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  LIVING CHRISTS ETHICS REQUIRES HIS POWER
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: To obey and understand Jesus' ethics, one must first experience
the new birth, which brings the life of God into the heart of a man.

Topics: "Discipleship", "Christian Ethics"
Scripture References: Matthew 28:19

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes that the ethics of Jesus are meant for His
followers and not to be imposed on society at large, as true change
comes from within through the new birth in Christ. He argues that the
teachings of Jesus are intended for a minority of disciples who live in
a world hostile to God, and that the ethics of Jesus can only be
understood and lived out through the power of the Holy Spirit. Tozer
highlights that righteousness is intrinsically linked to Christ, and
that His followers must embody His teachings in their lives, reflecting
His love and truth in a fallen world.

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CONTENT
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The ethics of Jesus must be imposed upon society, we are told, then all
inequalities will vanish; the division of humanity into rich and poor,
great and small, privileged and underprivileged will be no more. Under
the benign influence of Christs ethics of love, greed and war will
disappear from the earth and the dream of universal brotherhood be
realized at last. The teachings of Jesus belong to the Church, not to
society. In society is sin and sin is hostility to God. Christ did not
teach that He would impose His teachings upon the fallen world.

He called His disciples to Him and taught them, and everywhere
throughout His teachings there is the overt or implied idea that His
followers will constitute an unpopular minority group in an actively
hostile world.

The divine procedure is to go into the world of fallen men, preach to
them the necessity to repent and become disciples of Christ and, after
making disciples, to teach them the ethics of Jesus, which Christ called
all things whatsoever I have commanded you. The ethics of Jesus cannot
be obeyed or even understood until the life of God has come to the heart
of a man in the miracle of the new birth. The righteousness of the law
is fulfilled in them who walk in the Spirit.

Christ lives again in His redeemed follower the life He lived in Judea;
for righteousness can never be divorced from its source, which is Jesus
Christ Himself.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/living-christs-ethics-requires-his-power/
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