Abiding In God’s Word
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31-32 NKJV)
The word “abide” means “to live” or “to dwell.” So, to abide in Christ, means to live in Christ together as one person. Jesus Christ and the Word of God are one in the same. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. “ (John 1:14 NKJV). So, if we will abide in Christ, then we abide in the Word.
Abiding in God’s Word is extremely vital in becoming a follower of Christ; it results in knowing the truth, which sets us free from the bondage of sin. (See: Ephesians. 4:17-24 NKJV)
If we will abide in the Word, the Word will instruct us and teach us in the way we should go. (See Psalm 32:8 KJV).
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5 KJV)
In the Parable of the Vine in John 15:1-17; we find an illustration that Christ gave His disciples on how their relationship with Him should be. Everyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ and confesses Christ as their Savior receives a new position in life. Each new believer goes from being dead in his sins “in Adam” to being alive to God “in Christ.”
In Jesus’ illustration in John 15, God is the gardener, Christ is the true vine, His disciples are the branches held in place by the vine, and the Holy Spirit is the sap that flows from the vine to the branches, giving them the vine’s life and power. The branches cannot bear fruit unless they remain (abide) in the vine at all times. The gardener “grafts” the branches into the vine, and as the branches remain (abide) in this new position, they become “one wood” with the vine.
Christ used this example from nature to help His disciples understand how essential daily intimacy and connection with Him would be in their lives in order for them to bear fruit for God’s glory—which is the purpose for which He saves us. God’s vision for each of his children is that we know and become like Jesus. The only way to know and become like Christ is to abide in Him. We abide by surrendering our lives to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to control us instead of being controlled by our sinful desires.
To abide in Christ, it is imperative that we abide is the Word of God. In John 15:3, Jesus told His disciples that it was His Words of Truth that had made them clean. In Verse 7, Jesus tells His disciples how vital it is to know His Word in order to have an effective prayer life. His Word is so essential if we are going to abide in the Vine and bear fruit that glorifies God. In order to abide in Christ, we must communicate with Him. As in any good relationship, this includes both talking to Him, and listening to Him. The Word of God is His voice in our lives. His Spirit assists us in understanding what God is saying through His Word. As we spend time abiding in His Word, the more we know Christ and begin to understand His heart, His plans, and His purpose. As we know Him more, we will trust Him more. As we trust Him more, we will surrender to Him more. As we surrender to Him more, we will bear more fruit.
It is imperative to understand that abiding is the only way that our lives will glorify God because when we abide, we bear the fruit that the vine produces (See Gal. 5:22-24 and 2 Peter 1:5-8).
God’s will for us is not just that we have an intimate relationship with Christ through abiding. His will is that we have an intimate relationship with Christ so that we will bear fruit for His glory.
If we abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit flows from the Vine through us- the branches- bringing to us the life and the power of the Vine. To abide means daily surrendering our lives to God, allowing Him to work in us and through us.
Dear gracious heavenly Father, Thank you for providing Your Son so we can know You intimately through Him and Your Word. May we daily abide in Your Word of Truth, and in so doing may we produce much fruit for Your glory. In Jesus name, amen.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5 KJV)
I love God!
🙂
Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5 KJV)