“But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6:14, ASV)
It is a repeated theme for movies and television shows where a person is in an abusive relationship. The scenario goes like this. A man or woman is abused either physically, mentally, or emotionally by another. It could be an employer-employee relationship, a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, a husband-wife relationship, or a host of others. In their relationship the one dominated comes to a point where he or she just cannot take it any longer. Unable to stay in the current situation, the one abused decides to leave the other. In the case of an employer-employee relationship, the employee leaves the employer and finds employment with another where the work conditions are more palatable. In the new environment, the employee now feels dead to the old company and the old company dead to him.
This is to illustrate that of which Paul wrote at the end of the verse discussed in the previous devotion. Paul stated, “the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” The cross to which Paul wrote was an instrument of death. In using this illustration, he stated that the world was dead to him and he was dead to the world.
So, what did Paul mean by this statement? What does it mean to be dead to the world and the world to be dead to him? First, we must understand what is meant by the world. The world refers to the system of the world. It is the system that Satan has instituted that is contrary to the purposes and ways of God. John recorded these words in that regard.
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19, ESV)
This system is characterized in three ways as John also wrote.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16, ESV)
The world system is that system that appeals to the sinful nature of man. It caters to the lusts of the flesh. It caters to the lusts of the eyes, externals that are seen. It caters to the prideful indulgences of the human heart that refuse to glorify God.
In the specific context of Paul’s writing to the Galatians, it refers to man made religious systems, those that deny salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone. For the Galatians this was the false teachings of the Judaizers, who taught that obedience to the law, in particular circumcision, was essential for one to be justified before God.
Next, as we look at the universal application of this thought, we must understand that every true believer is identified with the Cross. Paul wrote of this very principle earlier in the letter.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ASV)
In his conversion to faith in Christ, he understood that he had become a new creation. He was no longer under the power of the world system. He was dead to that and now living by the power of Christ in him. For this reason, he recognized and counted it a fact that he was dead to the power of the world system and that the world systems power was dead to him.
In the same way, everyone who has truly believed in Jesus has been crucified with Christ. We who believe can live by the power of Christ dwelling in us by the Holy Spirit. What shall we do? Paul wrote to the Romans these words, “reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11, ASV). The Scriptures proclaim it. We are dead to the system of this world and alive to God. Count it as an absolute fact and seek to live by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Renewing the Heart 