Abiding in Christ

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.”

John 15:1-5

One aspect of my nightly routine involves plugging my phone in to its charger before I go to bed. This ensures that my phone will have ample power and be ready to use the next morning. On the other hand, neglecting to charge my phone the night before often has repercussions. There’s nothing more frustrating than jumping into the car early in the morning on the way to a meeting — which often necessitates relying upon my phone’s navigation app — only to discover that my phone’s battery is dead. I suspect I’m not the only one who has experienced this. Phones, and their myriad of useful apps, are only useful when they are adequately charged. Our spiritual life operates in a similar manner. Without a regular connection to Christ, the true Vine, our lives become spiritual drained and fruitless.

In John 15, Jesus uses an agricultural metaphor to illustrate this. He says: “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.” (John 5:4-5) The metaphor is simple: Christ is the vine and we are the branches. The vine is the part of the plant that grows out of the soil. It provides support, stores carbohydrates and supplies water to the rest of the plant. Branches, insofar as they are connected to the vine, receive nourishment and will ultimately bear fruit.

We all want to bear fruit. To put it another way: we all want to be the best versions of ourselves. But to do this, it’s essential that we stay connected to the source of spiritual nourishment. The verb Jesus uses to describe this process is “abiding.” To abide in Christ involves establishing a deep relational connection. There are lots of tools to help us do this: prayer, worship, reading Scripture. These are God-given means to help us foster a deeper relationship with Christ. But it’s important to remember that a healthy and meaningful relationship can’t be approached formulaically; there’s no quick hack. This is because Jesus is a person, not a means to self-improvement.

Relationship-building takes time and it’s often messy. A relationship with Jesus begins with a strong desire to know Him more. So, don’t forget to plug yourself in to the source of all life. Abide in Him and you will begin to bear fruit.