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INNER CIRCLE: Christ Lives Within Us

INNER CIRCLE: Christ Lives Within Us

Last updated on: August 8, 2026 at 1:56 am by Keith Giles

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INNER CIRCLE: Christ Lives Within Us 2026-08-08T01:56:40+00:00 Keith Giles

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Galatians 2:19-20

“I have been crucified along with the Christ, and I live no longer, but the Christ lives within me; and the life I now live in this flesh I live by the faithfulness of God’s son, who loves me, and who gave himself up for me.”

Following the oft-repeated formula of “what is true of Christ is true of us all,” the Apostle Paul, once more, reiterates that he has been crucified with Christ, and therefore, he (Paul) no longer lives, but the Christ is alive in him. This means that the life he lives now is animated by the spirit of Christ; Christ was crucified, and so was Paul. Christ was resurrected, and so was Paul. Christ is alive right now, and so is Paul, but the life he (and all of us) live by is the same life that inhabits Christ.

There is only one life, and that is Christ.[1] There is only one body, and that is Christ. We are members of his body, and so we are alive because Christ is alive.

There is no separation between Christ and us. Such a thing is spiritually, logically, mathematically, and physically impossible. To have life is to have Christ.[2] Without Christ, there is no life. So, if we are alive now, we are in Christ, and Christ is in us. This is the evidence of Christ within us.

But what about when our bodies physically die? Paul has already told us (see Romans 8: 35-39) that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ, not even death. So, the death of our physical bodies does not sever our connection with Christ, the eternal One.

Our task is to internalize these concepts for ourselves the way Paul has done for himself in these passages. We should have the confidence to say, “[Insert name here] has been crucified with the Christ, and [your name] lives no longer, but the Christ lives within [your name]; and the life [your name] now lives in this flesh [he/she] is by the faithfulness of God’s son, who loves [your name], and who gave himself up for [your name].”

What is astounding to me is how often Paul repeats this formula, and how seldom Christians comprehend the meaning: whatever is true of Christ is true of all of us.

If Christ lives, we also live. If Christ is alive forevermore, we are also alive for eternity. If Christ is one with the Father, we are also one with the Father. If Christ cannot be separated from God, then none of us can ever be separated from God.

Rejoice in this truth: You and Christ are one. Nothing will ever separate you from Christ. The same God in whom we all live and move and have our being is – right now – living, and moving, and being in YOU!

Selah.

[1] See Colossians 3:4, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

[2] See 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

My new book, The Quantum Gospel of Philip and the Valentinian Christ is now available on Amazon in Print and Kindle. Audiobook coming soon.

Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has appeared on CNN, USA Today, Coast To Coast with George Noory, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.” He co-hosts the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast.

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August 3, 2026

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