Remaining in Christ…….

[Not me]

John 15:5 (NASB20)
“I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This expression of remaining in Christ is not directing one to anything outwardly, for no physical location can get one closer to, or further away from Christ…. Therefore, if this is true, these words would be addressed to something inwardly, that being, the inner man’s relationship with Christ…..

For these words, ‘remains in me and I in Him’ are meant to be an encouragement to the believing one, for all that is required is for the believing one to remain a believing one…. These words do not mean that the believing soul sometimes has Christ, and sometimes does not have Christ depending on their actions…. There is something that is effected by one’s actions though, that would be one’s sensibility of the life of Christ in them….. For the sensibility of the life of Christ remains sensible by the faith of one’s heart, for when one’s faith does not remain, the sensibility of the life of Christ does not remain…. Which sensibility can be brought back by one turning back to Christ by faith….

For this is what this ‘remaining’ is that Christ is addressing, it is encouraging one to remain in the faith, that is to stay trusting in God… So that the believing soul can and will produce fruit, and once again to increase in that trusting to produce even more fruit…. For God’s hands are tied by one’s unbelief, for if one does not succumb to unbelief but remains with the trust of their heart towards God, God is free to work in that one’s life….. For God does want to grow His life in the believing one, but needs the believing one to remain in the faith, that is, to keep on trusting, that He is God, and that He is good, and that He loves His creation, and that His love is pointed personally toward that one, that He is at work, and has birthed and will grow His life in the believing one’s life…. So if all this is true, what is this that this trusting in God is to manifest…? 

It is righteousness….

For in the manifestation of righteousness is the realness  of God manifested outwardly to all…. For this is what turns another to Christ, the righteousness of faith manifested outwardly towards another… Be that other in the faith or not, for if the truth of Christ is manifested, the opportunity for growth or salvation is presented to the other….

This is why remaining in the faith produces much fruit, because the fruit comes from God Himself, the believing soul has no part in the production of the fruit but to remain a believing soul…. For God will do all, if the soul remains a believing soul… Henceforth the command of our Lord to remain in Him so the believing one will produce much fruit, and in that fruit show forth the truth of God, for in doing one’s part in the growing of Gods family is the abundance of one’s reward….. 

In the Beloved, Not me 

[Mr. M]

1 hour ago, Not me said:

This expression of remaining in Christ is not directing one to anything outwardly, for no physical location can get one closer to, or further away from Christ…. Therefore, if this is true, these words would be addressed to something inwardly, that being, the inner man’s relationship with Christ…..

The outward manifestation is from the Body, not upon one, yet relying on the contribution of the all.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies,

according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

[Not me]

27 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

The outward manifestation is from the Body, not upon one, yet relying on the contribution of the all.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies,

according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

As the Spirit of Christ so teaches you Himself be so very blessed…

 

A fellow believer, Not me 

[Alive]

31 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

The outward manifestation is from the Body, not upon one, yet relying on the contribution of the all.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies,

according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

Although I believe, these things are true of Christ’s body universal, much of these things are only relevant in the context of a local expression. A real living organic multi membered body.

Each one is unique. Picture for a moment a new gathering where all but one or two are new converts and among them are a couple very bright individuals who learn scripture very quickly, but are babes, with no maturity at all…in fact hindered by their natural abilty. The rest of the new converts cannot tell the difference.

Believe it or not, the Lord will work there…as messy as it can get….when we point to Christ always as head. Life flows.

[Mr. M]

5 minutes ago, Alive said:

Although I believe, these things are true of Christ’s body universal, much of these things are only relevant in the context of a local expression. A real living organic multi membered body.

Each one is unique. Picture for a moment a new gathering where all but one or two are new converts and among them are a couple very bright individuals who learn scripture very quickly, but are babes, with no maturity at all…in fact hindered by their natural abilty. The rest of the new converts cannot tell the difference.

Believe it or not, the Lord will work there…as messy as it can get….when we point to Christ always as head. Life flows.

Or put another way, we should apply your lesson, come together expecting the Lord to do what He does without concern

for what we need to do. Come expecting to receive. To provide this is no one individual's responsibility.

The elders lead the flock to the place where they can receive from the Master's hand, not the from elder.

And certainly not of themselves. That is the message.

2 Corinthians 3: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves,

but our sufficiency is from God.

In a nutshell, lead by example!,  follow in faith.

[Alive]

9 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

Or put another way, we should apply your lesson, come together expecting the Lord to do what He does without concern

for what we need to do. Come expecting to receive. To provide this is no one individual's responsibility.

The elders lead the flock to the place where they can receive from the Master's hand, not the from elder.

And certainly not of themselves. That is the message.

2 Corinthians 3: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves,

but our sufficiency is from God.

In a nutshell, lead by example!,  follow in faith.

Yup---this requires a patient trust in the Head as well as Christ's patient work in each individual effectually for His purpose and not that of the elder among them.

All of this works in the context of an intimate gathering, but altogether different from the pulpit.

The pulpit can exhort and bring a timely message, but more is required.

:-)

It is in the close and up front intimacy where true accountibility and discipling takes place.

I beleive the Lord has been and will continue this into the future.

This may not be the opinion of the sponsors.