Faith in Tension: Abiding in Christ

In the middle of his last conversation, Jesus gives his disciples some of his most comforting and challenging words. He knows what’s about to happen. He’s given Judas permission to betray him and he’s washed his disciples’ feet. Jesus celebrated the Passover meal, and replaced the OT list of rules to earn God’s favor by declaring a New Covenant for god’s people, a covenant of faith in him and a free gift of salvation.

Instead of rules and legalistic religious habits, Jesus says, “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. 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.” John 15.4-5 (KJV)

Abiding in Christ is the new standard, and the vineyard metaphor isn’t lost on his followers, and it’s still easily understood over 2000 years later. A branch attached to a healthy vine grows fruit, while one that is cut off withers and dies, suited only for the fireplace. Fruitfulness glorifies God, while fruitlessness is an example of an unhealthy plant.

Ever since I came to Christ, the image of a fruitful vine and the related parable of the seeds have stuck in my heart. I want to be an example of a fruitful plant, reproducing the life that Jesus gave me in the world, and in others. So I have to ask – what does abiding mean? Maybe it’s just because I’m a guy, but I want a list. I want to know that I am at least headed in the right direction as I chart my way through life.

If the vineyard metaphor is accurate, there will be seasons in my life that mirror a vine’s lifecycle. A plant grows, is pruned, bears fruit, is harvested and at times lies dormant. So I’m not distracted by what I see, I want to know – what does abiding look like?

In this passage, Jesus doesn’t leave us with a vague, transcendental meditation-ish approach to abiding. He gets very specific.

• Verse 7:  “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you . . .” Abiding in Christ involved dwelling on, learning, meditating on and allowing God’s word to transform me.
• Verse 10: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.” Abiding in Jesus means obeying him in what we do, think, pursue and set our hearts on.
• Verse 17: “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” Love is more than a feeling, Love is Christ in action, speaking and treating others in the same way He did.
• John 12.46: “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” Abiding in Christ means leaving the darkness of our sin, selfishness and self-focused world view behind.

According to the Blue Letter Bible, the word abide is:

“an Old English word signifying progressively to “await,” “remain,” “lodge,” “sojourn,” “dwell,” “continue,” “endure.” (The word translated “Abide” is) represented richly in Old Testament (King James Version) by 12 Hebrew words and in New Testament by as many Greek words. In the Revised Version (British and American) displaced often by words meaning, “to sojourn,” “dwell,” “encamp.” The Hebrew and Greek originals in most frequent use are yashabh, (which means) “to dwell”; (and) meno (which means) “to remain.” [1]

As Jesus used the term “abiding,” the way to a fruit-filled life that glorifies God is much more than thinking about him now and then, wedging a personal prayer time into my schedule or attending Church a few times a month. To fulfill Jesus words, and become the fruitful Christian that glorifies his Father, abiding takes intentional, long term, purposeful action that places him at the center of our world in everything we do.

What can you do to abide in Christ this week?