Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 2)

Today's verse highlights two things.  First, what happens when you abide (remain) in Jesus?  “ . . . he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit . . .”

What does it mean to “abide” in Jesus?

• To abide means “to remain in”, “to continue in”, “to stay in.”
• To abide means “to draw life and support from.”  (This applies only to your abiding in Jesus, not His abiding in you.)
• To abide means “to maintain a living communion with.”¹
• To abide means “to stay united with.”²
• To abide means “to share the life.”³
• To abide means “to hold an unbroken fellowship and personal communion with Him.”⁴
• To abide means “to remain vitally connected . . . , sustaining a spiritual union through the Holy Spirit.”⁵

1 Wuest, Kenneth S. The New Testament: An Expanded Translation. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1961 (reprinted 2002). p. 251.

2 Stern, David H. Jewish New Testament: A Translation of The New Testament That Expresses Its Jewishness. Jerusalem, Israel: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1989. p. 142.

3 Phillips, J. B. New Testament In Modern English. London, England: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000. p. 179.

4 Tourville, Robert E. The Gospel of John: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary From The Classical Pentecostal Point of View. New Wilmington, PA: House of Bon Giovanni, 1986. p. 315.

5 Kostenberger, Andreas J. A Theology of John's Gospel And Letters: Biblical Theology of The New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009. p. 241.