What We Are and What We Can Be
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the contrast between our current state and our potential in Christ, encouraging believers to embrace their identity through the Holy Spirit.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that we are measured not only by our current state but by our potential in Christ. He highlights the struggle of humanity, as illustrated by Paul in Romans, who laments his wretchedness yet finds hope in the freedom offered through Jesus. Tozer encourages believers to recognize that through the Holy Spirit, they can embody the fruits of love, joy, and peace, which reflect what they ought to be. The sermon calls for a comparison between our present selves and the transformative power of God that enables us to become who we are meant to be.
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Remember, we are compared with what we could be, not just what we should be. God being who He is, and Jesus Christ being His risen and all-powerful Son, anything we ought to be we can be. Anything that God has declared that we should be we can be. In the wonderful book of Romans, perhaps the greatest and most profound book in the Bible, 7 tells us of a man who is struggling and wanting to be something that he feels he cannot be. Finally he gives up and says, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (verse 24).
Immediately, Paul says, "Thanks be to God! . . . because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (25; 8:2).
In Galatians 5:22-23 we read, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." That is what we ought to be and what we can be. Now compare that with what we are.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding our current state - Recognizing our potential in Christ
- II points: - The struggle of humanity - Paul's lament in Romans
- III points: - The role of the Holy Spirit - Freedom from sin and death
- IV points: - The fruit of the Spirit - Characteristics of a transformed life
- V points: - Comparison of what we are vs. what we can be - Living out our potential in faith
Key Quotes
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” — A.W. Tozer
“Thanks be to God! . . . because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” — A.W. Tozer
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Reflect on your current state and identify areas for growth in faith.
- Embrace the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to live out your potential.
- Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in your daily life to reflect Christ's character.