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The Lord Jesus Christ tells us to abide in him. If we abide in Jesus, we are seated with Christ in heaven even now. If we are seated with Christ, we will be glorified and we will be like him at his coming.
Christians are taught that if they ask Jesus Christ to come in to their hearts he will come and abide in their hearts. This is a wishful thinking, but it is not true according to the Bible. It is just a cliché. It is deception because a person will think that Jesus Christ is already living in him while he is not. It will kill the possibility of a person to really abide in Christ because of this fake abiding.
Jesus lived as a man in this world. At that time God was known as the Most High God. Jesus Christ called the Most High God as his father and told his disciples that he abides in God and God abides in him. This statement puzzled his disciples. John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Jesus Christ gave two points as evidence for abiding. (1) the words he spoke and (2) the works he did. If God abides in a person, then the mind of Christ and the power of God will manifest through that person. That is the proof of his abiding.
True Christian life is a life after Christ. It is not a religious life, but a spiritual life. Jesus Christ told his disciples to abide in him in order to be fruitful and to bring much fruit. John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Then again he warns them that if they do not abide in him, they will be cast out into the fire. John 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Abide in God or abide in Christ is the highest spiritual position we can get while we are on earth. Even though, it is the highest step, there is only one step before that, which makes the abiding as the second step. The first step is called born again. Let us see what it is.
It is important that we use the definition that the word of God gives instead of using our own definition. Jesus Christ told Nicodemus to be born again. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. So, we see that a man has two births, first is of the flesh and the second is of the spirit. First birth is through our parents and the second is through the Spirit of God, who is the Holy Ghost. In this birth, the spirit of man is given to us. The spirit of man is also called the holy spirit and also as the spirit of Christ. (Usually, Christians think that the Holy Spirit is God. But the Holy Ghost is God and the Holy Spirit is the spirit of man. You may listen to a video clip for details. The link is: http://truegospel.com/ghostspiritvd.html.) A man has soul and body by birth. When he is born again, he receives the spirit. Now, he is a complete man. Jesus Christ says: John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. In Luke 11:33 to 36, the spirit of man or the holy spirit is compared to a candle light that gives light to the body. So, God says in Eph 4:30 grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption and in 1 Thes 5:19 Quench not the Spirit. The holy Spirit is given to us so that we may become holy.
If God has given us the holy Spirit, Gal 5:16 says Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. So, since our flesh and our spirit desire opposite things, God tells us to do what the spirit says so that we will not sin. Rom 8:13 if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. That is, if we do the things the flesh craves, we will die eternally. If we do what the spirit says, we will not do sin, that is, our sinning is mortified. So, we can present our body as a temple to God so that he may abide in us. 1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? The meaning of the word 'abide' is 'live' or 'dwell'. Abide in Christ means that we live with Christ together as one person in our physical body. How shall it be done?
"1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him." Here we see an example of a tree and its seed. The seed is an infant tree in all its essence. As it grows it will look like the parent tree and will produce the same fruit as the parent tree. Likewise the Seed of God that is planted and remains in a person will bring forth the fruit of righteousness through the person. God is limitless and omnipresent. But the name 'Seed of God' is used for our understanding that God can abide in a person. This Seed of God becomes the part of the person sharing the mind of Christ.
Evangelicals believe in the rapture of the Church. They think that every Christian will be caught up to heaven to be with Jesus Christ on that day. Some Christians do not believe in any of this. However, Jesus will appear for those who keep themselves pure. 1 John 3:2 ... but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. In order to keep ourselves holy, we need the abiding of the Holy Ghost which is also the requirement for our rapture. Rom 8:11 -- if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. The Lord Jesus Christ makes his bride pure and holy without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. So, if we are not holy, then we are not his bride. Eph 5:25 ...Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. If we are looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ then we will abide in God so that we may keep ourselves holy. 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If we do not have this abiding in us then we will be ashamed at his coming.
Abiding in Christ comes in two steps. First we have to receive the Holy Spirit (the spirit of man). The Holy Spirit prepare us to become holy. In the process we will mortify the deeds of the body through the spirit. John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever....23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. If we keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, then the Holy Ghost, Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father will abide in us. So, obey God.
Most Christians are deceived regarding the abiding in Christ. They asked Jesus to come into their heart one day and they believe Jesus abides them from that day onwards. But we obey God by the help of the Holy Spirit, overcame the devil, etc. How do we know that we have the abiding? John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Here, if the word of God abides in us, we will ask God things according to the word of God. If God abides in us, what we ask will be done unto us. This will be a proof for his abiding in us.
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, ...." If you think Jesus Christ lives in your heart, which is the abiding of God, you have to walk as Jesus Christ walked. In these five verses, only one point is highlighted. If we abide in him we will not sin and the sons of the devil will sin. So, if we sin, we do not have abiding.
If we love God with reverential fear, we will obey God - We will stop sinning.\
the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
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