by Ronnie Hewitt
How do you remain in vital union with Jesus? By loving Him, obeying Him, and surrendering more and more of yourself to Him. This is how Jesus lived. He modeled for you a totally surrendered life, a life lived in union with the Father. He came in part to show you how it’s done.
John 15:4-5 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus lived His entire life, the same way we must, through an ongoing love and dependence upon God. Each of us must give our lives over to Him in order to receive His life. Not just once, but as a regular practice. Of course, there is more to this than saying a prayer.
The expression “apart from/ without me” denotes the same as separate from me. As branches, if separated from the main vine, could produce no fruit, but would immediately wither and die, so Christians, if separate from Christ, can do nothing. Therefore, the expression strongly implies dependence. The Son of God was the original source of life (John 1:4). He also, by his work as Mediator, gives life to the world (John 6:33), and it is by this same grace and agency that it is continued in the Christian today.
To abide means to stay where you are. The Christian has been placed in Christ; that is his position. In daily walk, he should stay in intimate fellowship with the Lord. A branch abides in a vine by drawing all its life and nourishment from the vine. So we abide in Christ by spending time in prayer, reading and obeying His Word, fellowshipping with His people, and being continually conscious of our union with Him. As we maintain constant contact with Him, we are conscious of His abiding in us and supplying us with spiritual strength and resources. The branch can only bear fruit as it abides in the vine. The only way believers can bear the fruit of a Christ-like character is by living in touch with Christ moment by moment.
Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close and connected to Him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful.
Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the Vine? If not, you are missing a special gift He has for you.