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.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Oneness with Christ encompasses three things: First, identification (with Him); second, new birth (of Him), third, fellowship/communion (with Him). Identification is our legal association with Christ in His substitutionary work for man on the ground of faith. New birth is salvation whereby anyone who reposes faith in Jesus Christ is born again or becomes a new creation (spiritually born a child of God). We identify with Christ by faith in order that we might be saved, and that leads to new birth; then new birth gives us the privilege of fellowship with God. It is worthy of note that the goal of identification with Christ and new birth in Him is fellowship with Him. Fellowship is the apex and goal of salvation.
There are certain prepositions that depict the vital elements of our oneness with Christ, namely: with, for and in. For example, our substitution in Christ is depicted by the preposition FOR; while our identification, is depicted by the preposition WITH. Our opening Scripture shows this clearly: “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.” Jesus was crucified for you, and now, you can say that you were crucified with Him. You can identify with Christ now on the basis of faith that because He did it for you, then you have it because you identify with Him. He is your Substitute, His victory is yours, and because He was crucified for you, you can boldly declare that you have been crucified with Him. The old man or old life has been crucified with Christ; therefore, you have the victory over the old life and its appetite. You can mortify or deaden the works of the flesh because the old man or old life was crucified with Christ by the identification of faith. This is actually the difference between legalism and true Christianity. In legalism, people try hard not to sin in their own effort and power. But in true Christianity, we operate from the consciousness of what Christ has done for us. That’s where Grace comes from. The power to live above sin does not come from mechanism, or legalism; but it comes from an understanding of Grace. Grace is founded on and rooted in the finished works of Christ.
SOLID FRONT (YOUR CONFESSION):
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I declare that I walk in the grace of God! I refuse to be legalistic and mechanical. I am rooted and grounded in the grace of God!
Further Meditation:
Ephesians 2:1-9; Romans 6:1-14.