Before We Can Reflect Christ

            I must confess that I think I got ahead of myself when I posted the last two blogs about reflecting Christ in our lives.  Before we can reflect Him and all that He stands for, we must first have a connection with Him.  John 15: 4, 5 says it like this, “Remain in me, and I will 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” (NIV84). Personally, I prefer the King James Version that says, “Abide in me”.  There’s just something about the word “abide” that gives me a clearer picture of what Jesus is trying to say.

            I’ve gone to various places around the country and remained in some cities for days or even weeks at a time, but I have only “abided” in one city my whole life.  For me, “remain” could be a temporary status, but “abide” is a permanent connection.  That’s the kind of relationship I want with Christ—a personal, ongoing relationship that has me dwelling with Him.  So, how do we get that kind of relationship?

            It can only begin with believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that He went to the cross to pay the price for our sins.  John made this very clear in I John 5: 12, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (NIV84). That’s the first step to creating that connection between the branches (us) and the Vine (Christ).

            The second step is obedience.  Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching” (John 14: 23a, NIV84). To obey Christ’s commands requires us to know His commands, and we can only achieve that knowledge through prayer, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the reading of His Word.  A vine is crucial to the growth of the plant’s branches.  It provides nutrients that will strengthen the plant, keep it upright, and give it the energy needed to keep growing.  Christ is our vine!  Without our connection to Him, we are susceptible to the ways of this world.  We will not remain “upright” and virtuous and we will not have the energy to withstand Satan’s attacks. 

            “Abide” is a verb; it requires action on our part.  Don’t just accept Christ, learn to live in Him.  Our daily goal should be to develop an intimate personal relationship with our Lord and Savior.  That kind of relationship will require a deep prayer life, spending time in His Word, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Without that kind of connection to the Vine, we can’t begin to reflect Christ in our lives. 

John 15: 1 – 8

I John 2: 5 - 6

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