What does it mean to Abide and why does Jesus tell us to do it?
Jim Putman and Lance Wigton are back to engage in a conversation about what it means to abide in God. Abiding is something that Jesus calls us to in John 15, and it is one of the foundational pillars of Real Life Ministries. Because of this, we want to have a good picture of what it meant to Jesus and his followers so that we have a better perception of what it looks like in our daily lives.
Abiding means that we have accepted Christ and been reconciled to God and been given the gift of the Holy Spirit – because of this we have a relationship with God wherever we go. Abiding in him, spending time with him, is producing the fruit of the spirit in us which is evident in our lives.
Abiding means being in relationship with God, but it also means we are a part of a bigger piece. When the Bible talks about abiding in John 15 – it refers to Jesus being the Vine and God being the Gardener. The Bible also says that when we become a Christian we become part of a tree with many branches, a part of the Body of Christ and the Family of God.
There are times in our life when we are not abiding in the body of Christ, which means the only opinion we are hearing is in our own heads. When we spend time with God it helps reset our perspective and align ourselves with his will and his spirit. Walking with the Lord leads to relationship – and God works and speaks through other people into our lives. “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
Knowing that someone is abiding in Christ means far more than seeing that they have knowledge, or even that they know a lot of facts about the Bible. Knowing that they are Abiding means seeing some of God’s fruit in their lives, in their interactions with others.
Abiding gives you both the direction and power to get to the goal of becoming a mature disciple of Jesus, who makes disciples of Jesus.
Click below to go to the website for this podcast:
What Does The Bible Say About….? Podcast With Jim Putman
