Abide in Christ

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
113
#41
You can not Love God unless you love other humans, for God is a spirit and a spirit is invisible. Same with Christ.
I think its the other way around.

You don't even know what love is until you understand Gods Love for You.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#42
I think its the other way around.

You don't even know what love is until you understand Gods Love for You.
1 john 4: 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#43
What about love for God? It is so much easier to love other people when our love for God is preeminent ... our love for others flows as we love Him with our whole heart.

John 14:31 — 15:12

14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.


We abide in the Vine and in His love.

He abides in the love of the Father.

His joy remains in us and our joy is full.

We love just as He loves us.
See above my quote of 1 john 4
 

Noose

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,096
932
113
#44
I think its the other way around.

You don't even know what love is until you understand Gods Love for You.
Nope, it is the other way round.
The one who loves others has known God not the one who knows God, has loved others.
The one who loves others has fulfilled all the requirement.

The one who claims to love God, obviously breaks the second and the most extensive commandment.
 

Noose

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,096
932
113
#45
Nope, it is the other way round.
The one who loves others has known God not the one who knows God, has loved others.
The one who loves others has fulfilled all the requirement.

The one who claims to love God, obviously breaks the second and the most extensive commandment.
I'll explain.

Deut 4:15You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.

1. The word of God (God) in His entirety is a command and the command is simply to love
2. In this new covenant, God's word dwells in the hearts of men (all men- good and evil)
3. The one who obeys is the one born of God, the one who disobeys, judgement is upon them.

This is what it means, 'the one who loves has fulfilled all the requirement'.
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
113
#46
I'll explain.

Deut 4:15You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.

1. The word of God (God) in His entirety is a command and the command is simply to love
2. In this new covenant, God's word dwells in the hearts of men (all men- good and evil)
3. The one who obeys is the one born of God, the one who disobeys, judgement is upon them.

This is what it means, 'the one who loves has fulfilled all the requirement'.
This love comes from God and God Alone.

That is why Salvation is not from our works but it is the Gift of God.


You have it mixed up. You can't just decide one day to start fulfilling requirements and give your own self the Gift of Gods Love.


You can only Give what you have Received.
 

Noose

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,096
932
113
#47
This love comes from God and God Alone.

That is why Salvation is not from our works but it is the Gift of God.


You have it mixed up. You can't just decide one day to start fulfilling requirements and give your own self the Gift of Gods Love.


You can only Give what you have Received.
John 15:17 This is My command to you: Love one another.

I thought a command is directive that needs to be obeyed. How can it still be a command if God is the one who issues it and then causes you to obey?

And how can God judge people who did not keep His command, if He Himself did not cause them to keep His commands? Is this righteous judgement?

Rev 14:
12Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”


And, are you implicating God for bringing sin and death to the world by not causing Adam to obey Him?
This is how commands works; you obey and get rewards, you disobey and face the consequences. God doesn't cause you to choose either but guides you. The choice is yours.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#48
When we love our Maker perfectly or as close to perfection as is possible in this tabernacle called flesh, we fulfill all the commandments on love for in loving our Maker we love whom He loves.........that would be even our enemies.
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,673
113
#49
Loving God results in abiding in Christ....

I don't think you can abide in Christ without Love for God.

Which, to me, seems pretty easy considering all that God has done for us. Is doing for us. And will do in the future...
Amen!
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,673
113
#50
See above my quote of 1 john 4
Right ... and read from vs 7 to end of chapter ... so, so good!!!

1 John 4:


7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

20 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.


 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,473
13,416
113
58
#51
Loving God results in abiding in Christ....

I don't think you can abide in Christ without Love for God.

Which, to me, seems pretty easy considering all that God has done for us. Is doing for us. And will do in the future...
1 John 4:16 - And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
113
#52
John 15:17 This is My command to you: Love one another.

I thought a command is directive that needs to be obeyed. How can it still be a command if God is the one who issues it and then causes you to obey?

And how can God judge people who did not keep His command, if He Himself did not cause them to keep His commands? Is this righteous judgement?

Rev 14:
12Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

13And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”


And, are you implicating God for bringing sin and death to the world by not causing Adam to obey Him?
This is how commands works; you obey and get rewards, you disobey and face the consequences. God doesn't cause you to choose either but guides you. The choice is yours.
Romans 9:18-24
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?


What you are describing is the Old Testament way of following rules by your own carnal will and strength.

The New Testament is a whole different way of God dealing with people and people coming to God. It is prophesied of in Ezekiel 36.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.


Compare with Ephesians 2;

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.



Do you see how Ephesians 2 and Ezekiel 36 are talking about the same thing?


Being cleansed from all your filthiness does not come from you.
Your new heart does not come from you.
The new spirit inside you does not come from you.
Walking in Gods Statutes and keeping His Judgements doesn't come from you.

It is the gift of God.

For we are His Workmanship, Created in Christ Jesus for these good works which are Walking in Gods Statutes and Keeping His Judgements and doing them.
 

Noose

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,096
932
113
#53
Romans 9:18-24
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?


What you are describing is the Old Testament way of following rules by your own carnal will and strength.

The New Testament is a whole different way of God dealing with people and people coming to God. It is prophesied of in Ezekiel 36.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.


Compare with Ephesians 2;

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.



Do you see how Ephesians 2 and Ezekiel 36 are talking about the same thing?


Being cleansed from all your filthiness does not come from you.
Your new heart does not come from you.
The new spirit inside you does not come from you.
Walking in Gods Statutes and keeping His Judgements doesn't come from you.

It is the gift of God.

For we are His Workmanship, Created in Christ Jesus for these good works which are Walking in Gods Statutes and Keeping His Judgements and doing them.
It is funny because the new testament demonstrates judgement by what people have done and not what they think, those that have obeyed God's commandments:

Rev 14:
12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Rev 22:12“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Matt 25:
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

God gives understanding but God doesn't cause you to obey. If He does, He can not then judge harshly those He did not cause to obey.
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
113
#54
It is funny because the new testament demonstrates judgement by what people have done and not what they think, those that have obeyed God's commandments:

Rev 14:
12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Rev 22:12“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Matt 25:
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

God gives understanding but God doesn't cause you to obey. If He does, He can not then judge harshly those He did not cause to obey.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

What do you think this rest is?
 
Jul 20, 2019
1,228
882
113
#55
John 15v1-9.

Rom 8v1: "those who walk according to the Spirit."

Gal 5v16: "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Eph 2v6: "and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Col 3v1: " If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God."

And so forth...
It means to have a personal relationship with him. From there you will be loved, treasured and guided. The ways of the world are so crooked and wicked now, its very hard to be spiritual any other way
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#56
It means to have a personal relationship with him. From there you will be loved, treasured and guided. The ways of the world are so crooked and wicked now, its very hard to be spiritual any other way
Sage and inspired, thank you. God bless you.
 

Noose

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,096
932
113
#57
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

What do you think this rest is?
1. Sin is labor and salvation is being relieved

2. Salvation is God creating once more and a Sabbath rest remains for those that abide in Him. We are told to put all effort to enter into God's rest.

3. Matt 11:28 doesn't mean, one stops the good work. The works of love are not burdensome.

1 John 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#58
1. Sin is labor and salvation is being relieved

2. Salvation is God creating once more and a Sabbath rest remains for those that abide in Him. We are told to put all effort to enter into God's rest.

3. Matt 11:28 doesn't mean, one stops the good work. The works of love are not burdensome.

1 John 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
This shared understanding is beautiful…….God bless you Noose….j
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,190
113
#59
1. Sin is labor and salvation is being relieved

2. Salvation is God creating once more and a Sabbath rest remains for those that abide in Him. We are told to put all effort to enter into God's rest.

3. Matt 11:28 doesn't mean, one stops the good work. The works of love are not burdensome.

1 John 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
Sin is not labor. Sin is easy.

Working at the law is labor. Trying to not sin by an act of your own will is labor.


His commandments definitely aren't burdensome for those who rest in Christ.

It sure seems that you are putting all effort into the wrong thing here. If you are supposed to be putting your effort into resting in Christ why do you keep trying to keep commandments in your own strength and by your own will?

Just stubbornness? Or lack of understanding? Both?
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,673
113
#60
Matthew 11

28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.


The reason we find rest in Jesus is because He shares our burdens. When we take His yoke upon ourselves, it is not that He adds to our burdens. When we are yoked to Him, He takes our burdens upon Himself and helps us through each and every situation we come across in this life.

How many of us turn to Jesus in our time of need and ask Him to helps us? Hopefully we all do.

Now, how many of us turn to Jesus in our time of joy? or is He only there to help us when we're burdened down. Our joy becomes more joyous when we include Him.

If we think we can live our lives without Him, we delude ourselves.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.