How Do We Abide in Christ?

How Do We Abide in Christ?

Receiving flowers as a gift is uplifting. The colors, scent, and the thought that went into giving them is a wonderful gesture. The stems are cut, a vase is filled with water and these blooms are carefully arranged as a bright, fragrant display for everyone to enjoy. However, after a few days, the flowers are past their best; they may start to change appearance, lose their coloring and eventually wilt before being discarded. As well-meaning as a gift of flowers is, it is short-lived as the flowers have been cut from their life source. The bouquet of beauty arrived already dead.

So what does abiding in Christ look like in the Christian life?

Fruitfulness

Remaining or abiding in Jesus means that we will produce fruit. Not physical fruit like apples, pineapples and grapes, but spiritual fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” That is quite the variety of fruit that God works in us as we abide in Him. His Spirit remains with us and produces this fruit which we cannot produce in our own effort; we must remain in Him (John 15:4). As we spend time with Him, walking closely with Him by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatian 5:16). As we bear fruit, it is proof that we are disciples of Jesus and it glorifies Him (John 15:8).

Pruning

Life

The life of the plant occurs when it is attached to its source. The branches are dependent on remaining in the conditions to best encourage its growth. Psalm 1 illustrates this point by describing a person who delights in God’s Word as being “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” Jesus, the Word of God, is the vine who is also described as “light of the world.” He gives us “living water” by His Spirit (John 7:37-39), and He gives the “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). He is the one for whom all things were created and everything is sustained by the word of His power (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3).

Just like plants need light, water and air to grow, we need all of these too, and they are found in Christ for the abundant life that God made us for (John 10:10). When we abide in Jesus, we can live life to the full.

Dependency

Some may try to live amongst Christians and keep up an appearance of being a believer. However, if they are not truly abiding in Jesus, sooner or later they will end up withered and lifeless, like the flowers cut from their source of life. Followers of Jesus are wholeheartedly dependent on Him alone.

How Can We Abide in Christ?

With the truth of all that it means to abide in Jesus, what does this practically look like in our life? We must remember that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It is not up to us to earn salvation. Jesus said: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

Jesus saved us once and for all time on the cross. However, here are a few reminders which can help ensure that we stay connected to and nourished in our relationship with Him in our daily life:

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