THE VINEDRESSER’S CORRECTION OF A FALTERING DISCIPLE - Part 3
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (John 15:2a).
In our previous devotion, we considered one of two "incorrect interpretations” of this controversial verse. Applying biblical evidence, we observed that the interpretation that suggests a person can authentically be in union with Christ and later be cast out of that union by Christ to be in error. However, many great Bible teachers hold another opposing view from the first interpretation (some of which I highly respect). Their opposing interpretation of verse 2a, I think, is primarily made to counteract the previous view instead of carefully focusing on the analogy and the phrase “IN ME.”
These teachers would state, “The person in verse 2a claimed to be a follower of Jesus. They may have even been a member of a visible church, but they were never truly planted into a living and vital union with Christ. These teachers believe that ‘the branch in the beginning portion of verse 2 was an individual who was a ‘professing Christian,’ who was never born from above.” This individual may have been baptized in water but never spiritually baptized into a living union with the Lord Jesus. This person entered through the wide gate of counterfeit conversion.
There is no doubt that millions of people all over this planet have entered the wide gate of counterfeit conversion. They have repeated a prayer, raised a hand, walked an aisle, and have even been baptized and joined the church. However, they have yet to enter into a vital union with the Vine through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. However, this cannot possibly be the person the Lord Jesus describes in verse 2a! For the Lord Himself proclaims, “Every branch IN ME”! Every branch who has entered into a vital union with the Vine! Notice very closely what the Lord Jesus teaches only a few verses earlier (in John 14:20) during the same evening. He proclaims, “At that day, you will know that I am IN My Father, and you IN ME, and I IN YOU.”
A basic rule of studying the scriptures is to allow a scripture to be interpreted by the whole of scripture. The correct interpretation of a verse will always be consistent with the overwhelming majority of the multiple interpretations of that phrase found in the rest of the scriptures in the New Testament. We must interpret “verse 2a” in light of what the rest of the New Testament reveals regarding being in union with Christ. I submit to you that EVERY TIME you find one of these three phrases in the New Testament (“in Me; in Him; or in God,”) it always (without exceptions) describes a born-again follower of Jesus Christ. The concept of being “IN CHRIST” is used 164 times in the New Testament, and on every occasion, it speaks of an authentic disciple of Christ. There is not one time in the New Testament where the concept of being “IN CHRIST” is employed to describe a “false believer”! The phrase “in Me” is never used to unveil an artificial disciple.
On the contrary, John 14:20 depicts what is about to occur in the lives of these 11 disciples in only a few weeks! On the glorious day of Pentecost, they will be spiritually baptized into vital union with the Vine. Jesus is also illustrating what occurs whenever any sinner is born from above. When the Spirit of God regenerates a sinner, that sinner is simultaneously spiritually implanted into a living connectivity to the Vine.
Notice only a few of the 164 verses in the New Testament concerning this reality. “Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Again, in Ephesians 1:3, written to born-again disciples, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places IN CHRIST.” Then Ephesians 1:6b declares to believers, “By which He made us accepted IN THE BELOVED ONE.” Ephesians 2:10 declares to the born-again believer, “We are His workmanship, created IN CHRIST JESUS for good works.” Colossians 2:10 gives this glorious promise, “And you are complete IN HIM.” Then, finally, the magnificent words of Romans 8:1 declare, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS.” Thereby, upon observing any one of these 164 phrases in the New Testament, it always describes an “authentic branch in union with the Vine.”
Furthermore, the Lord Jesus uses the phrase “in Me”16 times in the Gospel of John. Once again, to solidly nail down this vital truth, this phrase is never used to describe a person who is NOT vitally connected to Him. So, this alternate interpretation can also not be correct!
THE VINEDRESSER’S CORRECTION OF A FALTERING DISCIPLE - Part 2
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (John 15:2a).
The translation of this verse can also be rendered, “Every branch IN ME that is not bearing fruit.” As stated in the previous devotion, this highly controversial verse has been much debated. But we must keep in the forefront of our minds that “when the Lord taught this analogy, He was employing a very common illustration occurring in the vineyards.
There are two major interpretations of this verse. One interpretation of “the unfruitful branch of verse 2 " describes someone truly planted into union with Jesus Christ. However, somewhere along their path of living, they committed some awful sin or series of sins or just stopped believing in Jesus. As a consequence, God the Father ripped them out of the Vine and kicked them out of the family of God. In this mindset, these were truly converted and planted into a living connectivity to Jesus. They became a new creation in union with Christ. And for some time, they appeared to be bearing the fruit of genuine conversion. But they fell away from the faith. As a direct result, God the Father disowned, disinherited, and discarded them. They consider that this was the (branch) the person cast out of union with Jesus.
Many people wrongly teach that “This person was truly born again, but somehow, they became unborn. This individual was resurrected from spiritual death unto a true conversion. But somehow, they died spiritually!” However, this very Gospel of John thoroughly opposes this kind of teaching. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have a “2-year life”, a “6-year life?” Unequivocally not! Whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life!
The Good Shepherd declared, “My sheep (My branches in union with Me) hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them ETERNAL LIFE, and they shall NEVER PERISH; neither shall anyone 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 My Father’s hand.” Notice the words, ‘eternal life and never perish’ in Jesus' words. Did you also notice this critical phrase, “My Father who has GIVEN THEM to Me”? A true branch (in vital union with the Vine) is part of a love gift God the Father gave to God the Son.
In the Lord’s Great High Priestly prayer, He also prayed, “Father, You have given Me authority over all flesh, so that I should give ETERNAL LIFE to AS MANY AS YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ME.” The Lord Jesus further states in John 6:37, “All that the FATHER GIVES ME will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means CAST OUT.” Why will the Lord Jesus not cast this love gift (this branch) out? Because this individual is part of a love gift that the Father has given to Jesus! Would God the Son decide to cast out a love gift that God the Father has given to Him? Absolutely not!
Moreover, the Lord Jesus further declares in John 6:39, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of ALL HE HAS GIVEN TO ME I should lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” Would the Lord Jesus choose not to keep His word to God the Father concerning this love gift? Would Jesus refuse to receive all of the love gift the Father has given Him? Would Jesus choose instead to cast out part of that love gift? Would Jesus purposely lose part of the gift and not raise it up on the last day?
Furthermore, observe the Lord Jesus praying for this entire love gift in John 17, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ME, for they are Yours.” And what does Jesus ask of the Father concerning this love gift? “Holy Father, keep them (preserve them) through Your name, those YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ME.” Friend, God the Father always answers the prayers of God the Son. So, friend, this confirms that this cannot be the biblical interpretation of verse 2a. The Lord Jesus will not TAKE AWAY (cast out) an authentic branch that God the Father has given and planted into union with Him.
THE VINEDRESSER’S CORRECTION OF A FALTERING DISCIPLE - Part 1
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (John 15:2a).
As we begin a new series today, observe the above verse from John 15. The Lord Jesus had spoken words that comforted these 11 disciples with the precious promise that “He is the all-sufficient Vine.” The Lord Jesus will be an adequate and sufficient source of life, grace, and power for every need for a disciple to bear a glorious harvest of fruit! Jesus portrayed God the Father as the faithful and loving “Vinedresser” who compassionately cares for His Vineyard, His Vine, and the branches in union with the Vine. The Vinedresser continually observes every branch implanted into a vital connectivity to the Vine. He is constantly inspecting the branches and carefully examining their spiritual health. The Father is always ready to take any necessary action for these branches to be spiritually productive for the Vinedresser's glory and the Vine's magnification!
In these words, the Lord Jesus employs an analogy familiar to these original disciples. For a grape vineyard, a vinedresser, a vine, and its branches would have been a common sight in first-century Israel. Even though many of these disciples were fishermen, they would have been intimately familiar with the cultivation and the harvesting of grapes. Additionally, they would be knowledgeable of the agricultural duties that a faithful vinedresser would carry out, both during the beginning of the spring (pre-harvest) season and the conclusion of harvesting after the fruit-bearing season called the dormant season.
The agricultural activities of a faithful Vinedresser (which the Lord Jesus illustrates and applies in verse 2 and verse 6 of this chapter) were two different tasks. It is important to understand that these two tasks occurred at separate times of the agricultural season. Believers must realize and be aware of these two different tasks to grasp what the Lord teaches (concerning how God the Father operates in our lives to produce fruit for His glory)! The activities of verse 2, in which the Vinedresser was lifting up the “nonproductive branches” trailing on the ground, cleaning them off, and pruning the productive branches, took place during the spring season before the harvest! However, the activities of verse 6, which involve casting out the withering branches and burning the dead branches, did not occur until the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dormant season.
This vital information (which annually occurred in 1st-century Palestinian viticulture (production of grapes)) informs us that the non-abiding branches of verse 6 are not the same as the temporarily nonproductive branches of verse 2! These two separate activities occurred at totally different ends of the season. Why is this important to understand? Because believers need to grasp the seriousness of Jesus' words. Therefore, the activity we will study this week, as stated in verse 2a, always occurs during the pre-harvest spring season. Then, the burning of the “non-abiding branches” in verse 6 did not happen until the end of the season, after the harvest of grapes.
God the Father presently operates in the life of every branch (which is genuinely in Christ) for the divine purpose of bearing fruit for the glory of God. The question to answer is, “How does the Vinedresser operate in the life of an authentic branch so that that branch can bear much fruit for the magnification of the Vine? Over these next few devotions, we will examine the amazing answer in “verse 2a”. I warn you beforehand that “verse 2a” is extremely controversial. But as we move through these verses, we will seek to unlock the incredible truth of these words: “Every branch IN ME that does not bear fruit He takes away.”
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 12
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
Through these devotions, we have been reminded that "it is absolutely impossible to bear much fruit for the glory of the Lord unless you abide in an intimate and vigilant kinship with Him. If you fail to maintain this close and continual association, you will not bear the spiritual productivity that the Lord has called you to yield. Oh, there may be a lot of religious foliage on your branch. Your life may appear impressive to the church crowd as you carry out your religious activities. However, it will be nothing but wood, hay, and stubble before the Lord and will be incinerated at the final evaluation.
Most sincerely, please stop and think about the following questions. When has your life been most lacking in fruitfulness? Has it not been with you have lived farthest away from sweet intimacy with the Lord Jesus? Has it not been the days when your prayer life was inconsistent and weak? Has it not been during the days when you have been distracted and diverted by temporary things instead of gazing at the things that are not seen? Has it not been when your personal giftedness and graces have consumed your attention instead of fixing the focus of your heart on the Giver of all gifts and graces? Most would agree that their life has been the least spiritually productive when they have forsaken intimacy with the "Living Water" and have attempted to dig out their own cisterns, which cannot hold water.
Dear brothers and sisters, no human wisdom or fleshly tactic can produce spiritual fruit that remains. The Vine must produce all authentic fruit! A branch cannot accomplish anything of eternal value or spiritual significance unless it abides in communion with the Vine. Jesus said, "For without Me you can do nothing." An individual cannot think of an acceptable spiritual thought without Him. They cannot speak an admissible spiritual word without Him. A believer cannot perform a "divinely pleasing" spiritual action without Him. They cannot worship, walk, or work in a manner that would magnify Jesus without the presence and power of the Vine. One cannot overcome sin unless they abide in the Vine.
Additionally, no one can be an effective witness through their lives and lips unless they remain intimate with the Vine. These verses from John 15 are a command to "apply the death penalty to self-sufficiency"! They are also a call to place all of the weight of your confidence in the sufficiency of the Vine.
These verses declare an extremely humbling truth to the sinful and selfish tendencies of one's proud flesh. In this truth, the Lord Jesus exposes our utter lack of sufficiency within ourselves. He is shocking us with the reality that "Without the supernatural supply and power of the Vine, we can accomplish nothing constructive in the kingdom of Jesus; nothing of any lasting impact; nothing that magnifies Jesus Christ; and nothing that glorifies God! Furthermore, both of these verses are also a command to acknowledge our comprehensive neediness of Jesus and our complete dependence on His grace.
Precious friend, you will be spiritually fruitless if you are self-centered, self-reliant, and self-sufficient. However, believers will bear much fruit when they are Vine-centered, Vine-reliant, and Vine-sufficient! These two vital verses place a disciple of Jesus Christ in the proper position of an attitude of humility. Also, it recognizes the Lord Jesus in His proper position as the only source for your Christian life. These words of Jesus are simple and straightforward. They are both clear and concise. Believers, you are a branch without power or supply to be useful in God's kingdom. You are entirely dependent upon the Vine to produce fruit through you. Therefore, it is this personal reality of utter dependency that should compel you to ABIDE in the VINE! "Apart from Me—NOTHING! But Abide in Me—you bear MUCH FRUIT!
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 11
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
Paul, the Apostle, was a man who was indeed "abiding in the Vine." He utterly rejected any reliance on the works of the flesh, and he was resting in the all-sufficiency grace of the Vine. Yet, he was not a man who manifested a life of lazy passivity or idle negligence. He declares in Philippians, "I press toward the goal of the prize of the upward call." On the one hand, he was resting in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet there was no evidence of any apathetic dormancy in his life! He declares in Colossians 1:29, "To this end I also labor, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily." He lived the life of a faithful branch who abided in a conscious and constant communion with the Vine. Consequently, from abiding with Christ, the Lord Jesus was working in him mightily. And yet, at the same time, Paul was working out what "Christ was working in him"!
For this reason, when the Lord Jesus Christ commands you to "abide in Him," He is not calling you to a life of "idle passivity or indifferent negligence," as if you are lazily laying in a hammock! On the contrary, believers must pursue a conscious and continual communion with the Vine. As a result, the fruit of your abiding in intimate communion with the Vine, He will give you His supernatural sufficiency to: "pursue practical sanctification; to submit your life to the will of the Lord and the word of the Lord; to set your affections on things above, and not the temporary junk of this passing world; to manifest the supernatural and sacrificial love of God for other disciples of Jesus Christ; and to take opportunities and make opportunities to testify of the Gospel to lost sinners!"
Precious reader, this biblical concept of "abiding in Christ" is the vital difference between a disciple who may bear some fruit and the disciple who bears MUCH FRUIT! Make a close examination of the first eight verses in John 15. You will discover that there are varying levels of spiritual productivity in the lives of the disciples of Jesus Christ. In verse 2, Jesus describes the method of the Vinedresser to take a disciple from "no fruit to fruit." Then, in the second half of that verse, Jesus explains the means (how) the Vinedresser takes a disciple from "fruit to more fruit." Verse 5 describes a born-again believer who is abiding in the Vine, and thus is bearing much fruit for the glory of God!
If you are a disciple, do you desire to bear "much fruit" for the glory of the Lord? Do you long to be "filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; so that you might walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him and being fruitful unto every good work"? Some followers of Christ appear to be more consumed with this supreme ambition than others. But observing the disciple Jesus refers to, it does not seem to matter to the abiding disciple whether he is rich or poor, sick or healthy, or whether he is considered wise or foolish! Their heart is utterly consumed with a blazing passion to live a life that magnifies Jesus and glorifies the Father.
Why does it appear to be so few who are zealous for an exceptional abundance of harvest? We can look through the annals of Christian history and find a remnant of godly men and women who yielded much spiritual output for the glory of God. But they appear to be in a minority among those who profess to be in union with the Vine. We will find that the answer directly relates to the biblical truth that "there are so few who are abiding in a conscious and continual intimacy with Jesus."
Oh, dear reader, the Lord does not save a soul so that He would only be a "distant friend" who occasionally communes with the Lord. He redeems souls so that they remain in intimate connectivity and living communion with the Vine. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the Vine. Neither can you, unless you abide in me. "
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 10
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
As we have observed this truth of abiding, please understand there are several doctrinal misconceptions concerning this vital word "ABIDE." If you conduct only a superficial examination of the word "ABIDE," it would appear to be an extremely PASSIVE word. Many teach that "If you are truly abiding in Christ, then you must be passive in the fruit-bearing process. You just sort of "sit back in the easy chair of faith, and let go and let God do all of the work." Meanwhile, you sit idly and indifferently, like a car parked in neutral! These teachers state, "If you are going to faithfully 'abide in Christ,' then you must 'rest in Jesus' in a nonchalant resignation. Some even teach that the height of spiritual attainment is for you to take the position of complete passivity.
However, this is extremely deceptive! This kind of teaching can easily become dangerously "out of balance." In such teaching, they take a "partial truth" (which does call on us to rest in the Lord and rely on the Lord), and it attempts to make it ALL of the truth! However, when you take a "partial truth" and attempt to make it ALL of the truth, that partial truth becomes an untruth because you have gotten out of balance!
When you carefully study passages in the New Testament (where your "union in Christ" is clearly emphasized), you will also find specific commands to exert a conscious and continual effort in following Jesus down the pathway of sanctification. For instance, listen closely to this passage and notice the combination of your "union with Christ" and the divine command to pursue sanctification actively! "If you then were raised WITH Christ (there is our union in Christ), SEEK those things which are above (that takes personal effort), SET your mind on things above (that takes personal discipline) for you died and your life is hidden WITH Christ IN God (there is our union with Jesus again). Paul continues on to say to those who are abiding in Christ, "Therefore, PUT TO DEATH your members on the earth…." (again, calling for personal exertion of Spirit-infused effort).
Notice there is nothing passive and apathetic within these passages. There are many other commands for a believer to display active personal effort. Paul is not commanding you to "sit there like a car parked in neutral." Instead, Paul commands those "abiding in union with Christ" to seek those things which are above; set your mind on things above; and put to death the sins of the flesh in your life." The Lord commands those who belong to Him to actively, determined, and steadfastly pursue a constant and conscious communion with the Vine. As a direct consequence of this intimate communion, believers are to exhibit an active striving after "living a life of practical obedience to His commands!
Most certainly, believers can only do these things by the power of the Spirit and the grace of God; however, YOU MUST DO THEM! "Work out your own salvation (sanctification) with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. If you are going to "bear much fruit" in your character, conduct, and ministry, then you are commanded to ABIDE IN THE VINE! However, you abide in the Vine by sustaining a single-minded devotion to Jesus (as your supreme love) and an undistracted focus on Jesus (as your sovereign Lord).
Therefore, this biblical concept of "abiding" will be a personal and passionate "pressing into intimacy with the Lord" so that your entire being is consumed with a flaming ambition to know Him intimately, yield to Him unconditionally, and follow Him faithfully.
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 9
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
The Word of God declares, "The vine (Jesus Christ) is the only source, sufficiency, and supply through which a branch can bear fruit!" However, equally important is that you (as an implanted branch) are responsible for keeping your heart fixed and focused on the vine! This is precisely why our Lord Jesus has exhorted believers to "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." This is also why He summoned born-again believers to continually "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden WITH CHRIST IN GOD."
Believers must not become guilty of fixing their focus on the Lord Jesus on Sunday and then allowing their hearts to be diverted by worldly distractions and fleshly diversions during the other 6 days of the week!
Moreover, authentic believers must not allow anyone or anything to hinder them from pursuing a conscious, constant, intimate communion with the Vine. They should never be content with only an occasional interaction with their Lord and Savior. Believers must strive to maintain daily spiritual intimacy with their Lord and Savior. So that when it is time for you to pass through the fiery furnace of adversity, the Son of Man will be walking in the fire with you. Then, when facing those daily temptations from the world, the flesh, and the enemy of your soul, you will have already been abiding in sweet intimacy with the Captain of the army of the Lord of hosts.
Consequently, He will fight your battles alongside you. Ultimately, when it becomes your appointed time to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil because the Good Shepherd will be with you. How can these things be? Because you have already been abiding in a conscious and close intimacy with the Savior of your soul long before you encounter that darkest of all valleys.
Remember these precious words of promise, "Abide in Me, and I will abide in you." Every authentic branch possesses an unbreakable position of vital union with the Vine. In this union with Christ, there are seasons when your intimacy with Jesus is increasingly rich and sweet. Then, at other times, when you fail or neglect to be engaged in the written word as you should, your heart is not as enthralled with the Living Word as it should be.
Whenever believers struggle to abide in intimate communion with the Lord, they have subtly fallen away from that blazing closeness they have experienced and enjoyed in earlier days. Our Lord commands disciples to remember from where he has fallen, repent of the sinful distractions and the selfish diversions that have contributed to this failure to abide in sweet intimacy with Jesus, and finally, return to that scared sphere of "abiding in close connection and cherished communion with Jesus."
Then, as an obvious result of this close union, this disciple will again be placing his unconditional reliance on the Vine, his unequivocal surrender to the Vine, his unrestricted cooperation with the Vine, and the full weight of his confidence in the sufficiency of the Vine. Dear friend, it is then that this child of God is "abiding in the closeness of communion with the Vine once again!"
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 8
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
In the previous devotion, we concluded that "The Lord Jesus Christ is an abode (a home) thoroughly equipped the sufficiency of every supply that you will ever need to "be what you are in union with Christ"! Consequently, every follower of Jesus is called and commanded to remain in a constant, a conscious and an intimate communion with the Lord Jesus. Believers are given a mandate to "be at home in communion with Him"!
Consider what "home" or "abode" means to you. As I mentioned, my home in Alabama is where my wife and I reside. The most precious human being on this planet (to me) is dwelling with me there in an intimate marriage union. Our home is also a dwelling place of safety and security for us. It is also where we invite precious family and friends to come and fellowship with us. Moreover, our home is where we eat, rest, sleep, refurbish, and reenergize for the various ministry tasks. Our home is our base of operations, from which we conduct all activities of ministry that our Lord has placed in our stewardship. All these realities (and many more) come to my heart when I ponder on the word "home"!
However, the Lord Jesus Christ applies this concept of "abiding in Him as a home" in the spiritual realm. He gives each disciple a holy mandate to "remain personally anchored to Him, in a sweet intimacy and conscious communion with Him, as our abiding place. In the previous chapter of the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus stated that He would soon return to God the Father to prepare a "permanent dwelling place" for every born-again believer. But until believers exit this earth and arrive at that permanent heavenly abode (where you live by sight and not by faith), the Lord Jesus directs those who have been made new creations to make HIM their spiritual ABODE (while walking by faith and not by sight here on earth)! The King of kings is delivering a divine pronouncement for believers to live their daily life in such sweet intimacy with Jesus that you are at home in Jesus, and Jesus is at home in you.
This world system is no longer the home for the born-again believer. Now, every disciple of Jesus Christ is a resident alien in this world system. Like me, we are just passing through this foreign land called the United States of America. I am a stranger here! I am a pilgrim here! The Lord Jesus Christ is now my perpetual place of residence. If you are an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ, the King of kings urges you to remain devotedly connected to Him as your royal residence. Your responsibility is to abide in close and conscious intimacy with Him and glory in all the majesty of His kingly rule on the throne of your heart and life!
Dear reader, when the Lord Jesus Christ substituted Himself on the Cross to receive the eternal wrath due to His bride, He purchased the right to be the supreme love of your life, the sovereign Lord of your life, and the centerpiece of your daily life. For this reason, I submit that you successfully obey his command to 'abide in Him' when cultivating a daily close communion with your Lord in ever-growing levels of spiritual intimacy.
Every believer is responsible for actively maintaining an experiential and intimate fellowship with the Vine. Every follower of Christ is individually bound to pursue the "fire and freshness" of a first love intimacy with Jesus Christ daily. Every disciple must personally pledge to walk in the enjoyment of an unbroken communion with the Vine. In that way, believers might think as He thinks; they might feel as He feels; they might choose as He would choose; they might see believers as He sees them; they might see the lost sinners as He sees them; and so that they might love others as He loves them! Then believers will live out the reality of 1 John 2:6, "He who says that he abides in Jesus, ought himself to walk even in the same manner as Jesus walked."
THE DUTY AND DELIGHT OF ABIDING IN CHRIST — Part 7
"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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).
Over the last few devotions, we have considered that the word "abide" pictures an enduring continuation in union with Christ. Abiding is the supreme evidence that a person has been truly implanted into Christ by the immersing work of the Spirit of God. "For you have become partakers of Me, if indeed you hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end."
However, there is another side to this portrait of "abiding in the Vine." Additionally, in another sense, the word "ABIDE" pictures a "daily dwelling in the fire and freshness of an INTIMATE COMMUNION with the Lord Jesus Christ"! Jesus the Lord is not only a Savior to be trusted in, a King to be submitted to, and a Teacher to be followed; He is also a HOME for you to dwell devotedly. His abode is richly furnished with all of the fullness of God! So then, when a sinner is converted to Christ, the Spirit of God comes to take up His abode within them. This person becomes the temple of God (as Paul writes in Romans), for the Spirit of God dwells within them.
Simultaneously, this authentic believer dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ as their abode, dwelling place, and home! When our Lord gives us this holy mandate to "abide in Him," Each follower of Jesus is commanded to maintain the continual focus of their heart on a daily, intimate communion with the King of kings. They must obey this kingly command by dwelling in close fellowship with Him as their royal residence! Yet, they obey from a heart of love and adoration for their Lord.
You may be thinking, "What do you mean when you describe the truth that our King and Savior is to be our royal residence to abide in?" Please note John's use of "abide" in the earlier chapters of this same Gospel of John. He wrote, speaking of how Jesus answered such inquiries: "Then they said to Him, 'Rabbi, where are You STAYING (abiding)?" (John 1:38b) In other words, where is Your dwelling place? Where are you living? Where is Your residence? Where are You calling Your home? Also, notice the second mention of "ABIDE" in John 2:12: "After this, He went to Capernaum. He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not STAY (abide) there many days." The Gospel writer John uses the word "ABIDE" to describe someone's personal residence where they continually dwell.
My precious wife, Dianne, and I have abided (our abode) at a location in Mobile, Alabama, for many years. There are scores of other individuals from various countries who have visited our "ABODE" for almost three decades. However, these precious friends are only visitors to our residence. None of these friends ABIDE in our home. But my precious wife and I have made a continual abode in that home, in an intimate marriage union and communion! Even when I am far from home, on the foreign mission field, my heart maintains a conscious communion with the precious lady who awaits there.
Likewise, dear friend, when we consider this word "ABIDE" in the spiritual realm, our Lord commands every child of God to make their constant and continual abiding place in a personal and daily intimacy with Jesus. If you obey the command of John 15:4, your heart must maintain a conscious communion with Jesus; your mind must sustain a continual focus on Jesus, and your inner being must nurture a constant preoccupation with Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ is an ABODE that is abundantly furnished with everything you will ever need to live a life that magnifies Jesus and glorifies the Father. Our Lord commands every believer to abide (continue - stay with - remain in) in the fire and freshness of a "first love intimacy" with the Vine!