Living the Christian Life

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

For to me, to live is Christ. (Philippians 1:21)

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Living the Christian life is not my job; it is His job. I cannot do it myself, but He can do it in me. The fruit of the Spirit is His fruit — I cannot manufacture it; He must manufacture it in me. I am not the vine; Jesus is the vine, and I am merely the branch.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

The Christian life is not my life at work for Him; it is His life at work in me.

Our job is not to live the Christian life. Our job is to live by faith in the Son of God — to believe His life, His strength, His fruit at work in us, and yield to it.