Faith & Reason Nexus

In the New Testament, the concept of Christ’s crucifixion is presented in three important dimensions: for me, in me, and to me. These dimensions reveal the profound impact of Christ’s death on the believer’s life, from the past to the present, and its future significance. Let’s explore each of these aspects:

1. Christ Crucified FOR Me

• Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?”
• Luke 24:33 – “And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them.”

Christ crucified for me refers to the historical fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross to atone for my sins. It is through His sacrifice that redemption and forgiveness are made available to all. His death is for the believer’s salvation, providing the ultimate payment for sin and the means by which we can have a restored relationship with God.

2. Christ Crucified IN Me

• Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”
• Romans 6:6 – “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.”

Christ crucified in me signifies the personal application of Christ’s death to the believer’s life. When a person accepts Christ as Savior, the believer identifies with His crucifixion. The old nature (the “flesh”) is crucified, and the power of sin is broken. This results in a transformation, where the believer lives a new life in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness.

3. Christ Crucified TO Me

• Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
• Colossians 2:20 – “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?”

Christ crucified to me refers to the believer’s personal relationship with the cross. The world, with all its temptations, values, and attractions, becomes crucified or dead to the believer. The believer no longer finds fulfillment or identity in worldly pursuits but has his focus fixed on Christ and the cross. This is a declaration of a radical break with worldly values and an embrace of the life that Christ offers.

Galatians 2:20 – The Central Truth of the Threefold Crucifixion

• “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.” (Galatians 2:20)

This verse beautifully encapsulates all three aspects of the crucifixion. The believer’s identity is now intertwined with Christ’s sacrifice:

• For me – Christ’s death was for me personally.
• In me – Christ’s life and death are now part of who I am.
• To me – The world and its allurements are no longer significant to me because of my relationship with Christ.

Conclusion

The threefold crucifixion of Christ—for me, in me, and to me—shows the comprehensive effect of Christ’s death in a believer’s life. It covers the historical atonement, the present transformation of the believer, and the break with the world’s system. All of these elements are integral to understanding the depth of salvation and the believer’s new life in Christ.