Crucified with Christ

Discussing the substitutionary aspect of Christ's death, Marshall comments: “The second point is a reminder that earlier Paul says that he has been 'crucified with Christ' (Gal 2:20). The implication of this is that Paul has somehow shared in the death of Jesus on the cross, which was the event in which he became a curse. Consequently, Paul does not see the death of Jesus merely as the death of another person, which God as the lawgiver accepts in place of the death of the sinner. Rather he sees the death of Jesus as a death that includes the sinner who is crucified with Christ; the 'gospel' element is that the sinner is counted to have died, although he or she has not in fact suffered death as a penalty with all its pain and receives life. And the effect of this that they have 'crucified' their sinful flesh with its desires (Gal 5:24).”—New Testament Theology, pages 225-226

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We are, in a very real sense, crucified with Christ. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to make it real in our life—and there's the rub...we don't really want to die, do we?
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