St. Paul passes from the inability of the Law to the ability of Christ to save him.

Crucified with Christ] He identifies himself with Christ in His death. Christ's death means to him the cessation of the old life of sin as well as of legal justification: cp. Galatians 6:14; Romans 6:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Colossians 3:3. Nevertheless I live] RM 'and it is no longer I that live'; my real life is not this natural life, but the life of faith in union with Christ. By the faith of] RV 'in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God.' St. Paul here enunciates his doctrine of mystic union with Christ. He is so entirely under the influence of Christ that he regards his thoughts and words and deeds as prompted by the Saviour. All that he is he owes to Christ who abides in Him. The spiritual relation between Christ and himself is so intimate that he can only describe it as Christ living in him: cp. Romans 6:1.

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