A By-Product of Our Union With Christ

The key to growing in holiness is our union with Christ.

We cannot change without Him. The Gospel saves us away from the enslavement and empowerment of sin (Romans 6:2). We clearly will continue to sin (Romans 3:23), but sin is no longer our master (Romans 6:6) when we are in Christ. Our old self has died to that former life.

These truths are critical for our consideration, as it relates to putting off sin and putting on righteousness. Our pursuit of Christlikeness began when Jesus removed the power of sin over our lives.

We cannot do any of this without Him.

As we are in Christ, God can use His Word to affect our change (II Timothy 3:16-17) for the Bible is the only book that can change our nature.

As we are in Christ, God can use prayer to affect our change (Psalm 119), for prayer invites us to commune with an Omnipotent God.

As we are in Christ, God can use trials to affect our change (James 1:2-4), for trials unveil the posture of our heart and refines our character.

As we are in Christ, God can use the rebuke from others to affect our change (Galatians 6:1-2), for rebuke brings out of the darkness that which was hidden.

In short, being in Christ is the key (doctrinally) to us being able to change. This is just one of many reasons we ought to, as Jerry Bridges writes, preach the Gospel to ourselves.