Abide in Christ
What does it mean to abide in Christ?
How do we let Him abide in us? Wasn’t that solved when I trusted Him to save me?
abide To remain, continue, stay; to have one’s abode, dwell, reside; to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc. – to last.
husbandman (KJV) / vinedresser (NKJV) One who tills the soil; a farmer. Husbandry refers to farming
unbroken fellowship Continuous/uninterrupted bond of common purpose and devotion that binds Christians together and to Christ
vine The Bible frequently uses vine or vineyard as symbols. The abundance of vines and vineyards were seen as expressions of God’s favor. The fruit of the vine gladdens the heart of humankind and suppresses pain and misery. An abundance of the vine symbolizes the glorious age to come when the treader of the grapes will overtake the one who sows the seed. In the New Testament, Jesus often used the vineyard as an analogy for the kingdom of God. Those who hope to enter the kingdom must be like the son who at first refused to work in his father’s vineyard but later repented and went. Ultimately, Jesus Himself is described as the “True Vine” and His disciples (believers) as the branches .
For further explanation, see these articles:
“What Does It Mean To Be ‘in Christ’?”
“Christ In You . . .”
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (NKJV)
As stated above, the word “abide” means to remain, continue or stay with (someone). It is to continue in a particular condition, attitude, or relationship. Jesus defined “Abiding in Christ” when He likened Himself to a grapevine and believers to its branches: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me“. This is a vital union between believers in Christ and Jesus Christ Himself. Every Christian remains inseparably linked to Christ in all areas of life. We depend on Him for grace and power to obey. We look obediently to His Word for instruction on how to live. We offer Him our deepest adoration and praise and we submit ourselves to His authority over our lives. In short, Christians gratefully know Jesus Christ is the Source and Sustainer of their lives.
Abiding in Christ evidences genuine salvation. The Apostle John alluded to that when he referred to defected professors who “went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us“. People with genuine faith will remain–they won’t defect; they won’t deny Christ or abandon His truth. Jesus reiterated the importance of abiding as a sign of real faith when He said, “ If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”
One purpose of our union with Jesus Christ is to produce fruit. Only by being connected to the Vine is it possible to have the kind of fruit which is pleasing to God, Who brings us into righteousness. God is the Vinedresser (Divine Husbandman) Who ‘takes up” any branch that is not bearing fruit and props it up to support it. He cleans, waters and positions it so that it can get the full sunlight and become able to bear fruit again. (Jeremiah 31:3/Lamentations 3:22-24) He does this in our lives when we as Christians have reached a place of barrenness. (Romans 2:4). When you are not in the place you should be in, it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. He will never put anyone so far down that they have nowhere but up to look. We do this to ourselves; when we are out of fellowship with Him, we open the door for Satan to attack us. But because He loves us so much, God lovingly positions us back into the light of His glory and power so that we can be in the correct position to abide in the Vine and bear. There is no one else that we can hope in more than the Father for keeping us flourishing and producing fruit.
This is a lovely paradox — bringing forth MUCH FRUIT by simply ABIDING — that is, staying closely and vitally connected. The phrase “less is more” comes to mind. We labor to enter His rest and this is the only way that the Husbandman can bear fruit through us — that we are available for Him to produce what He desires.
The root meets the tree, the branches are many, and are weak but the tree holds us up. Astonishingly the Father watches the garden, and His vineyard. The unfruitful branches pruned and tossed away. He also prunes even the fruitful branches so that they produce even better fruit and more of it. Jesus was talking to His disciples in this passage and telling them that they are already pruned (cleaned) by what He has taught them by His Words. This is true, but it is an ongoing process. If a grape vine is too leafy, it won’t bring forth grapes. It is the same with us — we bear more fruit if the excess is cut away from our lives. God our Father, is forever working in us, correcting, refining, snipping off our dead works, creating in us a holiness and a hunger to do more for His glory, to live in holiness.
When we are born again , God’s spirit comes into us and stays within us. The Spirit of Jesus – His very substance — abides in us.
We are recreated with the life of God. God’s life is imparted to us. It is all the life God has to give. This is the same God Who:
– spoke the words, “let there be light” and the universe was created and is still yet expanding.
– said “let us make man(kind) in our own image” and created man out of the dust.
– reached down into the pit of hell and raised Jesus from the dead.
This is the same God and His life, His creative force and His power dwells in those who have accepted Jesus as Savior. When we abide in Him, and He abides in us, we are full of this very essence.
A branch that is severed from the vine withers and dies. It may be lying right next to the vine, but it is not obtaining vital life from the vine, because it is not attached. If you are not born again, you are not attached to the vine of Jesus Christ and you will wither and die. It is a spiritual fact.
We “remain (abide) in” Him by responding obediently to Him. This gives us a sensitivity to hear His leading so that we do glorify His name and love one another. One part of that is to spend quality time with God, studying and meditating on His Word. The Word sinks in and saturates your spirit and becomes real to you. It is planted deeply on the good soil of your heart and yields a good harvest of fruit. Obedience to God and love for one another are the keys to abiding in our Vine and the world sees then that our testimony is true.
Abiding in the Vine is walking in obedience. Christians must realize the requirement to follow Christ is to forsake everything and everyone and take up our cross and follow Him. The cross is not a burden to bear, but a tool to be used to crucify the flesh. But you have to consider the cost as the builder did or the king going to war. Consider what needs to be done and what it will cost in order to succeed in the walk. Anything you put before God interferes with your time with God; it becomes an idol and disconnects you from the power of the Vine. When you are serious with God, He will get serious with you. God will show you what in your life needs changing and what you need to get rid of, so that you can spend more time with Him. As you grow nearer to God each day, your desires and interests will change. The things you found interesting aren’t as interesting anymore. You will be more aware of what you feed your spirit every day. Ask Him in prayer to guide you by the Spirit.
If you are not willing to give it your all and give God all of you, you will fail, and be mocked by the world. Your desire to abide in the Vine must come before your mate, children, job, home, family, hobbies and all other things!
Just reiterating to re-emphasize that abiding in the Vine is walking in obedience. When you recognize the areas you need to eliminate, nail them to the cross and do NOT take (them) down. You have to be very serious. It cannot be a half-hearted effort! James tells us that a double-minded person will receive nothing from God. God will lovingly show us what is important and what is not, and it is up to us to listen and obediently remove what must go. You abide in the Vine and He abides in you. This is a vital point and Jesus stresses it twice.
Several of the reason for our existence are for fellowship with the Father and Jesus our Lord, to bear fruit and bring glory to God. One tends to lead to the other and they often overlap. If you fellowship faithfully, honestly and completely with God the Father through Jesus our Lord, you will always bear fruit. Just remember that the process takes time, similar to when seeds are planted in the natural. Generally it takes at least a season to go by until the seed produces fruit. You, as a believer, will not mature overnight so be patient and rest (easy) in the Lord.
Some Things That Hinder Us From Abiding In the Vine
1. Wrong Confessions – Ask God to bring about this change in you
2. Lack of understanding of the Word – Ask God in faith for wisdom
3. Inadequate time with the Lord – Ask God to show you how to arrange your schedule and be willing to sacrifice.
Seek God with all you heart and you will gain understanding, grow spiritually and then bear fruit.
Below is the prayer the Apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Colosse. It has been personalized and stated in the first person tense. Be encouraged to pray it for yourself and see the changes that will begin to occur in your life.
The Apostle Paul’s Prayer in Colossians
The following prayer is from Colossians 1:9-12. Pray it for yourself, your loved ones and those in authority over you (at work, in law enforcement, the military and government ) and you will see the power of God change your life.
Father God, I do not cease to pray and ask that I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
that I may have a walk worthy of You, Lord, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You, Father God;
that I may be strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
giving thanks to You, Father, who has qualified me to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
You have delivered me from the power of darkness and translated me into the kingdom of the Son of Your love, in whom I have redemption and forgiveness of sins through His blood.
Thank you for my redemption and my relationship with You.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.