What does ‘abide’ mean?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ‘abide’ is “to live or stay somewhere” (Cambridge Dictionary).
Pastors, mentors, and teachers often mention “abide in Christ,” “abiding in Christ” when sometimes they are exhorting their congregations and students.
So why do we have to “abide in Christ”? Is not having a basic knowledge of Him enough?
Not quite.
Sacrifice
If having a basic knowledge of Christ within people is God’s mission, why did Jesus sacrifice His life for them? Surely, He could just inspire them with His wisdom until the end of His earthly life.
Jesus sacrificed His life for us to give us new eternal life in Him. Our lives have been filled with sinful nature because of the original sin by Adam, who happened to be a representative of all humanity (Romans chapter 5, verses 12-14).
Adam’s sin caused the separation between God and people. As they have to unite with each other because humans are part of God’s creation, Jesus sacrificed His life to amend us back to an intimate relationship with God.
Our Lord
Therefore, “abiding in Christ” is one of the essential Christian practices.
Although we can have eternal life and an intimate relationship with God through faith in Christ, Jesus is not only meant to be our lifeline.
As Jesus is both entirely human and God, He is the bridge between them. Nevertheless, we are to treat Him as our Lord.
“Who [Christ Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians chapter 2, verses 6-11)
Although Jesus is God’s Son, He is God as well since God, His Father, shares His divine nature with Him.
Since Jesus became Lord by sacrificing His divine nature to take the form of humanity and His earthly life, we should treat Him as our Lord.
His servants
This essentially means that we are His servants.
Therefore, since the servant’s primary task is to wholeheartedly submit themselves to their Lord’s will, we are to worship Him and prioritise His will over everything else.
Abiding in Christ takes various forms.
We can abide in Christ through worship and gospel music, devotionals, reading God’s word, etc.
It is anything to keep the presence of Jesus alive within us.
I am a Youversion Bible plan leader and worship team leader for Waiheke Island Baptist Church. My ministries involve reading devotional and related Bible verses daily and listening to worship and gospel music.
Nonetheless, I need to abide in Christ more by reading devotionals and God’s word beyond my ministerial tasks, as Jesus is my everything and the foundation of my life!
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John chapter 15, verses 1-8)