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Jesus said in John 15:5: "I am the Vine, ye
are the branches: He that abideth in Me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing."
Would you like to know more about Jesus?
Who was He? What was His life all about?
Find out by visiting the Christ-Centered Mall
and reading the Story of Jesus.
Perhaps you already know about Jesus, but
do you know Him personally? Would you
like to? Simply ask Jesus into your heart
to be your Lord and Savior so you may
come into proper relationship with Him.
Don't waste your life driving aimlessly down
the highway of life. You can enter into His
rest and receive the joy and peace God so
greatly desires for you to have. However,
this rest only comes by having a close,
intimate relationship with the Lord. Take
the initial step and receive His free gift
which will transform your life!
It is extremely important to note that
knowing Jesus is not just saying a prayer
so you can go to heaven someday. In
reality, eternal life begins the day you
become a new creature in Christ!
Although accepting Jesus into your heart
and receiving forgiveness for your sins is a
glorious event in which angels in heaven
rejoice, the fact of the matter is, it is only
one facet of what Jesus accomplished when
He died on the cross at Calvary. Many
believers in Christ have stopped there, but
there is much more!
Isn't it just like God to give us even more
than just the forgiveness of sins! He wants
us to know Him, walk with Him, and hear
His sweet voice. He wants us to experience
His rest, receive His peace, love, and joy,
and realize our destiny in Him.
Christians who understand only that they
are forgiven mistakingly see themselves as
forgiven sinners on their way to heaven.
Not understanding that Jesus has already
changed their identity from sinner to saint
(holy one) leads them to the mistaken
belief that they will be changed into holy
people at their physical death.
The truth is, as new creations in Christ,
we've already been changed into holy
people (saints) and are clothed with the
righteousness of Christ. Because of His
death and resurrection, we're already
"qualified" to live with God. If we were not,
God's Holy Spirit could not dwell within us
now!
Although our body will indeed be changed
in the future (I Corinthians 14:42-44), you
and I will not be changed from a sinner to
saint at our physical death, because God
has already accomplished this through
Christ. Nor are you a sinner any longer, but
rather, a saint who has the capability to
sin but longs to overcome sin by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
In addition to His deep desire for fellowship
with you, there is a second glorious reason
why Christ indwells you via His Spirit: to
express His life through you. You presently
trust Him to take you to a future heaven,
but do you use that same identical faith to
trust Him to face each day through you?
As a new creature in Christ, you have
received new life - Christ as life - to
replace your former life. When you came
to Jesus, He exchanged His powerful,
obedient life, for your old rebellious,
independent, self-serving life. You now
have a spirit that is alive and righteous.
The Spirit of Christ who indwells your spirit
is now your life!
Remember, Jesus is the Vine, and we are
the branches. Branches "live and move and
have their being" by the life of the vine.
They have no independent life. So long as
branches abide in (draw their life from) the
vine, they experience a fruitful existence.
Branches never produce fruit; branches
bear the fruit that is produced by the life
of the vine through them. Jesus said that
without His life flowing through us, we can
do nothing."
Whereas Jesus' blood was shed to change
our guilt to forgiveness, Jesus' body was
sacrificed to change our identity from sinner
to saint. As a saint, you can rest in your
total, unconditional acceptance by God.
Are you enjoying the earthly benefit from
the accomplishments of Jesus' blood for
your forgiveness, Jesus' body for your
indentity change, and Jesus' Spirit as your
life to give you victory over the world,
your flesh, and the devil? God wishes that
you would!
Excerps from this Tree of Life teaching were taken from
What God Wishes Christians Knew About Christianity copyright© 1998
by Bill Gillham and published by Harvest House Publishers.
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