Unmasked | Anonymous | Crucified with Christ

I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet, not I but Christ lives in me…  Galatians 2:20

“Who was that masked man?” someone always asked when the Lone Ranger galloped away on Silver. By the age of twelve, we began to wonder why nobody ever recognized him when his only disguise was that thin “mask” over his eyes. But, nevertheless, he fooled everyone in black-and-white TV land and went on to subdue another bad guy the next week. So why did the Lone Ranger wear a mask when he might have benefited from people knowing who he was? His explanation has a shocking parallel for Christians: “No one is going to know I’m alive. I’m supposed to be dead and I’m going to stay that way.”

That’s exactly the attitude expected of a blood-bought, born-again, sin-forgiven, life-transformed child of the Living God. A lot more happened than most of us realize when we surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s invitation to follow Jesus. A divine legal transaction took place. We were hauled before the High Judge and pronounced “Guilty!” Jesus stepped between us, held out nail-pierced hands and said, “Paid for.” In that moment, the Judge took our rap sheet and nailed it to the cross. He took Jesus’ clean record and wrote our names at the top. We leave the courtroom different than we entered. Our old lives are crucified. No one should be able to tell that our sin nature is alive. It’s supposed to be dead and it needs to stay that way (Romans 6).

Final Thought:  Can the people in your life tell that your old sin nature has died? Make sure it stays that way.
Prayer: Father, how can I thank you enough for taking my guilty verdict and placing it on your own Son?  In that moment, my old life was crucified with Him. The sin option is dead. May I live every day with that awareness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.