Basic Principles for the Fruit-bearer                                 John 15:1-27 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. [8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. [9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. [10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. [11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. [12] This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. [13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. [15] Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. [16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. [17] These things I command you, that ye love one another. [18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. [21] But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. [22] If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. [23] He that hateth me hateth my Father also. [24] If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. [25] But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. [26] But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: [27] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
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1. HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE TRUE VINE (John 15:1-11 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. [8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. [9] As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. [10] If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. [11] These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
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1. Seven Individuals in the Parable (John 15:1-7 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
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1. The Son (John 15:1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
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1. Israel is the vine (Psalm 80:8-9 [8] Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. [9] Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
   See All..., 14-16; Isaiah 5:1-7 [1] Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: [2] And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. [3] And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. [4] What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? [5] And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: [6] And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. [7] For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
   See All...; Jeremiah 2:21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
   See All...; Hosea 10:1Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
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2. Jesus is the true vine, not that all other vines are false, but in the sense that He is the chief and perfect vine.
1. Jesus is the “true Light” (John 1:9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
   See All...), though John the Baptist was “a burning and a shining light” (John 5:35He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
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2. Jesus is the “true bread” (John 6:32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
   See All...), though God gave manna as “bread from heaven to eat” (John 6:31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
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3. Jesus is the minister of the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man” (Hebrews 8:2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
   See All...), though the earthly tabernacle served as “the example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
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2. The Father (John 15:1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
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1. The husbandman is the tiller of the soil, the cultivator of the crop, the manager and owner of the farm.
1. Noah (Genesis 9:20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
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2. Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:9-10 [9] Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. [10] Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
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3. Parable of the husbandman (Matthew 21:33-34 [33] Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: [34] And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
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4. The coming Lord (James 5:7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
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2. The work of the Father (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 [6] I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. [7] So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. [8] Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. [9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
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3. The lost (John 15:6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
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1. All who are saved are in Christ.
1. Salvation places us in Christ (Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
   See All...; 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
   See All...; Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
   See All...; Ephesians 2:13But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
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2. Even carnal believers are in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
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2. The man in this verse is not saved.
1. He does not abide in Christ.
2. He is “as a branch” – that is, he appears to be a branch, but is not. He is a hypocrite.
3. He receives the reward of a lost man.
1. He is cast forth and withered (Matthew 15:13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
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2. He is gathered and cast into the fire.
3. He is burned (Matthew 3:10-12 [10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. [11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: [12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
   See All...; Hebrews 6:7-8 [7] For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: [8] But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
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4. The fruitless Christian (John 15:2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
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1. He is a branch (Proverbs 11:28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
   See All...; Isaiah 60:21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
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1. The branch must be connected to the vine.
2. The branch receives all nourishment and health from the vine (John 15:4-5 [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
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3. The branch is the conduit through which the vine bears fruit (Genesis 40:10And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
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2. He is in Christ – that is, he is saved.
3. He does not bear fruit (Mark 4:7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
   See All..., 18-19; Luke 8:14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
   See All...; Luke 13:6-9 [6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
   See All...; Titus 3:14And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
   See All...; 2 Peter 1:8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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4. He is taken away (1 Corinthians 11:27-30 [27] Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
   See All...; 1 John 5:16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
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5. The Christian with some fruit (John 15:2-3 [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. [3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
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1. He is a branch in Christ.
2. He bears some fruit.
3. He needs to bear more fruit.
4. To this end he is purged.
1. To purge is to cleanse from impurity (Psalm 51:7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
   See All...; Psalm 79:9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
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2. Purging can be accomplished by removing the dead (Matthew 3:12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
   See All...; 1 Corinthians 5:7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
   See All...), the impure (Isaiah 1:25And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
   See All...; 2 Timothy 2:21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
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3. The dead branches and the unneeded growth are pruned so that the branch might bear more fruit (Hebrews 12:5-11 [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
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5. He needs the cleansing of the word.
1. The initial cleansing of salvation (John 13:10Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
   See All...; James 1:18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
   See All..., 21; 1 Peter 1:23-25 [23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. [24] For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: [25] But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
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2. The continual cleansing of sanctification (Psalm 119:9Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
   See All..., 11; John 17:17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
   See All...; Ephesians 5:26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
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3. The necessity of the word for the bearing of fruit (Matthew 13:22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
   See All...; Luke 8:15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
   See All...; Psalm 1:1-3 [1] Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. [3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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6. The Christian with more fruit (John 15:2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
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7. The Christian with much fruit (John 15:4-5 [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
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1. His twofold connection with Christ (John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
   See All...) – “Abide in me, and I in you.”
1. He must abide in Christ.
1. This is the believer positionally placed in Christ.
2. This is the lot of all true saints of God (Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
   See All...; Ephesians 1:6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
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2. Christ must abide in him.
1. This is the life of Christ actively operating in the believer (Colossians 1:27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
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2. This is the life of Christ operating through the believer (Colossians 3:4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
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2. His essential union with Christ (John 15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
   See All...) – “I am the vine, ye are the branches.”
1. The branch has no life apart from the vine.
2. The branch bears no fruit apart from the vine.
1. Cannot bear fruit of itself (John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
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2. Can without Christ do nothing (John 15:5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
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3. What this union is not
1. It is not just salvation, though salvation is required.
2. It is not sinlessness.
3. It is not eradication; that is, the old nature is not destroyed.
4. It is not imitation; it is not us trying to be like Christ in the strength of our flesh (1 Corinthians 11:1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
   See All... is often perverted in modern versions to say imitators).
4. What this union is
1. It is our identification with Christ in His crucifixion (Romans 6:3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
   See All...; Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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2. It is our identification with Christ in His resurrection (Romans 6:4-5 [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
   See All...; Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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3. It is the life of Christ lived through us by faith (Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
   See All...; Ephesians 3:16-17 [16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
   See All...; Galatians 4:19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
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5. The twofold life illustrated in scripture
1. The purpose of Christ’s coming – John 10:10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
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1. Life
2. Life more abundantly
2. Water of the Spirit
1. John 4:14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
   See All... – “the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” – this is salvation.
2. John 7:38-39 [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
   See All... – “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” – this is the sanctification of the Spirit.
3. Our relationship to Christ
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
   See All... – “if any man be in Christ” – this is salvation.
2. Galatians 4:19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
   See All... – “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” – this is sanctification through the union of the believer with Christ.