We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.

abide

Our True Eternal Home

In becoming our sin and bearing the death-consequences of sin, Christ has opened the way for us to participate in the fellowship of the triune God. Because of the cross, we are now free to abide in Christ and to have Christ abide in us (John 15:4-10). The word “abide”(menno) means “to take up residence.” It is the opposite of “occasionally visit.” So, Christ died so that we would make him our permanent home as he makes us his permanent home.

Now, Paul teaches that all who place their trust in Christ are placed “in Christ.” We have been rescued…from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13). In a very real, ontological sense, we change addresses when we place our trust in Christ. But this isn’t the “abiding” that Jesus is talking about. The very fact that Jesus calls on his disciples to “abide” in him and warns them that they will not bear fruit if they don’t do this means that this “abiding” is something that we chose to do—or not.

We live in Christ to the degree that we surrender our will to him, moment–by-moment. Christ is our home to the degree that we are aware, moment-by-moment, that we are surrounded by, indwelt by, his perfect love. So the goal of our life must be to align our hearts and minds, moment-by-moment with the “in-Christ” new address we receive when we surrender to Christ. And as we remain aware and surrendered to Christ, moment-by-moment, we bear the fruit of Christ. As we “abide” in him and he in us, his loving, self-sacrificial character, as well as his joy and peace, become ours.

Christ took upon himself all that belonged to us so that all that belongs to him would be given to us. To receive this, we need only stay put in our true eternal home, Christ Jesus.

Photo credit: Warlen G Vasco via Unsplash

Related Reading

On the Other Side of the Cross

Image by -Reji via Flickr Bless you all this Easter. He is risen!

Why Do Christians Keep Struggling With Sin?

If we truly are righteous in Christ Jesus (see Earlier Post about our identity in Christ), why do we need to be reminded to live righteous lives? If we are new creations and have a new name (2 Cor 5:17), why do we still struggle with sin? If I am filled with God’s Spirit, the…

Topics:

The Only Thing That Matters Is Love: The Kingdom of God (Part 3)

To say that living in Calvary-quality love is the most important thing in our life is to grossly understate its importance. This stands in distinction from how we typically define the Kingdom of God. But it stands in line with the fact that Jesus is the Kingdom of God. Paul says the “the only thing…

How the Anabaptists Emphasized the Cross

Because the Anabaptists have generally emphasized faith that is evidenced by works and thus on Jesus’ life as an example to be followed, it may prima facia appear that the saving work of the cross was less central to the early Anabaptists than it was to the Reformers and to Evangelicals. In reality, I would argue,…

Worst Sinner Award

Jesus taught: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank…

Was Jesus Really Human Like the Rest of Us?

Did Jesus really live as a human like you and I do? Or did he walk around with special divine powers that we don’t have? In the previous post, I introduced the question: How was God both fully God and fully man? I explained the classical model of the Incarnation which views the incarnate Jesus…

Topics: