The Gahanna-Jefferson Church of Christ

The Gahanna-Jefferson Church of Christ


If You Abide, Walk! – Audio

December 10, 2014

It may seem like an oxymoron to walk somewhere if you abide. However, that is what the Bible commands us to do! John wrote, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:6)." God will not tell us to do something that we cannot do. How can we walk and abide simultaneously?

First, we must abide in Christ. One can only abide if one gets into. Thus, one gets into Christ by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). Once in Christ, we must remain in Him and be active. Jesus explained that He is the vine and we are the branches. The branches must abide in Him, as He abides in the vinedresser. By abiding in Him, we must bear fruit (John 15:1-8). He then goes on to say that we are to abide in His love (John 15:9ff.).

Once in Christ, we must walk as He walked. Earlier in his letter, John said that we must "walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7)." By being where Christ is, we can have fellowship with Him and one another. Christ is no longer here on earth, but is with us in spirit. While He was on the earth, He showed us how we ought to walk (1 Peter 2:21-25).

By learning more about Him and following His example, we can abide in Him. We can only abide in Him if we walk just as He walked! Let us remain in His Word, and do what He says.