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Abiding in Christ, Part 1
by Kristenea M. LaVelle (Kristenea's bio)
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As Christians, most of us are familiar with the parable of the vine and branches, where Jesus compares Himself to a vine and His followers to the branches. This example gives us a wonderful picture of how we are to depend upon Jesus and relate to Him in our daily lives. Jesus refers to this relationship as "abiding" in Him, and we learn that by doing so, we can become very fruitful in our walk with God. What exactly does "abiding" in Jesus mean? How can we learn to "abide" in Christ?
To "abide" means: to remain in one place or state, to continue; endure; dwell or sojourn. By stating that we must abide in Him, Jesus is declaring that we must continue in Him and actually "dwell" in His Spirit. How do we "dwell" in the Holy Spirit? Consider these examples: When the Israelites prepared for the first Passover, they were given strict instructions to follow that kept them safe from the destroyer. "…and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of this house until morning…and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you." Exodus 12:22-23. The Israelites had to "abide" inside the house during the Passover. To venture outside meant that they became vulnerable to the destroyer.
Let's look at a modern day comparison of "abiding". When you go out to eat at a restaurant you go for the duration of the meal, but you don't live there. The place you "abide" is where you live, where you have made your home. Therefore, by encouraging us to "abide", Jesus is trying to show us how to "live" in Him and "make our home" in His Spirit. This means being in a state of continual communion with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis.
This "abiding in Christ" is very powerful in the life of a believer and it requires diligence in denying the flesh. You must practice obedience and submission to the authority of God in your life by keeping the commands He has placed before you. It is more than just "going to church" or "saying" you believe. This is living, eating, sleeping and breathing Jesus until every action, thought and word from your mouth is a reflection of you abiding in Christ. You can think of it this way, imagine taking your most intimate time with God and spreading it out to last the entire day! That is a powerful, life-changing experience that will flow through you to everyone around you. Why not start today?
John 2:28
Copyright 2001, Kristenea M. LaVelle. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
| About Kristenea M. LaVelle: I am a wife of 10 years and a homeschooling mother of five dedicated to teaching and living the truth of Jesus Christ. David and I make our home in Spokane, Washington where we can serve our family and friends with the love of Christ. It was through His direction that I began writing and found myself on a fascinating new journey in life. Now my joy is made complete by writing for Him and about Him. E-mail Kristenea |
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