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Abiding In Christ, May 11
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:4
.
“Abide in me” are words of great significance. Abiding in Christ means a
living, earnest, refreshing faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It means
a constant receiving of the spirit of Christ, a life of unreserved surrender to His
service. Where this union exists, good works will appear. The life of the vine will
manifest itself in fragrant fruit on the branches. The continual supply of the grace
of Christ will bless you and make you a blessing, till you can say with Paul, “I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”
(
Galatians 2:20
).
The sacred union with Christ will unite the brethren in the most endearing
bonds of Christian fellowship. Their hearts will be touched with divine compassion
one for another.... Coldness, variance, strife, are entirely out of place among the
disciples of Christ. They have accepted the one faith. They have joined to serve
the one Lord, to endure in the same warfare, to strive for the same object, and to
triumph in the same cause. They have been bought with the same precious blood,
and have gone forth to preach the same message of salvation....
Those who are constantly drawing strength from Christ will possess His spirit.
They will not be careless in word or deportment. An abiding sense of how much
their salvation has cost in the sacrifice of the beloved Son of God will rest upon
their souls. Like a fresh and vivid transaction the scenes of Calvary will present
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themselves to their minds and their hearts will be subdued and made tender by
this wonderful manifestation of the love of Christ to them. They will look upon
others as the purchase of His precious blood, and those who are united with Him
will seem noble and elevated and sacred because of this connection. The death
of Christ on Calvary should lead us to estimate souls as He did. His love has
magnified the value of every man, woman, and child.
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