1480. We Know the Son of God Abideth in Us
We Know the Son of God Abideth in Us
"And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit, whom He hath given us" (1Jn_3:24).
1. We have before us a doctrine emphasized by Christ. Christ's mission is set forth in John's Gospel, chapter 15, under the parable of The True Vine.
"Abiding" is the key of fruitbearing.
The branch must abide in the vine; cannot bear fruit of itself.
The believer must abide in Christ, for apart from Him he can do nothing.
There is a great deal of effort in the service for the Lord, wrought through the energy of the flesh, apart from abiding.
There is a great deal of effort to be loving, gentle, kind, happy, and peaceful, in the energy of the flesh, apart from abiding in Christ.
The keynote of all true Christian fruitfulness, however, whether in service or in life, must be from "abiding" in Christ and He in us.
2. We have before us a doctrine set forth by Paul.
The Apostle tells us that the saints are "an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph_2:22).
The Apostle again tells us that Christ must be formed in us "the hope of glory" (Col_1:27).
Once more the Apostle says that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost Who is in us (see 1Co_6:19).
In the above we have a threefold abiding. The abiding of God the Father, the abiding of Christ the Son, and the abiding of the Holy Spirit. Bless God! the Trinity dwells within the children of God.
3. We have before us a doctrine sealed in John's Epistle.
(1) The fact of the abiding.
"And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us" (1Jn_3:24).
The Lord Jesus does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor does he dwell now between the cherubim: the heart of the believer is God's Holy of Holies–it is there that He dwells.
(2) The proof of the abiding.
"Hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" (1Jn_3:24, l. c.).
We know that Christ is within us because the Holy Spirit is continually taking of Christ, and of the things of Christ, and showing them unto us.
He does not say that Christ is in the desert; He does tell us that He is in the heart.
(3) The result of the abiding.
"Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1Jn_1:3).
What advantageth it us if Christ dwells within our hearts, if we cannot walk with Him, and talk with Him, and fellowship Him?
John, in his Gospel, after he tells us of the indwelling Christ, says: "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (Joh_15:11).
John, in his Epistle, after setting forth our fellowship with the Father, and with the Son, says: "These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full" (1Jn_1:4).
The supreme joy of the believer's earthly walk is the fellowship resulting from the indwelling, abiding Christ.
(4) The call of the abiding.
"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked" (1Jn_2:6).
If we have Christ in, we should have Christ out; that is, the outflow of our life should be Christ.
It is not a mere matter of walking as He walked; nor is it a matter of "imitation," nor even of conformity–it is a matter of Jesus Christ, dwelling within us, and becoming manifested through us.
(5) The confidence of the abiding.
"And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1Jn_2:28).
If Christ has been dwelling in the heart, it will be gladness to go to dwell with Him.
If we have not had fellowship with Him down here, and walked with Him as Enoch walked, our hearts will draw back from Him, when He appears in resplendent glory.
We should remember that we are destined to be "forever with the Lord" (see 1Th_4:17), therefore we should now be cultivating that fellowship which shall be ours for evermore.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR