• Created in God’s image
• Fallen into bad works/ godless ambitions
• With repentance in faith, we go to be washed (symbolically reborn, purified) spiritually recreated in Christ
– recreated
– restored
– redeemed
– renewed
> new life
> new desires
> new hopes and promise
> new family
> new pursuits
* All in Christ, with God, pure and everlasting good works
* Fruitful, life giving works / perfect love
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NLT
“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
John 15:4-12 NLT
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”
God’s love is holy, sacrificial and powerful! It’s bold, passionate and kind! It’s infinite. It’s selfless and forgiving.