Our Identity in Christ: Who Gets the Glory

Colossians 1:13
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of ghis beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Beloveds, our salvation is a gift that should honor God and humble us.


I Corinthians 1:30-31
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus.......so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."


Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.



John 15:8
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain........


John 1:12-13
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.


I know!   Hard to understand.   Just take God at His Word.   He chose you, You didn't choose him.     It was His will, not your will.    He drew you to Himself (John 12:21).   He granted you repentance  (2 Tim 2:25).   He gave you faith to believe   (Romans 10:17).


The fact that we, sinners, are "in Christ" is a miracle, more so than the parting of the Red Sea.






So, how must we respond to His glorious grace?  

First,

Give thanks!
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!    2 Corinthians 9:15

Second:
Daily, completely surrender everything to Him.

Romans 1-11 explains the Gospel in great detail, Romans 12 begins the practical part of Romans.   In Romans 12:1 the author of Romans is saying, now because of this glorious Gospel:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.


Because Jesus laid down His life for us, we must lay down our life for Him.   Die to our ways, our selfish ambition, and live for Him.   We owe Him everything.

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Only when we take up our cross, are we able to bear much fruit.

John 12:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of  wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Fruit bearing is God's will for our lives, so the remainder of this book we will examine how to maximize our fruitfulness for His glory.