As a leader in the church I often suffer with the people I pastor when I see them struggle with their identity in Christ. It seems like they become falsely fixated on who they are “not” more than who they “are” in Christ. Sadly, some false Christian beliefs even play into this mindset of condemnation and lead the believer into endless religious works which never ease the conscience of the troubled soul.

Today’s message is aimed at pointing us all back to Jesus’ words to understand who He made us to be and to see ourselves the way He does.

SERIES TEXT

John 15:1-10 (NKJV), “1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser [gardner]. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 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.

5 “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. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

ILLUSTRATION

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UNDERSTANDING THE BELIEVER’S PURITY IN JOHN’S GOSPEL

  1. BATHED: Jesus taught that those who were born again were washed spiritually like in a bath (John 13:10) and were already clean (John 15:3).
  2. FEET WASHING & PRUNING: Jesus explained that those who are clean may sin and this was to be considered like having dirty feet that should be washed a (John 13:10) and needing to be pruned (John 15:2).

CLEARING UP SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS

  1. UNENDING SANCTIFICATION: Christians do not start out dirty and get cleansed the rest of their life and only reach perfection in heaven (Matthew 5:48, 1 Peter 1:16, & 2 Peter 2:4).
    1. Example 1: Not like being in the water purification plant of heaven until the day you die.
    2. Example 2: Not being made holy like a progress bar.
    3. Example 2: Not slowly (over your life) becoming little by little a new creation.
    4. Example 3: Not being made a half sinner and half saint, like a centaur half man and half horse!
    5. Please stop posting demeaning posts that do not speak the truth about your identity.
  2. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED: Nor do Christians get permanently cleaned to the point where they cannot become dirty again (John 15:6, Romans 11:22, & Hebrews 3:12).
    1. How someone truly look to Jesus on the cross and continue in sin?
    2. Romans 6:1-2, “1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”

THE ABIDING SEED OF GOD

1 John 3:7-10 (The Message Version)

7-8 So, my dear children, don’t let anyone divert you from the truth. It’s the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways.

9-10 People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them [abides], making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten [Jesus] to practice and parade sin. Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.

1 John 3:7-10 (The Amplified Version)

“7 Little children (believers, dear ones), do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

9 No one who is born of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, because God’s seed [His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character] remains [permanently] in him [who is born again—who is reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose]; and he [who is born again] cannot habitually [live a life characterized by] sin, because he is born of God and longs to please Him. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are clearly identified: anyone who does not practice righteousness [who does not seek God’s will in thought, action, and purpose] is not of God, nor is the one who does not [unselfishly] love his [believing] brother.”

When you believe Jesus made you “sinless” you will sin less!