To abide in Christ means to remain in a close, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It involves depending on Him, drawing life and nourishment from Him, and being faithful to Him. Here’s a more in-depth look at what it means to abide in Christ:
1. Abiding in Christ starts with salvation
In John 15:4-5, Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
To abide in Christ, we must first be saved and have a relationship with Him. Just as a branch must be connected to the vine to receive nourishment, we must be connected to Jesus through salvation to receive spiritual nourishment. We enter into that saving relationship by placing our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:16).
2. Abiding involves dependence and drawing life from Christ
Once we are saved, we must continue depending on Christ daily and drawing spiritual life and nourishment from our relationship with Him. Just as a branch depends fully on the vine for nourishment, growth, and fruitfulness, we must depend fully on Jesus Christ for spiritual vitality and the ability to grow spiritually and bear spiritual fruit.
As we spend time in prayer, God’s Word, worship, and fellowship with other believers, we are drawing nearer to Christ and depending on Him more, which allows His life to flow through us more freely (John 15:7). Apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value (John 15:5).
3. Abiding means obeying Christ’s commands
In John 15:10 Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” Obeying Christ’s commands is an essential part of abiding in Him. As we obey Him, we remain in close fellowship with Him and stay under the umbrella of His love and protection.
Some key commands Jesus calls us to obey include:
– Loving God and others (Matthew 22:37-39)
– Making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
– Pursuing holiness (1 Peter 1:16)
– Using our gifts to serve others (1 Peter 4:10)
– Giving generously (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
4. Abiding involves enduring and remaining faithful
Abiding in Christ is not a one-time event but an ongoing relationship. There will be ups and downs, mountaintop experiences and valley lows. But through it all, we must remain faithful to Christ. Consider what Jesus says in John 15:9-10:
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
Despite challenges, we must continue obeying Christ, drawing close to Him, trusting Him, and clinging to Him. Seasons of spiritual drought or doubt cannot sever our connection to the True Vine if we persevere in faith.
5. Abiding leads to spiritual fruitfulness
As we abide in Christ, He causes spiritual fruit to grow in our lives—the fruits of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This spiritual fruit brings glory to God, blesses others, and results in eternal rewards for us.
Jesus wants our lives to be spiritually vibrant and fruitful, but this only happens through abiding in Him. He is the vine, the source of spiritual life and nourishment. Apart from Him we can produce no fruit that will last for eternity (John 15:1-8).
6. Abiding leads to answered prayer
Abiding in Christ also enables us to have effective prayer. Jesus says in John 15:7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” As we continually draw near to Christ and soak in His Word, our desires become aligned with His desires. Then when we pray, we will ask according to His will and our requests will be granted.
7. Abiding gives us assurance of salvation
Abiding in Christ gives us confidence that we are truly saved and will persevere to the end. In 1 John 2:28, the apostle John writes, “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”
If we abide in Christ through a faith-filled, fruitful, and obedient relationship, we can be assured of our salvation since true saving faith perseveres (1 John 2:19). Fruitful abiding gives evidence of genuine saving faith.
8. Abiding leads to intimacy with Christ
As we continually draw near to Christ and depend on Him, we grow in intimacy with Him. Just as intimacy develops in human friendships through consistent interaction, shared experiences, honesty, and support, so our intimacy with Christ increases as we walk closely with Him.
Times of prayer, reading Scripture, worship, and sharing with Christ develop spiritual intimacy. Eventually He becomes our dearest friend and companion, and we can sense His presence guiding and comforting us through life.
9. Abiding gives us strength to do God’s will
Abiding in Christ gives us supernatural strength to follow God’s will even when it is difficult. Jesus told His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).
Only through Christ’s power at work within us as we abide in Him can we bear fruit by living according to God’s will. Abiding gives us strength to obey, serve, endure hardship, resist temptation, and live courageously and sacrificially.
10. Abiding protects us from the evil one
As we abide in Christ, He protects us from the attacks of the devil. 1 John 4:4 assures us that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus prays to the Father for believers in John 17:15, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”
Staying close to Jesus fortifies us against the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). Abiding helps shield us from temptation, deception, accusation, and spiritual oppression from the enemy if we depend on Christ’s strength.
11. Abiding prepares us for Christ’s return
Abiding readies us for Jesus’ return. John writes in 1 John 2:28, “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” If we are faithfully abiding in Christ, we will be ready to see Him face to face when He comes or calls us home.
Living in close communion with Jesus helps keep our spiritual garments pure and prepares us for that day. Those who persevere in relationship with Him can eagerly anticipate His return rather than shrink back in fear (2 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 9:28).
12. We abide through faith in God’s Word
The primary way we abide in Christ is through trusting in His Word. John 8:31 says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.” As we read and believe God’s Word, we are tapping into the nourishing sap of the Vine. Scripture, directed by the Holy Spirit, nourishes our soul and strengthens our connection to Christ.
13. The Holy Spirit enables us to abide
Although abiding is our responsibility, we only abide successfully by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit cultivates our relationship with Christ. He convicts us when we stray. He helps us understand and apply God’s Word. He draws us to prayer, worship, and service. He grows spiritual fruit in our lives. Every aspect of abiding is empowered by the Spirit (John 16:13, Galatians 5:22-23).
14. Examples of biblical characters who abided in God
Many righteous individuals in the Bible give us examples of what it means to abide in close fellowship with God:
– Enoch walked so faithfully with God that God took him to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24).
– Abraham obeyed God’s call and trusted His promises, being called God’s friend (James 2:23).
– David, a man after God’s own heart, earnestly sought the Lord through praise and repentance (Acts 13:22).
– Mary treasured Jesus’ words in her heart, clinging to faith in Him even through deep pain (Luke 2:19, 35).
– John, the beloved disciple, leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper, reflecting his special intimacy with Christ (John 13:23).
These and others illustrate the blessings of abiding in unbroken fellowship with God.
15. We can abide through any circumstance
Because abiding is the work of the Spirit sustaining an inner attitude of trust, we can abide in Christ through all kinds of external circumstances—whether positive or negative. Paul said he had learned to be content whether living in abundance or need (Philippians 4:11-12).
Difficult circumstances may drive us closer to Christ. The prophet Hosea says of Israel, “In their affliction, they will seek Me early and diligently” (Hosea 5:15). Troubles turn us to Christ for comfort and help. On the other hand, we must guard against allowing prosperity or pleasant circumstances to lull us into spiritual slumber and neglect of abiding.
16. Abiding prepares us for persecution
Abiding in Christ readies us to face persecution for following Him. Jesus warned His disciples that following Him would bring persecution but encouraged them to abide in His love for strength (John 15:18-25). When persecution comes, our reflex must be to cling tighter to Christ.
The early Christians who faced severe persecution responded by praying, praising God, staying immersed in Scripture, testifying boldly about Christ, and supporting each other in the fellowship of the church. Their example shows how abiding can sustain us through even martyrdom.
17. Abiding brings victory over sin
Abiding in Christ enables us to resist temptation and overcome besetting sins because sin derives its strength from pulling us away from Christ into acting independently of Him. Jesus assured His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).
When we detach from the Vine, we become weak and the forces of sin overpower us. But in proportion to the depth of our abiding, we gain victory over sin’s power through supernatural strength from Christ.
18. Abiding requires pruning sometimes
For a vine to produce abundant fruit, the gardener must prune away unproductive branches, though the process hurts. Likewise, our heavenly Gardener sometimes prunes us by allowing hardship and discipline so we will grow in spiritual fruitfulness (John 15:2).
Pruning hurts but ultimately helps us bear righteousness, strengthens our character, deepens our trust in God, humbles us, purifies us, and liberates us to minister to others undergoing adversity (John 15:2, Hebrews 12:10-11).
19. Abiding produces joy
Abiding sustains Christians in a joy that transcends circumstances. David declares in Psalm 16:11, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As we remain focused on Christ through the Spirit’s power, He fills us with supernatural joy. This was Christ’s desire when He told His disciples to abide in Him (John 15:11).
Even in hardship, abiding lends joy and assurance. Habakkuk wrote, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
20. Abiding requires continual cultivation
Abiding in Christ is not passive but takes continual cultivation on our part, enabled by the Spirit. We must keep turning to Jesus, laying aside other priorities that can subtly draw our hearts away. Distractions, busyness, hurts, pleasures, and temptations all threaten to sever us from the Vine if we neglect abiding.
Making abiding central each day through prayer, Scripture meditation, and worship ensures the life flow from Christ continues strengthening our soul. Neglecting abiding leads to spiritual decay just as neglected vines yield no fruit.
In summary, abiding in Christ means devoting ourselves to Him in a faith-filled, fruitful, enduring relationship empowered by His Spirit. This deep intimacy with Jesus should be every Christian’s desire and delight. For only in close connection to the Vine will our lives thrive and accomplish things of eternal value.