets, King Agrippa dismissed the truth. He was afraid of what other people thought about him and he let that determine his beliefs. That’s slavery.
These days, the world is offended by everything. Most people are outraged that anyone would disagree with them. Their insecurity demands validation of their choices and credit for their successes. They need others to agree with them that they’re sexy, smart, successful or whatever other characteristic they idolize. Their desire for attention drives them. This selfishness explains why they can’t let anyone else be the focus. Indeed, they compete with those around them, conforming to the world’s rules in the process. They want everything the world has to offer and the world revolves around them. They’re consumed by pride; they worship themselves instead of God. Deep down they know they’re not worth worshiping, but they desperately want the illusion maintained.
Of course, with God, humility is power. In James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, we read that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In fact, Jesus explained, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” We have received authority in Christ, but after operating in supernatural power, we respond in humility: “We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.” Repentance is acknowledging the truth we’re not God. This is an act of humility and selflessness, because we recognize God makes the rules and we dedicate our lives to serving Him. This leads to gratitude for what He does in our lives, which means we’re content in any situation. Likewise, our identity is rooted in Christ, so we don’t need validation. We’re comfortable in our own skin. We also don’t need credit, so we don’t mind helping others anonymously. We seek to please God and don’t particularly care about other people’s opinions. Like Paul said, “Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”
Renew your mind
To fully embrace being dead to the word, renew your mind according to the instructions given in Romans 12:1-2. First, dedicate your life to Jesus. Next, refuse to be conformed to the world.
- Don’t let anything come between you and God. This includes family, friends, work or even your own life. [Matthew 10:26-39; Luke 14:26-27]
- Avoid idolatry. Put differently, don’t consider anything in this world more important than God. [1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21]
- Seek God’s approval, not the approval of men. [John 12:43]
- Put on Christ by rebuking the lusts of the flesh and activating the fruit of the Holy Spirit. [Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:1-10]
Consult the following resources for more information on renewing your mind: Putting on the armor of God & Spiritual warfare