How to remain in his love

May 4, 2021

14:1 – 15:17 Being in Jesus, just as Jesus is in the Father

Read John 15:9-10

Through this illustration of the vine and its branches, Jesus has made clear to his disciples two very important truths which apply to all Christians. The first is that he wants us to be fruitful (15:1,5) and the second is that the key to fruitfulness is to remain in him (15:4-5). It’s only through his life in us that we can bear fruit – apart from him we can do nothing. But the wonderful converse is that if we do remain in him then it is certain that we will bear much fruit. How, then, do we ‘remain in him’?

In these next verses, Jesus answered that question. He says clearly that the basis of our relationship with him is love, just as his own relationship with the Father is one of love. So to remain in him is to remain in that love (9). Once again, remain is the Greek word meno as in verses 4-5, with the sense of to dwell or to abide. This is achieved not by an intense spiritual focus or mystical experience but by something much more practical – “if you obey my commands you will remain in my love” (10a).

It’s easy to miss the direct simplicity of this, particularly if we have a preconceived idea that ‘abiding’ is something ‘spiritual’! But obedience, says Jesus, is the key. This shouldn’t surprise us in view of what he has already emphasised to them about love and obedience (14:15; 14:21-24). That had been the basis of his own relationship within the Father (10b) – he had remained in the Father’s love by constantly obeying the Father’s will (6:38; 8:29; 10:17; 14:31). Likewise, we remain in his love, not through legalistic rule-keeping, but through a whole-hearted commitment to doing his will, expressed in love for God and for others (1 John 3:23-24; 4:15-16).