Live 4 The LORD

The Power of New Life in Christ – an important principle of the Christian moral vision is that it is RECEIVED , NOT ACHIEVED. 

Holiness is a work of God. 

The human being acting out the power of his flesh alone cannot keep, and surely cannot fulfill, the Law. The experience of God’s people in the Old Testament bears this out. 

True holiness (not merely ethical rule-keeping) is possible only by and through God’s grace.

Jesus describes these signs that we are transformed human beings:

• Jesus Christ really begins to live His life in us (Gal 2:20).
• The power of His cross goes to work in us and puts sin to death (Rom 6:2).
• Jesus increases and we decrease (Jn 3:30).
• Our old self is crucified with Him so that sin will no longer master us (Rom 6:6-7).

This is a work of God; the power is in the Blood and the cross. The power comes to us by grace. It is all a work of God.

The normal Christian is a transformed human person. The normal Christian person has authority over his anger and sexuality, loves his family, and is a person of his word. All this comes to him as the fruit of God’s grace.

This is a life OFFERED to us by God. 

What is offered here is new life in Christ such that, on account of an inner transformation by the power of grace, our anger abates, our unchastity diminishes, our love of others increases, and we speak the truth in love. 

The power to do this comes not from our flesh but from the Lord, through the power of His cross to put sin to death and bring forth new life in us.