Abide in Me
Abide in Me: I am in Christ, and He is in me
I never cease to be amazed how God works in the life of Christian believers. What sets the Christian faith apart from all other belief systems, is that here we do not have a relationship with a God that is distant and uninvolved in our lives, but One who is not only interested in us, but goes wherever we go, and likewise we should go where He goes. There are many examples of the unique, and incredibly close personal relationship God, and by this we mean God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Spirit, has with us.
4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6If 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. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. – John 15:4-7
If you read a little wider than just these verses, and study chapters 13 through 16, we are given John’s account of some of the most passionate and personal final teaching Jesus gave His disciples in a very short time, no more than a few hours. They were about to witness the cruelty of man towards the Son of Man, who had done nothing wrong and instead only showed the love of God for us, mostly in very tangible ways, yet He still makes the time to teach them.
One of His messages is that they have to remain in Him. Notice how many times He uses the phrase “in me”. He uses the example of a vine to illustrate the relationship. If the branch does not remain fixed in the vine, the main source of life and sustenance for the branch, it will die. It cannot produce life without drawing from the source of life, the stem. Notice how Jesus gives explicit examples of what happens when the branch does not take life from the vine: we can do nothing without being anchored in Him. There is no fruit in our lives when He does not sustain us. Furthermore, when the branch does not get any substance and grow fruit, it withers, it is cut off, and it is burnt in the fire. This refers to spiritual death. Your source of sustenance has to be Jesus at all times, otherwise you will not make it.
Let us look at more examples that show the unique relationship we have with Jesus Christ. Apart from John 3:16, which discusses God’s love for mankind and His plan for us, Galatians 2:20 is my life’s purpose:
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
Paul states that his old nature was crucified along with Christ. However, he still lives, but it is Jesus Christ that now lives in him. Paul’s conversion remains one of the most profound examples of a life changed for the better. From being a hater of the Way (John 14:6) who received official permission to arrest those who followed the way (Acts 9:2, Acts 22:4, and Acts 26:10), Paul became the most vocal supporter of the Way, Jesus Christ. Once the Son of God took seat in his heart, Paul was forever changed.
When we have been truly changed by the Holy Spirit, we understand that Christ is in us:
5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? – 2 Corinthians 13:5
Just consider this for a moment: Jesus is in me. The Creator of the universe is in me through His Spirit. Let me say this again: He is not just with me; He is in me. We therefore have a wonderful relationship of being in Him, and Him in us. Here are some more examples that show how He is in us. Use this as references for your own personal journey:
- Romans 8:10 – Christ is in you
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 – Jesus is in us while we are Earth-bound
- Galatians 1:15-16 – God’s Son is in me
- Galatians 4:19 – the reality of Christ is formed in us
- Ephesians 3:16-17 – Christ dwells in our hearts
- 2 Thessalonians 1:10 – Jesus will be glorified in us
What about me in Him?
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
There are many other examples, but this one surely captures the essence of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Except we be in Christ, we cannot be renewed, and the old life cannot be cast away. If you claim that you have really been renewed, then you will be as Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. – Ephesians 4:21-24
In this verse the core truth is that we have to be renewed in our minds. Many Christians claim to be believers, but in their minds, they have not really been renewed as they still think (from the mind) and then act (in the body) that which represents the old man. Read what Paul says about our relationship with Jesus Christ:
16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 2:16
The mind of Christ? This surely means that we think and act the way He would. Since we believe that He is in us, we should therefore be very careful how we act. Remember that non-believers are looking at you all the time, some to try and find something they can point blame to you, but many are desperately looking to find in you an example that they can follow.
Conclusion
This week, be the example to the outside world which shows that Christ is in you, and you in Him.