J Heinrich Arnold-Freedom from sinful thoughts.pdf

18. Living for the KingdomULTIMATELY, despite the strongest will, the bestintentions, and the most intense striving and struggling,we can do nothing good without Jesus. Just as a branchcan bear fruit only when it is connected to a living trunkor stalk, we can lead fruitful lives only insofar as we areconnected to the Vine, which is Jesus. Yet Jesus is notcontent with our merely being attached to him.True, we have seen that it is not possible to recognizethe universal significance of redemption –the significanceof the cross – without having experienced Jesus himselfin our hearts. But if we content ourselves with thispersonal fellowship with Jesus, and do not sense thegreater picture of his plan for us as minuscule parts ofan endless universe, we have made our Christ a verysmall Christ.It is not sufficient, I believe, to merely acknowledgeand love Jesus as the friend of our hearts, as a Saviorwho brings us eternal fellowship with God. Surely he