“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6
- To tolerate or endure: To bear patiently, withstand, or tolerate something
- To wait for: To await something
- To accept without objection: To acquiesce in or accept something without objection.
- To remain stable: To remain fixed or stable in a state
- To continue in a place: To sojourn or continue in a place
- To conform to: To abide by something means to conform to or obey a rule
According to Merriam-Webster, the word abide has multiple meanings:
It has been written that to "abide in Christ" means to maintain a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, where one stays connected to Him through faith, prayer, scripture reading, and obedience. Can you imagine the level of discipline it takes to trust, have dependence, and intimacy, reflecting a life that is continuously influenced by His teachings and Spirit?
Abiding involves living in true harmony with God's will, to allow His love and guidance to flow through your life and marriage which leads to spiritual growth and transformation in your life.
While free will allows us a daily choice to abide in him or not. The big picture is very simple: eternal life or eternal punishment is what’s at stake; that’s the reality. Yet, even though we continue to grow spiritually, we don't fully understand the magnitude of what is required of us.
Are you really ready and willing to:
Tolerate
Endure
Wait
Accept
Remain
Conform to Christ?
Reflection: How much would your marriage benefit if you decided to intentionally abide by each other?
