You have probably heard people talk about their “personal life.” They have divided their lives into different segments such as work, school, church, chores, shopping and personal time. This last one refers to the little bit of time we can dedicate to ourselves.
In our personal time we do the things we like (and can afford) to do. We use it to play, rest, watch TV, go out with the family and do other fun activities. This is OUR time and no one should ever dare to mess with it.
The term “Personal Life” goes beyond our free time and the activities we like. It also refers to a defined set of beliefs, attitudes and ideas we have about ourselves. Our personal life is that secret space we reserve only for ourselves. No one else is allowed there.
The goal of every Christian must be the elimination of our personal life. In our conversion our dead spirit was reborn as we were baptized with the Spirit of God. This is what is known in theology as our union with Christ. As we grow in Christ (or better yet as Christ grows in us), our own personality begins to disappear until Christ is all that others can see in us when they look at our life.
Paul understood this concept as he wrote in Galatians 2:20:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I, who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
You see, our life is not ours anymore. We have been redeemed (bought) with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). He is not only our Savior, but He is also our Lord, Master, King and Owner. Paul once again teaches this in Colossians 3:4,
“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Emphasis added).
The same message was sent to the Corinthian church:
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 emphasis added).
Our focus then must be, not in our “personal” life, but in the Person of Christ (Hebrews 12:1-2). We do not have a personal life anymore; Christ is in us and He lives his life in us and through us. We must die to sin and to our own desires and submit completely to Jesus. Only then will we be able to proclaim with Paul:
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
A. G.
