Abiding Does Not Offer Part Time Positions

As you may be aware, the Apostle John, both in His gospel and his letters, has a good deal to say on the subject of abiding. Depending on your translation of choice, he notes it 40 times in his gospel, 11 times in the 15th chapter alone. He then references it 27 more time in his epistles.

It is not commonly used in our modern vernacular, so it bears defining.

In the Complete Word Study Dictionary NT it says ” In John’s writings, to remain in or with someone, i.e. to be and remain (emphasis added) united with him, one in heart, mind, and will”.

To aid our understanding, John uses the illustration of the vine and its branches in the early portion of chapter 15 of his gospel.

Note with me some of the essential elements of the illustration found in the first six verses:

In v.1 He says He is “the true vine” and “My Father is the vine dresser” (which would be the term used for a farmer, husbandman, or vine dresser).

In v.2 He says of the branches (those professing Christ), every branch that does not bear fruit He (the Father) “takes away”, and the branch that bears fruit He “prunes” that it may bear more fruit.

In v.4 we see the two way relationship of the vine and branches. The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, it has to “be and remain” (as the definition noted) in the vine, and thus we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in Him, and Him in us.

In the well known v.5, repeating the points already noted of the Vine and the branches, and the two way relationship, He says that apart from that relationship we “can do nothing”.

In v.6, in case we have missed the gravity of what He is saying, He further clarifies that the branch the Father “takes away” is “thrown away”, and “dries up” to be gathered, cast into a fire and burned up.

Acknowledging that this teaching is worthy of the many pages by some great saints describing and defining the profound implications this should have on our relationship with Christ, let me suggest a few basic observations:

It is nonsensical to believe (and thus behave), as if we can vacillate between being the branch and the Vine.

Bearing fruit is not optional. Bearing some fruit positions us so that He “prunes” (the word is [Kathairoi – to cleanse from filth, purify), so that we can bear more fruit.

Abiding in Him (and in His love — v.10) is predicated on keeping His commandments. If we are not keeping His commandments, we should conclude we are not in the relationship He is describing. That should cause us to seriously reconsider our relationship in light of what He says about “branches” that do not abide in Him. (see also I John 3:24)

The branch is totally dependent on the Vine. It is its only source of sustenance, and its only means of producing the fruit of the “Vine”.

Thinking we are “in Christ”, and that we determine the relationship, is like seeing a branch disconnected from the vine and believing it to be part of the vine.

The question might be, how much of nothing are we trying to gain?

For more articles by John Hartshorn