The command to abide in Christ was given by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself as penned down in the holy scriptures - John Chapter 15. This command falls on all true Believers.
John 15:1-6 KJV 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.
Abiding in Christ is not an option, it is a command. The Lord stated clearly in His word for us, the advantages of abiding in Him.
This command isn't what we should take lightly. Even when we do not see the end from the beginning, like Abraham, we are expected to always obey the Lord's instructions. Doing the opposite would be detrimental to us and to our relationship with God.
What It Means To Abide In Christ
To abide in Christ means to remain, stay or live in Him; in order to be deeply rooted in Him. Jesus Christ is the true Vine and we (as parts of His body) are the Branches. We can not live apart from Him (John 15:4).
Why We Should Abide In Christ
Think about a big tree that has many branches, and someone comes up to cut away one of its branches and cast it to the ground. Would that branch of the tree continue living and thriving apart from the tree itself? The answer is definitely No. This is because the branch of the tree depended on the tree itself for its survival and nourishment.
Likewise, we can not survive without Christ. He is the very air we breathe and the very life we live. Why then should we choose to stay disconnected from Him? That clearly isn't a good choice!
Man was not created to live apart from his Creator. We were not created to live independent of God. This is what Adam and Eve indirectly sought after and we live to learn from their mistakes. We definitely do not want to take the same path they took.
How To Abide In Christ
We abide in Christ by spending quality time with Him on a daily basis.
Luke 9:23 KJV And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Taking up our cross to follow the Lord is what we must do daily. And this is what abiding in Christ entails.
When we spend quality time with the Lord in prayer, in studying and meditating on His Word, we are abiding in Him and the benefits will definitely follow.
Psalm 1:1-3 KJV Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. [3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Benefits of Abiding in Christ
There are innumerable benefits of abiding in Christ. Some of them are as follows:
1. Abiding In Christ Gets Us Rooted In Him
In a world plagued with distractions, tribulations and trials, abiding in Christ is what every genuine Christian need in order to remain steadfast in God.
Without abiding in Christ, it is easy to get swayed away by the diverse heresies that have invaded the Church today. Tribulations and trials can cause us to lose faith and fall away easily.
2. Spiritual Growth Comes With Abiding In Christ
True spiritual growth means becoming closer to Jesus Christ everyday. The essence of spiritual growth is to become one with the Lord. Abiding in Christ gives us just that. There is no spiritual growth outside of Jesus Christ. We grow in Christ and bring forth good fruits when we abide in Him (John 15:4).
3. Abiding in Christ Brings Kingdom Productivity
John 15:5 KJV 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.
There is no kingdom productivity outside of Jesus. Abiding in Christ equips us for the Lord's effective use.
4. Abiding in Christ Keeps Us From Sin
The best thing we can do in order to live above the world and sin is to abide in Christ. If we abide in Christ, we will be so focused on God and He would fill and saturate us to the extent no room is left for sin in our lives anymore.
5. Those Who Abide In Christ Can Not Be Lukewarm
Abiding in Christ destroys lukewarmness in the lives of everyone who practices it. Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). We can not stay in touch with the consuming fire and be lukewarm at the same time. The antidote for lukewarmness is abiding in Christ.
6. There is Safety in Abiding In Christ
Those who abide in Christ are secure in Him. The enemy can neither plug them out of His hands nor harm them at will.
Final Thoughts On Abiding In Christ
The consequences of refusing to abide in Christ are not what anyone should wish for. The flesh is always weak until we push it by the Spirit to do what God wants us to do. We must make deliberate efforts to abide in Christ.
Beloved, I trust that by reading this teaching today, you learned what it means to abide in Christ and how to go about it? These are God's thoughts for you today.
Remain blessed.
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