Created again to bear fruit - Romans 7-8

The last time we read Romans (last week) we talked about "imputation." Imputation happened with Adam's sin was put on our account because we were "in" Adam. We now produce sin as a result of that imputation. Adam was not created to produce sin. But, he was given a choice and he choose sin - now we all produce, or "bear" sin in our lives because we were "in" Adam. However, believers were "in" Christ. And, Christ "Imputed" to us His righteousness. So, even though in Adam we bear sin, because we were "in" Christ we can now bear righteous acts of fruit (Romans 7:4). We have been "created" ("in" Christ) to bear fruit. The sign of our belief is not the testimony of our lips. The sign of our belief in Christ it the testimony of His work in our lives bearing fruit - fruit we can't and won't bear on our own (Romans 8:1-8). The flesh can't bear fruit. It is only when we, by faith in Christ, allow Him to bear fruit that we have the marks of Christianity. We were created to be fruit bearers for Christ. That is what Adam was supposed to do. But, we are created in Christ Jesus to bear fruit for the Savior AND by the Savior. It is the Spirit working in our lives that bears fruit for Him and before others (Romans 8:26ff). We are to allow the spirit to do the work through the work already done by the Son. That will produce fruit in our lives naturally, not because of some effort on our own. Fruit bearing comes from the work of Christ just like our salvation comes from the work of Christ. That is the point of Paul's argument. Quit trying to save yourself - you can't. Quit trying to produce fruit BY YOURSELF - YOU CAN'T.