SPECIAL TOPIC: Abiding in John's Writings

SPECIAL TOPIC: "ABIDING" IN JOHN'S WRITINGS

John's Gospel describes a special relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son. It is a mutual intimacy based on Jesus' subjection and equality. Throughout John's Gospel Jesus speaks what He hears the Father saying, does what He sees the Father doing. Jesus does not act on His own, but on the will of the Father (i.e., John 5:19,30; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10,24).

This intimate fellowship and servanthood sets the pattern for the relationship between Jesus and His followers. This intimate association was not the absorption of the individual (as in eastern mysticism), but an ethical, moral lifestyle of emulation (cf. John 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 3:16). Fellowship involves

cognitive (the worldview of the gospel as the Word of God)
relational (Jesus was God's promised Messiah to be trusted in and obeyed)
ethical (His character reproduced in godly believers)

Jesus is the ideal man, the true Israelite, the standard of humanity. He reveals what Adam should have, and could have been (humanly speaking). Jesus is the ultimate "image of God." He restores the fallen divine image in mankind (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) by

full, unique, and ultimate revelation of God (cf. John 1:18; 14:7-10; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:1-2)
dying on sinful humanity's behalf (substitutionary atonement, cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21)
providing humans an example to follow (cf. John 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 1:7; 3:16)

The term "abiding" (menō), which denotes "remaining" or "continuing," reflects the goal of Christlikeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 2:4; 1 Pet. 1:15), which demonstrates the restoration of the image of God lost in the the Fall (cf. Genesis 3). This reunion of God and His ultimate creation, mankind, for the purpose of fellowship is the Apostle Paul's "in Christ" and the Apostle John's "abide in Me."

The key text on "abiding" is John 15, which is part of the upper room dialogue of Jesus' last Passover meal (i.e., John 13-17) to His disciples the night of the Last Supper. It must be noted that this context is a warning, as well as a comforting promise. The branches that do not bear fruit are cut off and burned. Even the branches that bear fruit are pruned so as to produce more fruit. Fruit bearing is crucial imagery of a saved person (i.e., the sign of a true faith relationship with Jesus, cf. Matt. 7:13-23; 13:1-23)! No fruit; no root!

Notice John's usage:

Abiding between the Father and Son
1. the Father in the Son (John 10:38; 14:10,11; 17:21,23)
2. the Son in the Father (John10:38; 14:10,11; 17:21)
Abiding between Deity and the believer
1. the Father in the believer (John 14:20,23; 1 John 3:24; 4:12-13,15)
2. the believer in the Father (John 14:20,23; 17:21; 1 John 2:24,27; 4:13,16)
3. the Son in the believer (John 6:56; 14:20,23; 15:4,5; 17:23)
4. the believer in the Son (John 6:56; 14:20,23; 15:4,5,7; 1 John 2:6,24,27,28)
Other abiding elements (positive)
1. the word of God
  (1) negatively (John 5:38; 8:37; 1 John 1:10; 2 John 9)
  (2) positively (John 8:31; 15:2; 1 John 2:14,24; 2 John 9)
2. the love of God (John 15:9-10; 17:26; 1 John 3:17; 4:16)
3. the Spirit of God
  (1) on the Son (John 1:32)
  (2) in the believer (John 14:17)
4. obedience is abiding (John 14:15-21,23-24; 15:10; Luke 6:46; 1 John 3:24)
5. love is abiding in light (1 John 2:10)
6. doing the will of God is abiding (1 John 2:17)
7. anointing abides (1 John 2:27)
8. truth abides (2 John 2)
9. the Son abides (John 8:35; 12:34)
Other abiding elements (negative)
1. the wrath of God abides (John 3:36)
2. abide in darkness (John 12:46)
3. thrown away. . .burned (not abiding, John 15:6)
4. sinning (not abiding, 1 John 3:6)
5. not loving (not abiding, 1 John 3:14)
6. not a murderer (not eternal life abiding, 1 John 3:15)
7. he who does not live abides in death (1 John 3:14)

In the context of John 15, there is one who did not abide—Judas Iscariot. In John's letters there is an example of some who did not abide (i.e., 1 John 2:18-19). False leaders and false profession do exist (i.e., Matt. 7; 13; John 8). One evidence is bad fruit or no fruit.