August 21 – Crucified with The Anointed One

        Gal 2:20, 21 – "I have been crucified with the Chosen One (Christ); I no longer live, but the Chosen One lives in me. The life that I live in this body, is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God. If righteousness could be obtained by observing the Old Testament law, then the Chosen One died for nothing."

         These verses are related to baptism passages, in that immersion into Jesus means an immersion into his death and resurrection. These verses are also an "identifying" with Jesus. They are bold statements of faith. They are much more as well. Living daily by faith in Jesus requires a complete surrender and trust in God to work in us, change us, and to lead us in good and straight paths. Proverbs 3:5, 6 comes to mind as well: "Trust in Yahweh with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." Living by faith in Jesus, furthermore, means a "resting" from our own works of "righteousness" and letting God work to perfect his life in us. He is the "author and finisher of our faith, as Hebrews 12 states. It is walking in step with his Spirit, living a symbiotic relationship with God. Study Gal. 5:16-18 and 2 Peter 1:3-11 for more specifics on God's working in us and our response thereto.