Abiding in Him...Jesus taught on this in John 15:1-8. It’s worth revisiting regularly. Abiding means to ‘continue on’ or ‘to remain’. IF...we are abiding in Him, the implication is rather clear...we are following Him. So if/when He says ‘let’s go this way’, we follow. IF/when He says: “lay that one aside”, we lay it aside. I used the illustration recently that abiding in Him is similar to following someone in a downpour who is holding the big umbrella. If you want to stay dry, it would serve you well to stay close to the one carrying the protective covering, would it not?
And if you are abiding in Him, it’s safe to say you are ‘saved’. So why would anyone choose to stop abiding in/with Him? I mean really...? Yet, how many times in both the OT and NT we read of God’s people ‘turning aside’ or ‘turning back’ or ‘turning away’ from following God?
Take a look at that passage in John 6. Jesus had been teaching on some things that came across as being ‘hard sayings’. (60). We then read in vs. 66: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” We’re not reading about the crowds who were looking to have their bellies filled with bread and fish. It specifically states some disciples of Jesus made this choice to walk away. Jesus then asked the twelve who were with Him: “Do you also want to go away?” (67)
Now if you want to sit down and debate with others as to whether those disciples who had ‘begun a walk’ with Jesus and then turned aside and ‘walked with Him no more” are still ‘saved’, have at it. I’ll pass on that conversation. But this I know...IF you are not abiding or continuing on in/with Him, there is no fruit being produced in your life. Period. (John 15:4-5)
And if there is no fruit, Jesus clearly states that ‘they’ come and gather up the withered and fruitless branches and toss them in the fire and they are burned. (vs. 7) That does not sound like a good thing you want to happen to you.
In yesterday’s post, I finished up describing what condition we were in before we turned to God and began to follow Jesus. Paul adds this commentary in his letter to the Colossians. “You who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to present you holy, and blameless and above reproach in His sight --- IF...indeed you CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard...” (1:21-23)
IF....you continue in the faith. Might want to give that some further thought and reflection today.
Hebrews 3 & 4 have some sobering words of warning to us all who are abiding. We are exhorted and reminded to ‘not harden our hearts when we hear His voice’. God was lamenting how His people provoked Him to anger as “they always go astray in their heart” and because of this, He declared ‘they shall not enter My rest’. (3:8-11).
Then the writer goes on to warn us ‘brethren’ to ‘beware...lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (12-13)
Did you catch that part there about what sin does to our hearts? It hardens them. It can make them calloused and dulls our ability to hear and respond to the Lord. That is not a good place to be in. The ‘deceitfulness of sin’ does that. Later in chapter 12 of this same letter we are admonished to ‘lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’ (vs.1). For those of you who like the word ‘saved’, go read Matt. 24:13 to see which folks are ‘saved’. (...’those who ‘endure’ to the end)
So let’s continue on with the subject of abiding in Him. There’s a story in Luke 17 where Jesus healed ten lepers. After their encounter or their ‘experience’ with Jesus, they all ran off and we read of them no more...except one who returned to bow down and worship. I find it interesting the percentages that Jesus has a way of pointing out.. They are low numbers. As it was in the days of Noah...only 8 were saved...sort of like that ‘narrow path where only a few’ find it. Out of the few million who left Egypt...it was only Joshua and Caleb from that first generation that continued on in to the Promise Land. “Many will say in that day...But Lord...?” (Matt. 7:21-23). Just something worth making note of.
I do continue to bring up the admission that so many professing believers make almost unashamedly today on a regular basis...that they are ‘saints who sin’, or they ‘sin daily’ given they are ‘sinners saved by grace’ and quickly remind everyone that they are “not perfect, just forgiven.” Tragically, this has become quite acceptable ‘speak’ among believers at large today. This is a problem. A HUGE problem.
First of all, let me say I ‘get’ where they are coming from. If you are one of those who confess such statements regularly yourself, I understand what you are saying. But it leads to the question of IF...you are a follower...a believer...a disciple of Jesus....then WHY....are you sinning regularly and often? Is it possible that the enemy has established a ‘stronghold’ in your mind/heart convincing you that you will always continue to sin while living here? As in maybe you heard ‘another gospel’ and are following ‘another Jesus’ that Paul warns about? (2 Cor 11:2-4)
Because the word declares that “WHOEVER ABIDES IN HIM DOES NOT SIN”. (1 John 3:6)
So answer me this: IF you are continuing to ‘sin’, are you abiding in Him? Because regardless of the translation you want to use, that passage teaches otherwise.
Consider what Jesus taught: “IF you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32). He then goes on to teach: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” (34)
If you continue to sin, you are what? A ‘slave’ to sin? Does being a slave not imply you have another ‘master’? And what did Jesus teach about having or serving two masters? (Matt 6:24)
Let’s continue on...”And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever”. (35). Is He talking about what ‘saved’ folks look like here?
“Therefore IF the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (36) Oh, guess why Jesus sets us free from sin and sinning...Sin puts us in Satan's crosshairs and makes us targets for the thief to come in and to steal, kill, and destroy. He steals our joy, our peace, our health just to name a few.
Even Paul would ask us in his letter to the Romans....”HOW...shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (3)
So when John writes in his first letter: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin , because he has been born of God”, (3:9) the message is clear.
Believe me when I say these passages are problematic for many. But before you cower under guilt and condemnation or even anger...can I just tell you that the sooner you agree with God’s word, the sooner you may experience a freedom like you have never known before? Because that is what Jesus came to do...to set...the captives free. And if you want to ‘stay free’...you gonna need ...to abide in Him.
That. Is. The. Only. Way. You. Can. Stay. Free.!
Trust me when I say it’s harder to ‘unlearn’ some things before we can actually be taught truth. And once you begin to align your heart with what God says vs. what man says, or even the enemy (Hath God really said?), you will most likely stumble a bit. And you’ll notice John also shares this: “IF...anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But PLEASE note...it did NOT say “WHEN you sin”, rather ...”IF” you sin.
Let me say this as humbly and delicately as I can...IF you have professed to have been ‘following Jesus’ for any length of time...and have continued to ‘sin’ on a regular basis ...and seem totally fine with how your life is going...there’s a good possibility that you may be ‘following another Jesus’ and bought in to ‘another gospel’ and even ‘received another spirit’. (2 Cor. 11:2-4)
All I can do here is present truth from God’s word...in a spirit of love and meekness...and let you come to terms with it. I’m not throwing stones. I know ...where I have been...and where He has brought me from. And the reason I won’t stop proclaiming this gospel is I finally found out what it means to be free.
Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will again explore just what ‘sin’ actually is and isn’t. But this I know...you cannot continue walking in peace and in sin at both the same time. To do so invokes or brings a curse upon you. (Deut. 29:19-20). And for those who are needing some ‘crumbs of encouragement’ right about now...know this: When a person truly turns to Jesus with ALL their hearts...God understands that ‘all your heart’ is a mess and needs a good cleaning and overhaul. But the same blessings and benefits at His table are available to you just as much as that person who has been abiding with Him for years. God’s love is unconditional and without partiality. But know that He wants to Begin a good work in you...provided you continue to abide with Him.
But if you balk, and are apprehensive as to what all this might mean and require of you, may I point you back to the exchange between Jesus and Peter when Jesus asked if the twelve also wanted to ‘go away’? Peter asked this: “Lord... to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life.” (John 6:68).
Well said, Peter....well said.
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