Able To Do All In Christ
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
3/29/2009 PM
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Text:
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Philippians 4:13
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Psalters: |
166, 126, 293, 200 |
Confession of Faith |
- The ability.
- Paul declares that he ?can do? things.
- Paul is able to do things from a spiritual-ethical perspective, i.e., to please and honor God.
- It is most un-natural to keep the right perspective in the midst of prosperity or in poverty.
- The ?can do? is a willing submission to the glory of God for our salvation.
- The ?all things? refers to what is required of Christians in the context.
- The immediate context is the ability to be content and rejoice in any state (11,12).
- Further context in this chapter is that He is able to handle conflict as God would have him do so.
- Paul can do because of ?Christ.?
- Notice that it is the person: ?Christ? Who is constantly the source of this ability.
- And it is ?through? (literally ?in?) Christ, for each believer is found ?in Him? (3:9).
- By Spirit-worked faith we are in vital union and intimate fellowship with our Savior and Lord.
- Every member of Christ?s body is in Christ.
- The source out of which we can do all things is ?in Christ Who infuses me with power? (cf. I Tim. 1:12; II Tim. 4:17).
- Paul is able to do all this in the strength of Christ and in the power of His might.
- It is being aware that without Him I can do nothing good (not bear fruit).
- Do you say this, not as mere doctrine, but as a living truth and a spiritual reality?
- This becomes a blessed experience.
- Paul makes this as a personal confession (not just a statement of fact or of doctrinal truth).
- How do we learn this?
- First, by learning (and re-learning) that outside of Christ we can do nothing right.
- By loving Him Who loved us so much first, and then, out of love, striving to do what He wants.
- To know we are in Christ fills us with peace. We are more than conquerors.