You have to understand what Christianity truly is—the kind of Christianity the Apostle Paul practiced is the Bible kind of Christianity. Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...” (Galatians 2:20). A clearer rendering says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live...”. Paul was not describing a feeling or a personal opinion; he was revealing a truth about the Christian life.

This reality is not peculiar to Paul. Just as “...if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature...” (2 Corinthians 5:17), it belongs to every believer—but it only works for those who know and live by it. Galatians 2:20 gives us the exact picture of who a Christian truly is. Those who understand what it means to be dead with Christ are the ones who can live the original Christian life. True Christians are dead people—dead to self, alive to Christ.

When a man says, “I have been crucified with Christ,” he understands Christianity. He's not merely saying Jesus died for him; he's saying, “When Christ died, I died with Him”. The Bible says, “knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him...” (Romans 6:6). This is what it means to live beyond yourself—to live the life of Christ.

When we say, “Jesus is alive,” it doesn't just mean He's alive in Heaven. God is in Heaven too, yet no one says, “God is alive”. The emphasis on Jesus being alive means He's alive in people—those who have died to themselves. He only lives through those who have embraced the cross and understand what it means to be dead to self and alive unto God. As the Scripture says, “...ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Christianity is a life of death—death to your human nature. The moment you are born again, the law of death begins to work in you. You start learning how to die to self, to pride, to fleshly desires, and to worldly ambitions. That is spiritual growth. Growth in Christianity is learning how to die. God can only live through you to the extent that you are dead to self. The more you die to human tendencies, the freer He is to express Himself through you.

This is why the work of God seems slow in many places—because men are too alive. There are too many born-again people who do not understand the power of death. The Bible says, “...if one died for all, then were all dead.” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Until you accept this truth, you cannot manifest the full life of Christ.

Let the revelation of the crucified life take over your mind. Walk daily with the consciousness that you died with Christ and now alive only through Him. Let your words, thoughts, and actions reveal that Christ lives in you. This is the true Christian life—a life where self is silent, and Christ is seen.