Abiding in Christ and Living in the World
“What Does It Mean to Abide? What Does It Mean They Are Not of This World?” is a Sunday School lesson from a Question and Answer series taught from Selected Scriptures by Michael Beatty, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin – a confessional Reformed Baptist church subscribing to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
Question One: What Is Abiding? (John 15)
We’ll begin with two questions we want to consider from the book of John. If you want to turn to John 15, the first question I want to begin with this morning is in John 15: What is abiding? Verse 10 sounds like we earn God’s favor by obeying him. So that’s the first question I want to look at and to consider.
The parable about the vine, I think, is one we’re familiar with (hopefully). I want to read the first 11 verses because I’m going to comment on them as we go along, just so that we’re all on the same page:
John 15:1–11 (ESV)
Jesus is speaking in a parable with rural or agrarian imagery about a vine and describing the way the vine relates to the fruit it bears. In short, abiding in Christ is speaking of a steadfast faith in him. Since he abides in us, he provides everything we require to bear fruit and remain in him.
Notice in verse 4 that the same word used about abiding in him is also used about what Christ is doing: “Abide in me, and I in you.” Christ abides in his people, and his people abide in him. That’s important, because the primary action is Christ’s. Christ abides in us. It’s not something we earn because we try hard enough or do enough things. Conversely, negatively speaking, we don’t force Jesus not to abide with us because we fail to do certain things or don’t do them fervently enough. Rather, it is related to abiding in Christ.
The good works we do as a sign of our love for him are vindicating what he’s doing in us. Notice in verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” What does the fruit do? It doesn’t earn us the right to be Jesus’s disciples; rather, it proves that we are.
Think of buying or inheriting a new property with fruit trees. You’re told it’s some kind of fruit tree, but you don’t know what kind until the season comes. If it bears fruit, you know what kind it is. If it bears no fruit, you just have acorn trees. The fruit is descriptive of what’s actually occurring.
So because of the works that are done, they vindicate Christ. In other words, what Jesus has done is made known to the world, and that brings him glory. It vindicates him publicly.
Notice also in verse 9 that it is especially because Christ has loved us that we abide in him: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” What began this whole abiding relationship? The love Christ lavished upon us and applies to us by the Spirit. We abide in Christ by faith, and it is something wrought by the love he bestowed upon us.
Elsewhere we read, “While we were yet enemies, Christ died for us.” That love is given to us unconditionally by Christ. And notice in verse 11 that Jesus’s joy continues in us: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” He tells us these things that we might enjoy our communion with him, grow in love for him, and vindicate his work in us.
So coming back to the question: What is abiding? Abiding speaks about faith, and our good works simply vindicate that faith. They help us cultivate assurance in our lives, but they don’t form the basis for our status with Christ. Good works help us have confidence that Jesus is at work in us and that we belong to him. They flow from faith. Christians will have fruit in their lives—fruit Christ prepared for us beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).
We don’t have “specialists” in the Christian life, like on a sports team. We don’t say, “I’m a great tither but do nothing else,” or “I’m a hospitality specialist.” Good works appear in all areas of life, though in varying strengths and degrees among Christians. We all have areas of struggle and areas of relative strength. So when we come to passages like this, we should remember it’s ultimately speaking about faith in Christ.
This is also the sort of friendship we have with Christ. In verses 12–17:
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you… You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” (John 15:13–16)
Christ has chosen his people and appointed that they bear fruit. It’s Christ doing this good work in us. Experientially, though, we put off the old person and put on the new. We don’t sit around waiting until we “feel like it.” We know Christ’s commands and do them out of love and gratitude. But this vindicates Christ’s work in us; it doesn’t form the basis of our standing.
An Illustration: The Sabbath
Take the Sabbath as an example. It demonstrates how quickly our hearts can turn. We’re called to love God in word, thought, and deed. On the Sabbath, it may be easy to avoid work or sports. But when it comes to thoughts, we may suddenly be thinking about Monday. It’s difficult. This shows how much we need Christ at every point. We abide in him because he has chosen us. Practically, we walk in his ways.
Question Two: What Does “Not of This World” Mean? (John 17)
The second question is from John 17:14, 16, and 18: What does it mean, “They are not of this world… As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world”?
This describes how the Bible often speaks of the people of God: not of this world, yet living in it. We face the same issues as the world, but with a reorientation toward our final destination.
John 17:14–18 (ESV)
Here we see two groups: those of the world who reject the Son, and those given to the Son by the Father. Verse 6 says: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.” They were of the world until given to Christ. Now, belonging to Christ, they are no longer of the world.
Our primary relationship is that we belong to the Son. We remain in the world, but the Father keeps us in his name (v. 11). That’s the distinction: no longer of the world, but still in the world.
Sent Into the World
We not only remain in the world but are also sent into it. Verse 18: “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” We are here for a mission. That mission lasts as long as Christ wills, until he brings us to himself (vv. 20–24).
Our mission has three aspects:
- Communion with God – growing in our union with Christ.
- Unity with the saints – growing in love and unity with one another.
- Witness to the world – living in a way that testifies to Christ.
Jesus desires that his people ultimately be with him where he is (v. 24). So though we are sent into the world, it is temporary. Our end is with Christ.
Practical Ramifications
Being not of the world doesn’t mean we adopt a special “Christian accent” or cultural quirks. We’ll still sound like people from Milwaukee—or wherever we’re from. But we live by a different set of morals that mark us out. This is partly apologetic: our lives testify to Christ, causing people to ask why we live this way or how we endure difficulties. That’s when we’re called to give an answer for the hope within us.
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