Abide in Christ
We often hear that new year resolutions are made to be broken. So why make them? There is one lifelong resolution that believers commit upon their spiritual birth. That resolution will carry throughout up to the end of their lives.
John 15:4-8 (NKJV) says: 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. Hoke 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[a] 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.
To “abide” is to live, continue, or remain; so, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him.
Abiding in Christ is not an option but is mandatory; it is central to the faith and the relationship between believers and Christ. This is evidenced by a continuous life connection essential for spiritual growth and fruitfulness, grounded in the teachings of Christ. Fruitfulness from faith includes evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
To “abide” is to live, continue, or remain; so, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him. At salvation, a person is described as being “in Christ”*1, having a secure and permanent relationship with Christ*2. This is the position of all genuine believers and the difference between being saved and unsaved.
Like branches that grew out of the vine into a strong branch, abiding in Christ is not a mere acquaintance but a close and deep relationship with Christ from spiritual birth. Only by drawing life from Christ can the branch grow healthily and bear fruit*3 that lasts. If a branch is cut, like when we stray away from Christ, we stop growing let alone bear fruit. We will keep straying into the lost world where we started. Such branches are the ones that will wither and become dry and be thrown away and burned.
Evidence of abiding in Christ includes:
– perseverance*4– continuing to stick to Christ regardless of one’s circumstances;
– obedience*5 – obeying His commands
– following*6 – stopping habitual sins
– awareness*7 – always remembering His divine presence
As Jesus says in John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love”. Obedience results from and is a means to abiding in Christ.
Of late, when the “word of mouth recruitment” does not work, some churches often see “recruitment” notices flashed at church services. It is heard that “volunteers” are hard to come by these days. Is volunteering not also known as serving God? Volunteering is not mandatory but serving is a command. What is holding back believers from serving, knowing well that it is a command. Are believers after salvation, so caught up with worldly concerns and priority and neglect to serve or make God’s priority theirs? Perhaps it is timely to reflect and take 2025 as a new start to our journey of serving, one of the essential components of abiding in Christ.
References: *1Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17, *2John 10:28–29 *3John 15:4–7, *4Revelation 2:26, *5John 15:10; 1 John 3:24, *61 John 3:6, *71 John 4:13
Lynette LC
Member of the Editorial Committee of CAC News