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This is the second in a series of articles on Growing as a Disciple of Jesus. In our first article, we saw that discipleship begins with understanding our identity in Christ—who we are because of His grace. Now we turn to the second foundation: Abiding in Christ.

The Lord Jesus described this living, loving relationship in John 15 using a vivid picture from farming. He said, “I am the true vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:1, 5). Just as a branch must stay connected to the vine to receive life and bear fruit, so we must remain connected to Jesus. In this short passage (John 15:1–10), the word abide occurs nine times and the phrase in Me appears seven times. Clearly, Jesus wanted us to understand that abiding in Him is at the very center of a personal and meaningful relationship with God.

But what does it mean to abide? The word literally means to remain, to dwell, to stay at home in. Abiding in Christ means intentionally choosing to live each day in close fellowship with Him. It is not passive or automatic. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me…” (v. 7, emphasis added). That little word “if” tells us abiding is a decision we make, not something that just happens.

Ray Stedman once explained, “When our Lord says, ‘Abide in me,’ He is talking about the will, about the choices, about the decisions we make. We must decide to do things which will expose ourselves to Him and keep ourselves in contact with Him.”

So how do we do that? Jesus gave us the answer: “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you…” (v. 7). Abiding begins by letting God’s Word take root in our hearts. We abide in Him when we meditate on Scripture, when we pray, when we walk in step with the Spirit, and when we remain connected to His body, the church. These are not lifeless duties, but life-giving ways to remain in the presence of Christ who abides in us.

You were created and redeemed for this kind of relationship. The Lord doesn’t just want you to know about Him—He wants you to experience His presence, His power, and His love in daily life.

In future articles, we will explore some habits of the heart that help us cultivate a lasting relationship with Christ. For now, ask yourself: Am I drawing life from the true Vine? Am I making daily choices that keep me close to Jesus? Remember—without Him we can do nothing, but when we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit to the glory of God (John 15:5, 8).