I have a hunch there are some people who need to read this message today as it might help bring some clarity and even some ‘balance’ to your understanding of what it means for a believer/follower of Jesus to ‘abide’ in Him. And again, I am also aware that if there is any understanding or insight to be gained from reading here, it is solely the work of the Holy Spirit which is always my prayer that He will continue to ‘open the eyes of our understanding’. (Eph. 1:18)

There are no shortage of ‘litmus tests’ out there that we use to size up and assess what a ‘true believer’ should look like. There are Lutheran versions and Baptist versions and of course a variety of Pentecostal/Charismatic versions. Believe it or not, I once heard a preacher I knew and sat under make the claim from his pulpit that “You might say you are a Christian but I will know whether you are a Christian by the car you drive.” I kid you not; yet at the time, it was kind of easy to understand the reasoning he was using which I won’t get in to now. And let’s not forget the variety of Mennonite and Amish versions of how one might know who the ‘real believers’ are.

We need only to look to the scriptures to clear up any confusion on the matter.

Jesus said: “By this will all know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another”. (John 13:35). He even qualified what this ‘love’ looks like…it’s in the same manner in which He loved us. (John 13:34). He set the example as to how we are to love others. (John 13:15)

John would later write in his first epistle making the same case that “By this we know that we are in Him…He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:5-6). Scroll back a few verses and he even comes across rather bold when he writes: “Now by this we know that we know Him…IF…we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (3-4). So when was the last time you heard a sermon preached from that text?

John doubles down just a chapter later when He warns us against letting “anyone deceive us making the case that ‘whoever sins is of the devil’ and whoever abides in Him does not sin.” (1 John 3:6-7)

Now before we go any further here, can we just all agree that those passages are indeed in our Bibles...plain as day? You need not run to your preacher or thick commentaries to find an explanation that will convince you that those passages could not possibly mean what they say. They are there and yes, they mean exactly what they say. Remember, anytime you read the multiple warnings given to us about not being deceived, it is probably because the writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew …that we might be easily deceived.

So Paul encouraged us to ‘examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith…test ourselves to see if Jesus Christ is even in us’…hinting that we just might ‘fail the test’ (2 Cor. 13:5). It should not be a difficult thing to compare and decide given the ‘litmus test’ I just laid out for you from scripture. And this test has nothing to do with whether you speak in tongues or by the clothes or hairstyles you wear or…the car you drive. Nor does having ‘faith to move mountains, cast out devils and feeding the poor’ play in to it either. (1 Cor. 13:1-3; Matt. 7:21-23). Paul even wrote to Titus and said that ‘many will profess to know God, but by their actions they will deny Him”. (Titus 1:16). Pretty interesting to start putting all these ‘pieces’ together the way God intended for us to see them, is it not?

So here’s the part that I think some sincere folks need to be made aware of in case you are feeling a bit hopeless or confused:

When a person is truly abiding in Christ…that does not mean they are immune from experiencing human emotions, wrestling with genuine feelings, and yes…even being tempted to sin and act out in the flesh which is how we all ‘used to live’. (Eph. 2:1-3)

But nor does this mean or suggest that just because you experience these ‘feelings’ is it a reason or excuse for sinning and acting out in such a manner either. IF…a person is truly abiding in Jesus…they will indeed face these ‘tests’ and temptations’…but…but…but…they will respond differently now because if they are abiding in Christ, that means Jesus is Lord and now you do what He says. (Luke 6:46)

Perhaps you have read where Paul admonishes us to “Be angry, and do not sin.” (Eph. 4:26) He follows up with: “nor give place to the devil”. (27).

Sin does that, you know? It ‘gives place to the devil’. And we know what he comes to do: ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (John 10:10). That’s probably why Jesus told that man He healed to ‘go and sin no more or something worse might happen to you.” (John 5:14).

When we begin to see this Bible from God’s perspective, it really does begin to make more sense. You can read verses like where John wrote “we know that whoever is born of God does not sin…and the wicked one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18), and we can see how that ‘fits’ with all those other verses.

But again, we need only to look further in to scripture and read how Paul himself experienced feelings of irritation and annoyance (Acts 16:18). But that does not mean he sinned. We read in Acts 15 where there were some disputes and disagreements and even ‘contention’ that rose up among those early believers and church leaders (Acts 15:1,7,39), but that does not mean they ‘sinned’. And IF…they sinned, make no mistake about it…God dealt with them as any loving father would deal with their disobedient child and chasten them to the point they would experience anguish. But the hope was always that they would come to repentance and then be forgiven. (Heb. 12:9-11; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 John 2:1)

Sadly, this is how the enemy has sent destructive heresies and lies under the guise of man-made doctrines to convince us we will always ‘remain sinners’ and ‘continue to sin’. (2 Pet. 2:1)

What I have learned from experience these past few years is for one: This walking and acting like Jesus is much easier to do when He is in charge. I just can’t believe how long it took me to come to this realization…but better late than never, right? Praise be to God. But we really do have to be ‘crucified in Him in order for Him to live in us’. (Gal. 2:20; John 3:30). This is where I am convinced so many sincere people have ‘missed it’ and/or been led astray.

While as a rule of thumb I avoid using popular movies to make an illustration, on occasion it does lend itself to making a good point. And while I don’t recall ever having watched this particular film in its entirety, (original release in 1975 and two subsequent remakes in years following) the term or title itself has become a popular expression to convey a particular meaning. Perhaps you have seen or heard of “The Stepford Wives”?

In a nutshell, there was this fictitious town back east where apparently all the men in this town had wives who had been ‘programmed’ or ‘rewired’ to be consumed with nothing other than to serve and please them. Serving and waiting on their husbands to meet their ‘every need’ was paramount, and they had no personal or selfish interest, dreams, or desires to fulfill of their own. You might say they were robots or ‘androids’. Pretty crazy story to say the least.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but that was never God’s intention to create us…where we were like ‘Stepford Wives’ who were programed to ‘serve God’. He gave us…free will to choose. 

Jesus even uses that term about our ‘unwillingness’ to come to Him on several occasion. (John 5:40; Matt. 23:37)

But when we do…come to Him willingly and humbly in repentance…with ALL our hearts, then He begins to transform us into a ‘new creation’. (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:29). It is quite the mystery for sure…as Paul refers to it being the ‘mystery of godliness’…Christ in us.(Col. 1:26-29)

We continue to ‘live…but it is no longer us who live but Christ lives in/through us’. (Gal. 2:20) And yes, we continue to experience emotions and temptations but it’s…different now. And we truly can overcome the devil, the flesh, and all sin. But you won’t do it on your own or by trying harder to do better. And that, my friends, is where so many folks have been wearing themselves out trying.

Jesus invites us to come to Him promising that his ‘yoke is easy and His burden is light’….come unto Me…all ye who are weary…(Matt. 11:28-30)

Perhaps can pursue this further…tomorrow; Lord willing, of course. ;-)