Faith & Reason Nexus

“If you abide in my word, then are you truly my disciples.” (John 8:31)

1. NOT PRACTICING SIN
   • John 8:31 – Jesus calls His disciples to abide in His word and live according to His teachings.
   • 1 John 3:6 – “No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him.”
   • Abiding in Christ involves living a life that is not characterized by the continual practice of sin but rather by a commitment to righteousness.
2. KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS
   • 1 John 3:24 – “The one who keeps God’s commandments abides in Him, and He in them.”
   • A key evidence of abiding in Christ is obedience to His commandments. It shows our love for Him and our alignment with His will.
3. BEARING FRUIT
   • John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”
   • 1 John 2:10; 4:13 – Love for others and the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives manifest as fruit. As we abide in Christ, our lives become productive for the Kingdom of God.
4. LOVING EACH OTHER
   • A natural evidence of abiding in Christ is showing love toward one another, reflecting Christ’s love for us in our relationships with others.
5. WALKING AS CHRIST WALKED
   • 1 John 2:6 – “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.”
   • Living as Christ lived—obedient to God, humble, loving, and sacrificial—is a powerful evidence of abiding in Him.
6. CONTINUING IN CHRIST’S WORD
   • Abiding in Christ requires us to continually immerse ourselves in His word, allowing His truth to shape our lives and decisions.
7. FAITHFULNESS TO GOD’S TRUTH
   • 1 John 2:24 – “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.”
   • 2 John 9 – “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God.”
   • Faithfulness to God’s truth, preserving and holding fast to the teachings of Christ, is a crucial sign of abiding in Him.

To abide with Christ in Heaven, one must first abide in Him here!
Our relationship with Christ in this life determines our eternal fellowship with Him. Abiding in Him here on earth reflects our preparation for eternal life with Him.