Abiding in Christ

Being a follower of Jesus Christ--a disciple--certainly suggests that there is a relational element between us and our Savior. Scripture speaks often about our relationship with Jesus and that his desire is never for us to struggle through life without instruction and guidance from above. In John 15, our Lord speaks of himself as the vine and us as branches in a vine and the need for us to abide in him.

Jesus calls himself the true vine (v.1); the One who always bears fruit. His ability to remain fruitful rests solely on his relational connection to the Father--He and the Father are One (John 10:30). Then is verse 4, Jesus extends this same relational connection to us as well--Abide in me, and I in you--so that we too can bear fruit for the Kingdom. Our ability to do so cannot happen apart from a true relationship with Him: ...As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. Jesus even kicks it up a notch in verse 5: for apart from me you can do nothing.

The blessings that come from abiding in Christ don't just begin and end with us being fruitful for the Kingdom. We are cleansed through the Word of God (v.3), we have the assurance of answered prayer (v.7), we glorify the Father (v.8), we are loved by Him (v.10) and we have the fullness of joy (v.11).

Abiding in Christ not only makes us his disciple (v.8) but his friend (v.13-15). What better relationship could we possibly have?