What does it mean to "abide" in Christ? (John 15:1-8)

[Scriptureplz]

The taller dog would be representative of a Christian who is "abiding" in Christ, and the shorter dog represents a Christian who isn't. Now don't confuse this with short and tall people, it has nothing to do with any physical aspects at all. It is about "spiritual" aspects of Christians. If we are "looking unto Jesus" daily in our thoughts and in His Word, He will 'equip' us with the vital needs necessary to bear fruit of the Spirit (John 15).

This fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) is helpful in getting us through the trials of the world. If we are abiding, we can wade through the worlds tribulations with ease as we grow and mature in Him because HE empowers us to do so as we bear His fruit. But if we are satisfied just being a believer and saved, but not necessarily interested in being a "follower" of Christ, we have the same power indwelling us, but are not gleaning from it and are not learning how to put it to use. It's like buying a swing set for our children, ignoring the instructions on how it is suppose to be put together, then wondering why we are running into so many problems! I'm sure we can all relate to that or something like it.

We will still have problems as Christians, but we are so much better equipped for them if we are "walking by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16) because we will be bearing His fruit which includes love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance.

 

[valiant]

The taller dog would be representative of a Christian who is "abiding" in Christ, and the shorter dog represents a Christian who isn't. Now don't confuse this with short and tall people, it has nothing to do with any physical aspects at all. It is about "spiritual" aspects of Christians. If we are "looking unto Jesus" daily in our thoughts and in His Word, He will 'equip' us with the vital needs necessary to bear fruit of the Spirit (John 15).

This fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) is helpful in getting us through the trials of the world. If we are abiding, we can wade through the worlds tribulations with ease as we grow and mature in Him because HE empowers us to do so as we bear His fruit. But if we are satisfied just being a believer and saved, but not necessarily interested in being a "follower" of Christ, we have the same power indwelling us, but are not gleaning from it and are not learning how to put it to use. It's like buying a swing set for our children, ignoring the instructions on how it is suppose to be put together, then wondering why we are running into so many problems! I'm sure we can all relate to that or something like it.

We will still have problems as Christians, but we are so much better equipped for them if we are "walking by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16) because we will be bearing His fruit which includes love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance.


View attachment 151482

To abide in Christ is to walk with Him, to be fully dependent on Him and to obey Him.

 

[Scriptureplz]

To abide in Christ is to walk with Him, to be fully dependent on Him and to obey Him.

Exactly, I thought that was what I said.

 

[valiant]

Originally Posted by valiant

To abide in Christ is to walk with Him, to be fully dependent on Him and to obey Him.

Exactly, I thought that was what I said.

I was answering the question,

 

[Scriptureplz]

I was answering the question,

LOL, I'm sorry Brother, I have two different pages going and about 3 different discussions.

 

[Grace777x70]

To abide in Christ is to walk with Him, to be fully dependent on Him and to obey Him.

Amen...that is one aspect of abiding in Christ and the most important one to live victoriously in this life.

 

[Scriptureplz]

Amen...that is one aspect of abiding in Christ and the most important one to live victoriously in this life.

I understand there is a positional aspect as well which has to do with our permanent position "in Christ" and has to do with His finished work for our salvation, but that truth is limited in what it can do for us in our walk in the world. It is the potential and source of fruit, but for us to bear fruit it requires our cooperation with Him which is what the OP is attempting to make clear.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

And the one who keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he abides in us: by the Spirit whom he has given to us. 1 John 3:24

 

[Grace777x70]

Again context here helps greatly.

1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

[SUP]24 [/SUP] The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

 

[Grace777x70]

I understand there is a positional aspect as well which has to do with our permanent position "in Christ" and has to do with His finished work for our salvation, but that truth is limited in what it can do for us in our walk in the world. It is the potential and source of fruit, but for us to bear fruit it requires our cooperation with Him which is what the OP is attempting to make clear.

Amen!...and it's in knowing that we are forever positionally in Christ that helps to release us to "abide" in His love and life which will bear much good fruit for His glory!

I always thought that in "security" will lead to "maturity" as it does in all relationships.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Again context here helps greatly.

1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

[SUP]24 [/SUP] The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Commandment means one, commandments means more than one.

 

[Grace777x70]

Commandment means one, commandments means more than one.

Yep..there are two there..1) Believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, 2) and love one another.

( John added "love one another" to make it complete and that is where we get the "commandments " in the next verse )

John 13:34 (NASB)
[SUP]34 [/SUP] "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.


These 2 commandments will cover all aspects of life in Christ for the believer. We can trust the Holy Spirit in us to guide us. He will be faithful to led us in all things.

Perhaps you are talking about the commandment where Jesus said to "Go preach the gospel in Jerusalem, Judeah Samaria.." Did you do this yet? It's a commandment too.

 

[crossnote]

We are dependent upon Him whether or not we depend upon Him. Our depending upon Him is our abiding.

 

[Scriptureplz]

Amen!...and it's in knowing that we are forever positionally in Christ that helps to release us to "abide" in His love and life which will bear much good fruit for His glory!

I always thought that in "security" will lead to "maturity" as it does in all relationships.

Amen Brother! We cannot grow (mature) without understanding our identity. To understand that we are "in Christ" and there is nothing anyone can possibly do to separate us from Him including ourselves.

 

[p_rehbein]

There were Apostles, and other believers/disciples, who were imprisoned, beaten, crucified, decapitated.......which of the two dogs depicted do you believe they were? Would we suggest that Stephen was not "abiding in Christ?"

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Yep..there are two there..1) Believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, 2) and love one another.

( John added "love one another" to make it complete and that is where we get the "commandments " in the next verse )

John 13:34 (NASB)
[SUP]34 [/SUP] "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.


These 2 commandments will cover all aspects of life in Christ for the believer. We can trust the Holy Spirit in us to guide us. He will be faithful to led us in all things.

Everything Jesus spoke was a commandment from God, all his words and all His sayings were to be followed.

John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

 

[FreeNChrist]

Everything Jesus spoke was a commandment from God, all his words and all His sayings were to be followed.

John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell" Mark 9:43-47

 

[PilgrimPassingThru]

Everything Jesus spoke was a commandment from God, all his words and all His sayings were to be followed.

John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Shows that same beforehand also

Duet 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him

In Christ here

John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Then follow it through back here as well

Duet 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

And In Christ again this way

John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken , the same shall judge him in the last day.

He spake by commandment as he follows through here saying

John 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Moses being a faithful servant and for a testimony of those things that would be spoken after Heb3:5


Acts 17:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

And in respects to the same says...

Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Of his apostles (he that received you) receiveth me (and he that receiveth me) the one who sent even me because he gave them the words (given him)

John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them

Spoken by him and confirmed by them also who heard him

Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Which is the word of this salvation in Christ as it als says,

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

 

[Grace777x70]

Everything Jesus spoke was a commandment from God, all his words and all His sayings were to be followed.

John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

So...that means you have done this commandment below then? If not then according to your religion you would go straight to hell because you did not keep all of Jesus' commandments.

Perhaps you are talking about the commandment where Jesus said to "Go preach the gospel in Jerusalem, Judeah Samaria.." Did you do this yet? It's a commandment too.

( perhaps there is more to this "keeping the commandments" then meets the casual eye?...as John showed us exactly what Jesus' commandments were to the believer in 1 John 3:23-24. )

 

[Scriptureplz]

There were Apostles, and other believers/disciples, who were imprisoned, beaten, crucified, decapitated.......which of the two dogs depicted do you believe they were? Would we suggest that Stephen was not "abiding in Christ?"

No one is capable of being an "apostle" today (even though some call themselves that). Being imprisoned and decapitated and all that you listed there are not requirements of being a disciple of Christ. That would only require submission to Gods Word and will, and allowing His Word to be the authority over our life. It is sanctification of which is progressive in our walk with Him. There are three tenses of sanctification, there is sanctification that is finished (past), progressive (current), and that to be finished (future glorification).