Most bible scholars agree that Paul’s first letter was to the Galatians sometime during his second missionary journey with Silas:

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),

In this letter as with most of His letters, Paul instructs the church to seek the crucified life in Christ:

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Paul also stressed the importance of maintaining unity as one body in Christ:

Galatians 3:28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:4-5 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: (5) so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

2 Corinthians 7:3 I say it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.

So when Paul determined not to know anything among the Corinthians save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; was he referring to the church as one body of Christ who is to be seeking the crucified life in him?:

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Let’s see if we can prove this to be true :o)

Once we accept the free gift of salvation, we are no longer the owner of our life for we were bought with a price:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

Just as a bondservant renounces all his rights to his master, we also must renounce our life to our Master Jesus as His bondservant and disciple:

Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:22-23 For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’s bondservant. (23) Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men.

Luke 14:26-27 & 33 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (27) Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple……(33) So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Disciples of Christ are learning to lose their life for the life of Jesus as His most repeated precept in the gospels command:

Matthew 10:38-39 And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Mark 8:34-35 And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (35) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.

Luke 9:23-24 And he said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

John 12:25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

A true disciple will abide in Christ learning to walk as He walked:

1 John 2:6 he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.

Those who walk as Christ, learn to crucify their flesh setting themselves free from the passions and lusts of this life:

John 8:31-32 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; (32) and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Galatians 5:24-25 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. (25) If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.

The passions of this life include anything we desire to spend more time with than our Father and His Word:

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

We are to claim by faith that we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God learning to mind heavenly things more than earthly things:

Colossians 3:1-4 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. (3) For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.

The next step in our faith is to be baptized into Jesus Christ becoming united with him in the likeness of his death:

Romans 6:3-8 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; (6) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (7) for he that hath died is justified from sin. (8) But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;

Paul calls this becoming a living sacrifice which is our spiritual service as we renew our minds in the Word daily:

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. (2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Father through His Spirit led Jesus through the suffering of a physical cross:

Hebrews 5:7-9 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, (8) though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;

So that now we may be led of His Spirit in obedience to our spiritual cross of the crucified life:

Romans 8:12-14 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: (13) for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

As debtors to God we continue bringing our body under bondage to the Word of God:

1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by that glorifying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: (27) but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

Colossians 2:20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,

A healthy fear of our Father is the beginning of wisdom that will keep us out of hell:

Matthew 10:28 And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.

Peter also taught us that we should develop a healthy fear of living in any willful sin:

1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? (19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.

We are encouraged to always bear about in our body the dying of Jesus in this life that the life of Jesus will manifest in our mortal flesh:

2 Corinthians 4:10-11 always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. (11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Those Christians who allow the crucified life to manifest in their mortal flesh will endure unto their end in faith, will receive the salvation of their souls, and eternal life:

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:12-13 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. (13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

1 Peter 1:7-9 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: (8) whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (9) receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.

We receive by faith these promises from our Father but only those who actively walk in obedience to them as overcomers will be declared sons of God in our end:

2 Corinthians 7:1-3 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2) Open your hearts to us: we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no man. (3) I say it not to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die together and live together.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

It is for the love of Christ that we should no longer live unto ourselves but through Christ encourage each other to die to self:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; (15) and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.

It is by faith in the son of God that the crucified life is perfected:

Philippians 1:6  being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

So let us look unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who will help us to lay aside everything that hinders us from finishing this race of the crucified life:

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is forgetting the things which are behind and pressing on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. (14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.