1 John 3:24 - Living in Union with Christ.
1 John 3:24: Living in Union with Christ.
1 John 3:24 (ESV) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,
and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the
Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 3:24 (NLT) Those who obey Gods commandments remain in
fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because
the Spirit he gave us lives in us.
The mutual relationship, living in Christ as he lives in us,
shows itself in Christians who keep these three essential commands:
(1) believe in Christ, (2) love the brothers and sisters, and (3)
live morally upright lives. The Spirit's presence is not only
spiritual and mystical, but it is also practical. Our conduct verifies his
presence. [Life Application SB]
John did not teach that salvation was to be earned by obedience;
but that obedience was the fruit of faith and love. "Ye know that He
was manifested to take away our sins," he said, "and in Him is no
sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not
seen Him, neither known Him." 1 John 3:5, 6. If we abide in Christ,
if the love of God dwells in the heart, our feelings, our thoughts,
our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God. The sanctified
heart is in harmony with the precepts of God's law. AA563, 4
I remember when I was in grade school I had to do an
experiment growing a lima bean. I guess education hasnt advanced all
that much, because now, 50 years later, the nine-year-old in our
house has grown a lima been too. But whats interesting is that, the
sprouting plant will always grow toward the sun. Somehow the life of the
bean is drawn toward the light. You can turn the plant around, even
lay it on its side. Whatever you do, the sprout will orient toward
the sun.
Thats what John was saying about us when he wrote, No
one who lives in Him keeps on sinning (v. 6). The NIV captures
the vital tense of the verb. Its not that a Christian never sins.
Its that believers will not keep on sinning. John said the
reason is that Gods seed"the principle of divine life "has been
planted in our personalities. Gods life within us grows in the
direction of godliness. His life is oriented toward purity. And if Gods
life really is in us, there will be a definite tilt toward what is
right, and away from sin.
Anyone may sin at times, and in all likelihood will. But you
can still tell the DIRECTION in which a person is growing. And so
can everyone else! [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary re vss. 4-10]
Many things in your life will change overtime. But
thankfully, by God's grace, when the Holy Spirit enters the life of a
believer, He's there to stay.
That is the implication of the Greek word translated abide:
to remain or stay in one place; to take up residence and live
somewhere. The word emphasizes the permanence and faithfulness of God as He
dwells within us, as He maintains a relationship with us.
We learn from Jesus Himself that God makes a believer's life
a temple in which He dwells through His Spirit (John 15:4-7). That
truth has profound implications for how we live. We are, for instance,
to be good stewards of our body, which is the temple of God's Holy
Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Even as God abides in a believer's life, we are to abide in
Him. To abide in God is to live in His presence and, as a result, to
take on His characteristics. His life becomes our life as our life is
hidden in Him.
We are therefore to face every situation and relate to every
person with the distinct awareness that Jesus is always with us and
within us. How is that affecting the way you are currently living?
[Being Still With God Every Day by Henry Blackaby]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160109-1614.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
http://www.aBible.com
