Paul again states that the Spirit is given to us as a guarantee. Do you know you have the Spirit in you? If you do, you know you have a guarantee from God. You are His. He is yours. You will be with Him because He is with you.

How do you know you have the Spirit in you? The Holy Spirit produces holiness. Do you live separate from the world? You should be set apart. You should be different. You should be a slave to righteousness. You wouldn’t laugh when you get away with something. You would feel convicted and need to make it right.

We live differently because we see differently. We aren’t living by what we see in this world. We live by faith so that we can meet our aim of pleasing God. Whatever is not of faith is sin. Faith is our only way of access to what is good and right.

The Love of Christ controls the believer. You should be captive to His love.

2 Corinthians 5:14 and 15 say that Jesus died for all. Jesus died for you and you can share the good news with anyone that Christ died for them.

Why did He die? “That those who live might no longer live for themselves.” We live for Jesus. You weren’t placed on earth for yourself. Don’t live this life for yourself. You aren’t here to get a good education, good job, good family, to produce more people to do the same.

Don’t make a plan for your life. Don’t dream of a career path. Give your heart and mind to God to fill with His plans and desires.

In Christ we become new creations. The old passed away. The new has come. Believe in your salvation. When thoughts of sin/self/the world come, you say, “No, that’s not what I want. That’s not who I am.” In Christ you have the power to overcome any of those tempting thoughts. Know who you are. Believe Jesus saved you!

Jesus united us with Himself. Don’t treat that lightly. Don’t join yourself with anything else. Be all His.

He became sin for you, that awful thing that had destroyed His perfect creation and all He created to love. He took that evil on Himself to free you from it, so you could become the righteousness of God. That’s who you are. Believe it!