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If we abide in Jesus
as we live, then we are seated with Christ in heaven even now.
Those, who abide in Jesus, will produce the fruits
that Jesus has produced. Jesus pleased God by doing God's will so also they will
please the Father.
Christians
believe that if we ask Jesus Christ to come in to our hearts he will come and
abide in our hearts. Thus, we will abide with Jesus Christ then on. Not only we
will abide with Jesus Christ as long as we live but also we will continue to
abide with Jesus Christ through out eternity. But this is not the Bible concept.
The statement, "ask Jesus to come into your heart and Jesus Christ will abide in
you from then on," was started in children’s bible study and it became a church
cliché.
The command
abide in Jesus Christ has started by Jesus Christ himself. He required his
disciples to abide in him. Jesus Christ says that if we abide in Jesus Christ,
then they will produce the fruit for the Father. That is, if the disciples abide
in Jesus Christ, they will do the works that Jesus Christ did and they will
teach the doctrine that Jesus Christ taught. Abide in Jesus Christ is the
spiritual union of Jesus Christ with a person to enable the person to live as
Jesus Christ lived. If we say that we abide in Jesus Christ and we do not live a
pure life as Jesus Christ lived, then we are not telling the truth. If we abide
in Jesus Christ, then we will follow the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Saviour.
"Psalms
68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led
captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious
also, that the LORD God might dwell among them."
The Lord Jesus Christ is willing to give the
gifts of the Holy Ghost even to the rebellious, which are sinners. We see the
gifts works in preaching deceivers as an evidence all the time among Christians.
Since this is true, it is also true that the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ
is among us with the intention to abide in us.
'God the Word' who
created the universe became a man and was named Jesus. Jesus Christ taught his
disciples how God abide in him and showed them how he abode in God.
"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 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 them. How can God and man
live together as one? Jesus Christ gave two points for evidence (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. The obedience of
the person and the love of God will do this. "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." Jesus Christ says that he got this
abiding by obeying God the Father. And he says that we can also receive the
abiding of God likewise by obeying the commandments of God.
God loved the world. He
gave his begotten Son for the world on the cross. God requires the world to love
God by obeying his commandments. If we love him enough to obey him then with
his abundant love, God in Trinity will abide in us. God will declare those who
have his abiding as his sons and daughters in order that they shall inherit the
kingdom of heaven, be joint heirs with Jesus Christ and live with God through
out eternity. "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. 20
At that day ye shall know that I am in my
Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
If we have this abiding while we are on earth, then this abiding will continue
through out everlasting future. This is the eternal promise for the obedient
people of God.
The meaning of the word
'abide' is 'live' or 'dwell'. Abide in Christ means that we live in Christ
together as one person. How can this be possible? A spirit can live in a
physical body. God is a Spirit. So if we submit our body as the temple of
God then he can live in our body. But how can we being a person with a physical
body live inside a spirit? A spirit can move from place to place in seconds. A
spirit can be in the heavens anytime. A spirit will not carry the physical
body because of the limitations of a physical body. However, when a person has
truly repented of his sins with remorse in his heart and asks God for
forgiveness, God promise to forgive him of his past sins and gives him
the spirit of man so that he may see the kingdom of God. At that point, the
person is born of the spirit which is born again.
"Matt 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. 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 if we are born of the spirit then we have
both physical body and spirit body. Our spirit can live with another
spirit as one. In other words a born again person can live in God and God
can live in the person. So we can abide with God in the spirit.
"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. The Seed who is the extension of God himself will convert
the person to a new creature. "2
Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new."
Here are two verses for
reference. "1 John 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: ... 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."
Verse 6 says that if we abide in God, we will not
commit sin. Verse 9 says that if God abide in us, we will not to commit sin.
So, if we see both together, we can find that our spirit of man abides in the
Spirit of God is simultaneous with the Iota or the seed of God lives in our
body, if our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. So, God's abiding is that
the Seed of God remains in a person. It seems that if we abide in God, then God
will abide in us. From verse 9, we also know that a person who has the 'abiding
of God' is also 'born of God'. At this point we will be waiting for the
adoption as sons of God.
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." Abiding comes by obedience
to the doctrine of Christ.
"2 John 1:9
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not
God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son."
The Bible is a book.
However, the Bible is the word of God that is of the Spirit as well as it is a
book. "John
3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the
words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life." We study this
book as we study any other book. As we study, our brain gathers information from
the book and we remember it. Even though we can study the material contents of
the Bible, we cannot receive the spirit contents unless it is revealed to us by
God. "Matt
13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it
is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it
is not given."
If God has given his spirit to a person, the word
that is spirit will impart to the spirit of the person. So, the Spirit person
understands the things of God.
"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." Here the example is the vine
plant and its branches. The plant and the branch are of the same nature. A
person who is born again, who is a new creature, should immediately abide in
Christ in order to be fed of the spiritual food.
"1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:" As the milk is vital for the new
born baby, the word of God is vital to the born again Christian. If they desire
the truth of the word, then God will reveal it to them.
Grace is the most
misunderstood word among Christians. They think that it is a free ticket to
heaven. But grace is the whole package that we receive from God in order to be
saved from our sins, which include the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"Ex 33:16
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace
in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us?"
We know that Jehovah is Jesus Christ. (You
may read the article: "Jesus
Christ was Jehovah"). Moses was saying
that the presence of Jehovah (Jesus Christ) going with them is grace.
"2 Tim 1:9
... according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus ---" Apostle Paul says that grace is
given in the person Jesus Christ.
"Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;" Again
Apostle Paul personifies Jesus Christ as the Grace of God.
"Rom 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
In the Apostle's doctrine, the death of Jesus Christ is contributed to
the forgiveness of the repented sinners and the life of Jesus Christ
is contributed to the salvation of the saints (forgiven people). We know
that we are saved by grace and we know that Grace is the life of Jesus Christ
manifest in us.
There are many
evangelists advertise miracles in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Most of
them are just shows and they are deception. Some are genuine. People think
that these people are holy and have the presence of God with them. Not
necessarily so.
"Psa 68:18
--- thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious
also, that the LORD God might dwell among them."
God gives gifts to rebellious peoples also. Rebellion
is disobedience and it is sin. If the sinners can do miracles in the name of
the Lord then it is not an evidence for the abiding of God. Abiding will
produce the righteousness of God. They, who have the abiding, will live as
Jesus Christ lived.
We saw that only those
who are born of the spirit, who has received the spirit of man, can have the
abiding of God. But it begins with the abiding of the word of God and the word
will be instrumental in leading the person to be born again. This word of God
is also part of the abiding. However, the word of God and Jesus Christ are
inseparable because Jesus Christ is the word. The abiding of the word of God
will guide us to pray according to the will of God and our prayer will have a
guaranteed answer. "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." Most
of all, the abiding of the word will make us overcome the devil.
"1 John 2:14
--- I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of
God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one."
Christians usually make
religious or spiritual claims. Abiding in God is the priceless possession of
wealth for spiritual life. Even though it is freely given, it is only given to
deserving candidates, who are children of God. Further, there are many
counterfeits distributed by the devil and his workers. The Bible counsels us to
stand for the test so that we may not be
deceived.
"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:...."
If you think Jesus Christ lives in your heart, which
is the abiding of God, you have to walk as Jesus Christ walked. "1
John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought
himself also so to walk, even as he walked."
There are so many
religions in this world. They worship a god or gods. Everybody claim that the
god they worship is the true god. Christians and Jews are supposed to worship
the Creator, who created all things in existence, as God. All other gods are
created by men and they are false gods. The Lord Jesus Christ showed the way to
God to his people. The way is righteousness and holiness through which Jesus
Christ walked. Christians do not follow that way. Instead, Christians follow a
religion with another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel. Most Christians
follow a false way as any other religion. They lost the way of life and became
religious. In short, Christians also follow a religion.
Two kinds of people are
getting involved in the Church. They are carnally minded and spiritually minded.
"Rom 8:4
... the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of
the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
The spiritually minded people shall fulfill
the righteousness of God. The carnally minded people will also be the part of
the Church. But yet they cannot and will not obey the commandments of God. For
example: If you talk to them about water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, gifts of
the Holy Spirit, becoming holy, obeying God, becoming perfect, stop sinning,
etc., they may accept one or two and will reject the rest or they may reject
them all. They will argue and justify why they should not obey the doctrine of
God. They may belong to a certain denomination of a church or a group, but they
do not belong to God. They are carnal Christians. They are in enmity with God
even though outwardly they appear to be serving God.
Most Christians and
Pastors do not know the difference between religiosity and spirituality.
Sentiment, tradition, emotion, etc, which are considered spiritual by many are
actually religious. Good Christian music in churches is accepted as the presence
of God. The excitement and the admiration for the performance of music is
mistaken for spiritual worship. We can add many more to this list.
"John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye
must be born again. 8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so
is every one that is born of the Spirit."
Jesus Christ says that the born again people,
who are the children of God, will move along with the Wind, which is the Holy
Ghost. They will do whatever the Holy Ghost requires from them with perfect
obedience. Religious and Spiritual people may speak the same vocabulary.
Spiritual people will live in obedience to the doctrines of God while Religious
people will not obey, but will put up a show.
When Satan deceives
people he will not identify himself as Satan.
Even his disciples will not
identify themselves as the servants of Satan.
"2 Cor 11:14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers
also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works." Pretending as
ministers of God, they preach false gospel and offer false salvation for which
they will be punished accordingly.
We obtain salvation
by obeying God out of our love toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan wants us
to love God but not with obedience. To love God through our ceremonies,
songs, music, festivals, prayers, testimonies, witnesses, preaching,
proclamations, etc., is the easiest thing in the world.
But this is not the true love.
"Matt 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they
do worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men." However those who
love God with a sincere heart will escape from the deception.
"2 Pet 2:18
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through
the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error."
We can hear the
deceptive preaching of Satan from most churches. They say that grace is the
favor of God that accepts a person to heaven, who continues to sin, as long as
he confesses Christ. They believe that obeying God's commandments is the law.
They say that God gave commandments just to show that commandments cannot be
obeyed. They preach that God is against his own law and he hates those obey the
law. They preach many lies such as this. It is so sad that so many Christians
fall for it. If you need more clarity on this topic you may read these
articles, "Beware of False Prophets" and "Satan
Shows himself as God". Most Church people who are just carnal, religious
or/and sentimental may be deceived by Satan. But God's people will overcome the
world and Satan with the abiding of God in them.
"John
16:8 And when he (The Holy Ghost) is come, he
will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"
If sin is present in a Church, then the Holy Ghost
will reprove the people of sin. If a message of love, joy and peace is preached
instead of the message of reproving sin, then that message is not from the Holy
Ghost. If the church congregation cannot stand a message of righteousness and
will run away from the message on judgment of God, then this congregation is
neither seeking God nor it is of God.
The Holy Ghost will
guide the disciples, who will do what the master says, into 'All Truth.' If it
is All Truth, they will be guided into every truth without leaving anything and
there will be no room for any error or a spot of lie.
"John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify
me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
The disciples will find
themselves abiding in Jesus Christ by the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Jesus
Christ told the disciples that the Holy Ghost who is guiding them will also
abide in them. "John
14:17 Even
the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you." The worldly Christians cannot receive
the Holy Ghost.
A Spirit that exhibits
something other than the holiness of God is not the Holy Ghost. A False
Spirit will lead people to another Jesus, that is, to the antichrist.
"1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Most preachers make
statements and claims that contradict the Bible. Some say that Apostle Paul was
sent to the gentiles and so if you are not a Jew we must listen to the writings
of Paul only, as if there is a difference. Apostle Peter has written about it.
"2 Peter 3:15
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved
brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in
all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they
do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
More so, the Lord Jesus Christ came to Apostle John,
long after Apostle Paul was martyred, and revealed his messages to the churches,
which is the last book of the written word.
We are saved by grace
from being a sinner. "Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, by grace ye are saved." But God gives grace to the humble
only, which means that those who are not humble will not receive his grace,
which means that they will not be saved. "James
4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith,
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. 8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and
your joy to heaviness. 10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he
shall lift you up."
That is proud people will not be saved.
"2 Chr 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin..." If you
are proud, why don't you humble yourself? "Matt
23:12... whosoever shall exalt himself shall be
abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted"
After his resurrection,
being God, Jesus Christ has visited his beloved disciple John and gave messages
to the churches through him. If we are Christians then these messages will
apply to us also, as a message directly from Jesus Christ. In every message, he
says that if you have an ear to hear then you hear. He did not push anybody.
Jesus Christ, who is our God, wants us Christians to repent from our sins and to
overcome the world and Satan. If we abide in him we can and will overcome
both. "Rev
2:5 Remember
---, and repent, 7
To him that overcometh will I give ---
11 He that
overcometh ---.
16
Repent; or else I
will ---. 17
To him that overcometh will I give ---.
21 I gave her
space to repent
22 except they
repent ---. 26
And he that overcometh, ---
Rev 3:3
--- hold fast, and repent.
5 He that overcometh,
12 Him that
overcometh will I make --- 19
be zealous therefore, and repent.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to
sit with me in my throne, ---.
Those who overcame will receive rewards, even to sit
in the very throne of God, the glory of which cannot even enter in the minds of
the people.
"1 Cor 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him."
The Lord Jesus Christ
came from heaven to his disciple John to send important messages to his
churches. It is the book of Revelation. As he concludes the book, he wrote who
will enter into everlasting life and who will not, and he signed his name before
and after the statement. So, this must be very important to the Lord Jesus
Christ and to his true people the Church. Here is the verses:
"Rev 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they
that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city. 15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent
mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and
the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
The message of the Lord is simple. Those who obey
him will have eternal life and enter heaven and the rest of the people will not
enter heaven. But the preachers tell stories and twist the gospel.
God, who created all
things lives in the glorious heaven. God created people in order to have
Children of his own. He gives commandments to the people, chooses the obedient,
and grants them the Holy Spirit for abiding. "The abiding God" gives them power
to live a holy life and protects them from the wiles of the devil. He raises
them from the earth, changes their countenance to reflect the glory of Jesus and
declares them as sons of God so that they may live with him as his children in
heaven as joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
"Jas 1:18
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth ---.
Rom 8:17 And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together. Rev 3:21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rom
8:11 But 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." It
is because of the abiding of God, these people will live eternally with God
having the glory of God, as his Children.
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. Those
who are not holy are not sanctified to be the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"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 the Holy
Ghost abides in you, he will lead you to the abiding of God the Father and God
the Son. "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 are looking
forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ then we will abide in God so that
we may keep ourselves holy. If we do not have this abiding in us then we will
be ashamed at his coming.
The omnipresence of God
is not the abiding of God in his people. Since he is a Spirit, it is possible
for our spirit of man to abide with him. If we love him enough to obey his
commandments, we can abide in him and he will abide with us.
"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 abide with him while we live in our
physical body, then this abiding will continue through out eternity.
"John 14:20
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in
you. Luke 15:31
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have
is thine."
We will live with God forever and ever with his
glory.
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