“If anyone does not abide in me [remain, continue]...he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned.” - Jesus. (John 15:6)

It would seem to me that for Jesus to make such a statement as the one above here, that not only did He mean what He said, but it would seem that we would want to know everything we could about what it means to abide in Him. To not abide in Him has serious ramifications. And please don’t get ahead of yourself and conclude He is talking about ‘hell’ here either.

“Abide in Me...” (3).

It was not a suggestion.

You say you ‘accepted Christ’ at a young age? Wonderful. Baptized in water in front of friends and family? Great...I celebrate with you. You’ve gone on mission trips every summer with your church? No doubt it was a rewarding experience. No one is faulting you or anyone else who has experienced such uplifting moments in your faith journey.

But do you think it is possible one can do such things and still not be abiding in Him?

Look how Paul opens up that often quoted chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. He cites an assortment of experiences that many believers today would proudly point to as having as their own. Things like speaking in tongues and having gifts of prophesy and even being able to understand all mysteries and knowledge. One could actually have enough faith to ‘move mountains’, while also giving away all their earthly goods in order to feed the poor. Why, one could even ‘offer up their body to be burned’ (not entirely sure here what that implies, martyrdom maybe?) And yet...in spite of having such things on one’s ‘spiritual resumé’, he drives home the point that if one particular thing is lacking, then all that other stuff ‘profits you nothing’; as it is for naught. (1-3)

And what would that one thing be?

Love. Agape love...the ‘God-kind-of-love’ that is the tell-tell sign of a true believer. Jesus made that clear in John 13: “By this...all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (35)

Paul then gives some detailed evidence or fruit of how that God-kind-of-love is manifested: as in it is patient and kind and does not envy. This agape-love is not prone to parading itself, drawing attention to itself, being ‘puffed up’ or boasting. One who bears this kind of ‘fruit’ is not rude or arrogant nor does he demand his own way or is self-serving. One who produces this God-kind-of-love is not easily angered nor do they keep record of wrongs. If one is bearing this kind of love, they don’t inwardly or secretly rejoice when they witness other acts of unrighteousness unfolding before their eyes. (4-7)

This kind of love never fails...or diminishes or becomes obsolete. (8) It endures and is lasting. It is the ‘real deal’. It is...the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ of Christ who is supposed to be dwelling in us. The fruit of the Spirit is....love.... (Gal. 5:22) not to mention...joy...and peace, patience, kindness...etc.

Did you catch that? Love is the ‘fruit’ or the byproduct of one who is abiding in Christ.

And this ‘fruit’ is not seasonal; it remains. (John 15:16). One does not bear this kind of fruit either simply when it’s convenient or the conditions are agreeable. Jesus pointed out in one place suggesting it is easy to love those who love you....even ‘sinners’ do that. (Luke 6:32). He made that statement before exhorting His listeners to ‘love your enemies, do good, be kind and...be merciful just as the Father is merciful.

Can I just tell you now what should be rather obvious to us all? It is impossible...for you or I to produce this kind of love in our own power and strength. Period. I don’t care how hard you try to muster up all the ‘goodness within you’...we simply cannot produce that kind of love on our own. Which makes this abiding thing even that more important and relevant. Turn back to John 15...

“I am the vine and you are the branches...He who abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (5,4)

If you are not abiding in Him, the fruit of love will never be produced within you. Ever. To believe differently would be evidence that one is deceived. Abiding...is not an option.

Hopefully it is becoming evident that we can be quite active in ‘doing things for God’, yet be fruitless where it matters. Those ‘many people’ who will stand before God one day and be told that He ‘never knew them’ and to ‘depart from Him’ will be stunned to hear those words. And it won’t even matter the list of accomplishments they cite as their ‘proof’ of being a ‘believer’. You should be familiar with that passage now in Matt. 7:21-23 as they boast of ‘prophesying and casting out demons and doing many mighty works in His name’. And what does the Lord present as indicting evidence as to why they are being turned away? They continued to practice lawlessness...’workers of iniquity’, or if we can narrow it down to that three letter word: Sin.

Sin is lawlessness. Sin breaks God’s law. (1 John 3:4). And are you ready for this? All...of God’s law is summed up in two commandments: Love God with ALL your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (as in the same way Christ loved us). (Matt. 22:34-40; John 13:34; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8)

If we are not abiding in Him, then the fruit of love has no chance of being produced in us. His words, not mine. And fruit matters.

One more thing about this ‘fruit of love’ that needs to be cultivated in our hearts, and then I’m going to address two pressing questions that may be on your mind about now.

Have you ever planted a tomato plant in the spring and given much care and attention to it as it began to grow? There is just something delightfully rewarding about doing such things. And you recall the joy you feel when you see that first bud appear...then...those yellow leaves begin to shrivel as a small tiny bulb of a green fruit appears. It won’t be long now. And who has not enjoyed the burst of warm flavor that explodes in your mouth when you pluck that first ripe cherry tomato off the vine and savor the fruit of your labor. It wasn’t enough to make salad or sandwich....but in due time...that plant will be loaded down with dozens upon dozens of those wonderful delicacies waiting to be harvested and feasted upon.

That is kind of what is supposed to be happening with this ‘fruit of love’ in us. Jesus indicated that IF...we are abiding in Him...that we would bear ‘much’ fruit. (John 15:5,8). He also makes it clear there in vs. 8 that this is how the Father is glorified and how we prove or demonstrate that we are His disciples. We bear much fruit and this fruit will remain. (16). And when properly cultivated (which comes with abiding in Him) this fruit will ‘increase and abound more and more’. (Phil. 1:9; 1 Thess. 3:12). God intended to see a ‘bumper crop’ of love produced in us. He is, after all, the God of abundance. (John 10:10)

In other words, IF...we are continuing on in/with Him...there will be an increase as He continues to prune and cultivate His love in us. That is what He came to do...to ‘perfect’ us in His love. (1 John 4:12,17; 1 Tim. 1:5; Rom. 8:29)

This might be a good time to pause and give some thought as we examine our hearts of late. We are quick to point out how dark and evil the world has become. We read and hear of so many atrocities that are unfolding around the world...so much anger and fear and evil and wickedness. If it’s not the horrific acts of terrorism we learn of, it’s the increasing tide of child sex trafficking that turns our stomachs and darkens our souls. The list, undoubtedly goes on.  Evil and gross darkness abounds. (Isa. 60:2; Jn.12:35) 

Do you know that Jesus pointed to a time when men’s hearts would begin to ‘wax hard’ and the ‘love of many will grow cold’...because of the increase in lawlessness. (Matt. 24:12). It happens. If we are not abiding in Him, our hearts begin to crust over, we become more cynical...more disillusioned. We become less patient and merciful as our hearts harden. In the say way an aging person looks into a mirror and detects that sagging skin and ever expanding wrinkles or age spots...so does our hearts begin to show wear and tear. It can be so gradual...so subtle. TV shows (for example) you would have never watched...you now watch and tell yourself it doesn’t matter...you are still ‘saved’. And the deceitfulness of sin works its way in and causes that heart to harden even more. (Heb. 3:12-14)

IF that is happening to you, it is all the more evidence that somewhere along the way, you came up short in truly abiding in Him; because if you are, that love will be increasing more and more. Light always becomes more pronounced when darkness settles in. I believe that many professing believers have ended up in one of two camps...one being that gradual decline over time where their love is diminishing...as in this fruit is not increasing, nor is it remaining. They are just holding on for dear life hoping the rapture comes sooner than later. Then, there are the others...who just throw in the towel insisting God is too demanding and they turn and ‘no longer walk with Him.’ (John 6:66)

And yet, God still has a remnant who will flourish, and a day is coming that Malachi speaks of in the very last chapter of the OT. You should go read both 3 & 4. 

Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will address those two questions I hinted you might be pondering about now: “How does one truly begin to abide in Christ?” and...”How does God cultivate this fruit of love in us?” See you soon.