“Abide in Me and I in you,” Jesus calls.

We abide in Messiah Jesus in the deep, enduring and fruitful relationship through his grace and truth and love he instills within us by His Spirit.

The apostle John explained who Messiah Jesus is starting in John 1.

“In the beginning was the Word/Logos/Messiah, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
There came a man sent from God, whose name was Yochanan. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. Yochanan testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’ ” From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. For the Torah was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Yeshua the Messiah. No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.” John 1:1-18 ERV.

By His Parable of the Vine and the branches, Jesus conveys what “abide in Me and I in you” encompasses.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be fulfilled.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.” John 15:1-12 ERV.

Now, Jesus urges his disciples and us to be fruit bearing branches by abiding in him.

Thus, we put our love into action and make it real. (1 John 3:16-18 AAT)

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye may love one another.” John 15:13-17 ERV.

We abide in Messiah Jesus through the grace and truth he instills within us by His Spirit.

Until Messiah Jesus came to earth, God’s Old Covenant people could only obey the law written on the stones of the 10 Commandments.

God sent Messiah Jesus to this earth to bring New Covenant grace and truth. He asked His Father to send the Holy Spirit. (John 15:26)

On the Day of Pentecost, God did. Now, all who believe in Jesus can receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-47)

“…while the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus the Messiah. No one has ever seen God. The unique God, who is close to the Father’s side, has revealed him.” John 1:17-18.

There, grace is set in contrast with the law, as it is in Romans 6:14-15 and Galatians 5:4.

In another sense, how grace is experienced, its exercise, whether (1) a state of “grace,” e.g., Romans 5:2; 1 Peter 5:12; 2 Peter 3:18, or (2) a proof thereof in practical effects, deeds of “grace,” 1 Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:6,19 (in 2 Corinthians 9:8 it means the sum of earthly blessings); the power and equipment for ministry, Romans 1:5;12:6;15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:2,7. Vines Dictionary

Messiah’s grace continues to be extended to Jews.

“They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” Romans 11:23 (Romans 11:1-36)

 

~ Bill Bremer

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Bill Bremer is Founder and Managing Director at Kingdom Relationships Colorado.

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