I Can Do Nothing

Apart from Christ, I can do nothing is one of my most cherished revelations. God’s gift of salvation opened my eyes to His eternal plan. And inside His kingdom, He unlatched the narrow gate where Christ took me, and the Holy Spirit filled my soul with God’s unconditional love.

Jesus spoke to His Disciples about abiding in Him. He showed them (us) the significance of trusting in Him and how He abundantly uses faith to produce divine fruit (John 15:1-8).

In verse five, He shows us His mighty sovereignty.

Christ said:  

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NKJV)

As shown above, Jesus identifies Himself as the giver of infinite fruit. He unveils my absolute powerlessness. God made Christ the only way into His kingdom (John 14:6) and told me that I cannot do God’s will without Him. And to be away from God signs my eternal death sentence (John 3:16-17).

What Does Christ Do?

Christ provides many divine circumstances to save and keep us in God’s kingdom. His Gospel outlines His blueprint for peace with the Lord and our place in heaven. He is our Father’s new and final covenant with God (Luke 22:20).

One of Christ’s first interactions with us begins when God graces us with His gift of salvation (Ephesians 2 8-9). The Lord places us in Jesus (Matthew 11:27), and from that point forward, He clutches us in His hand and protects us from the devil (John 10:28-30).

Jesus’s most outstanding contribution to our salvation is dying for our forgiveness of sin. It’s hard to fathom God’s sacrifice of Him for our redemption. Yet, He loves us so much that He displayed His mercy and forgiveness on the cross. Those who witnessed this unimaginable act of compassion came to see God’s mighty works (Matthew 27:45-56). 

Christ is the essence of God’s unconditional love. Since Jesus and God are one (John 10:30) and God loves us (John 3:16-17), our Messiah puts love in our hearts. Without Jesus, my love is limited and, unintentionally, has unrealistic expectations.

Besides love, Jesus is righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). He teaches us God’s precepts and gives us the strength to live in our Father’s will. For example, when Christ anoints us with the Holy Spirit, it produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). These spiritual fruits are virtues that radiate God’s attributes. In return, our lives show others the undeniable presence of God.

Another critical characteristic of Jesus is compassion (Mark 6:34). Most of Christ’s miracles showed His compassionate heart. The feeding of the five thousand demonstrates His sympathy to feed those who came to hear His teaching (Luke 9:10-17).

My Past Life

My past life (before salvation) illustrated an unmanageable existence. I couldn’t manage my sinful thoughts, hardened heart, or unsaved spirit. My ability to properly handle finances was nonexistent.  

Everything I lived for showed a self-reliant man filled with selfishness and pride. I focused on my ambitions and thought little of others.

Resentments, bitterness, and discontentment became my reactions to life’s relentless terms. Fear infested my spirit, and I ran away from responsibility.

However, when God saved me and Christ entered my soul, the solutions to those sins became available. I now possess the faith, strength, and courage to live in God’s kingdom, and they are not found anywhere else except in Jesus.

Final Thoughts

As can be seen, apart from Christ, I can do nothing. I don’t know about you, but denying myself, picking up my cross daily, and following Jesus transformed my life into one worth living. God’s incredible love motivates me to become more Christ-like. Glory to God in Highest!

I would love to hear about your experience with Christ.