I wrote about “abide” a few weeks ago when we saw it in 1 John. Most of the uses of “abide” are in John 15: the vine and the branches (verses 1 – 16). Here are just a few observations with little comment.
“Abide”
- Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit…unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me (4)
- Whoever abides in me and I in him…bears much fruit. (5)
- If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away (6)
- If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask… (7)
- Abide in my love. (9)
- If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. (10)
- I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide… (16)
“If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away” (6) – best we figure out what abide means and do it!
If I’m not bearing “much fruit,” I’m not abiding. (5) (That’s basic mathematical logic: “IF anyone abides in me and I in him, he bears fruit.” Abiding => Fruit. Therefore, No fruit => No abiding.)
There are promises for those who abide:
- Answered prayer (7, 16)
- Love (9, 10)
- Joy (11)
This “abiding” section includes commands:
- Abide: “Abide in me and I in you…” (4)
- Obey: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love…” (10)
- Love: “This is my commandment that you love one another…” (12)
- Bear fruit: “I have appointed you to go and bear fruit…” (16)
A rich section. Books, probably libraries, have been written about it. But of all the metaphors Jesus used, this one of abiding as a branch does in a vine seems the most permanent. Jesus is the bread of life, but I can eat bread today and not eat bread tomorrow. He is the living water, and, again, I can take a drink or not. He’s the light, but I can close my eyes or open them. Abiding doesn’t seem like something one can turn on or off.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples… (John 8.31, ESV)
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (1 John 2.28, ESV)