Abiding In Christ Changes Our Identity
Our Identity In Christ Series • Sermon • Submitted
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5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
I saw an inward vision of a small stalk or scion being ingrafted into a large vine. Immediately the life of the vine started to nourish the stalk. And the stalk began to receive its nature and life from the vine!
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
Apart from the life of the vine we are helpless. We can work ourselves to a frazzle and get know where. We have no power to change ourselves or to produce any fruit apart from the vine.
13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.
This is the rest, when we cease from our own works we are afraid that nothing will be done. Its quite the opposite. When we stop working, God begins and now the most work is accomplished!
20 Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
6 [And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is ours in [our identification with] Christ Jesus [and unto His glory].