Hebrews 13:20-21 - "Now the God of peace, who brought
up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the
eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His
will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
In his closing comments in the book of Hebrews, the writer includes this exhortation. He says that God equips us in every good thing to do His will, and He works in us that which is pleasing in His sight. Because there is nothing good apart from God, it's clear that God is the only one who could equip us in any good thing. Jesus Himself said in John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." We can do nothing apart from Christ. I looked up the word nothing, and it literally means nothing. Not most things, or some things. Nothing. Its like Paul said when he gave his sermon on Mars Hill in Acts 17. Speaking of Jesus he said in verse 28 - "In Him we live and move and have our being." Apart from Christ we don't even exist. All that we are and all that we do is because of Christ. He created us and, Like John 1 says, apart from Him nothing was made that was made. But though we have our physical life, we can still do nothing good apart from Christ. And once we come to know Him, Philippians 2:13 says - "for it is Christ who is at work in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." When we surrender our lives to Christ He is at work in us both to will and to do. He works in us that which is pleasing in His sight. Christ is at work, first to change what we want, our will, our desires, and then to work out His will.
So before it was "Without Me you can do nothing." But now what is true of us is this, Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Apart from Him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things.
Hebrews 13:20-21 - "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
In his closing comments in the book of Hebrews, the writer includes this exhortation. He says that God equips us in every good thing to do His will, and He works in us that which is pleasing in His sight. Because there is nothing good apart from God, it's clear that God is the only one who could equip us in any good thing. Jesus Himself said in John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." We can do nothing apart from Christ. I looked up the word nothing, and it literally means nothing. Not most things, or some things. Nothing. Its like Paul said when he gave his sermon on Mars Hill in Acts 17. Speaking of Jesus he said in verse 28 - "In Him we live and move and have our being." Apart from Christ we don't even exist. All that we are and all that we do is because of Christ. He created us and, Like John 1 says, apart from Him nothing was made that was made. But though we have our physical life, we can still do nothing good apart from Christ. And once we come to know Him, Philippians 2:13 says - "for it is Christ who is at work in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." When we surrender our lives to Christ He is at work in us both to will and to do. He works in us that which is pleasing in His sight. Christ is at work, first to change what we want, our will, our desires, and then to work out His will.
So before it was "Without Me you can do nothing." But now what is true of us is this, Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Apart from Him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things.
Hebrews 13:20-21 - "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
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