It Is Christ in You: The Grace to Serve God
"Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing" One of the greatest truths every believer must continually remember is this: there is no goodness in ourselves apart from Christ. This statement may seem difficult to accept because we naturally like to think that we possess enough goodness, kindness, love, or compassion within ourselves. Yet Scripture paints a very different picture. The Bible teaches that apart from God, our hearts are naturally inclined toward selfishness and self-centeredness. Even our best intentions are stained by our fallen nature. We cannot produce the kind of righteousness that pleases God through human effort. Without Christ, we do not possess the power to truly love as He loves, forgive as He forgives, or show mercy as He shows mercy. Whatever genuine goodness flows from our lives is not produced by us—it is Christ expressing His life through us. When we were born again, something miraculous happened. We did not simply a...