4 Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father--
Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:4-5
For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice], So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit]. Romans 8:3-4
In Christ we are sanctified and every requirement of God’s Law, which is now only Love, is now fully met within us, because of the power of the Holy Spirit that now dwells within us.
I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26
The next great Truth of verse 4 is that Jesus has rescued us and He has delivered us from this present evil world. We are one with Jesus right now and we are every bit as free from this world as He is free from it. How could the body of Jesus not be as free as Jesus is free? If we were still bound, Jesus would be bound. If our hands are handcuffed, our body is handcuffed, right? Far too many think that we are still caught in the wickedness of this world and that daily we have to choose, on our own and with our own strength, to do right or wrong. I know that sounds religious and all, but think about it, does the clay choose or does the potter choose? Does the hand choose or does the head? Does the branch choose, or does the vine? Do the sheep choose, or does the shepherd? The Word of God clearly tells us that Jesus has rescued us and because He has, we are now one with Him and the Word clearly tells us that only Jesus sanctifies us!
Ask yourself, did Jesus rescue us or not? To believe the Word you have to believe that He did. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free!
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