From the Book, Rules For Life: According To Jesus

7. Remain in Jesus 

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

John 15:1-4

Here, Jesus uses a grapevine to compare our relationship with Him. Just as the grapevine provides life to the branches, which produce the grapes, so God gives us power and life to produce fruit for Him through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

“If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate [or Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor. Greek reads Paraclete], who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  No, I will not abandon you as orphans — I will come to you.  Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

John 14:15-21

When you ask Jesus into your heart and He becomes your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in you, and you in Him. And this is not just for the men who followed Jesus throughout Israel in the first century; it’s for all of His followers ever since. Here is how we know this:

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

John 17:20-21

So, in these few passages, we’ve seen that when we become believers, Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit all become one with us and we become one with each other. This is what the Kingdom of God is all about: unity and love. 

To remain in Jesus is to follow His commands, so that we may produce much fruit in our lives for God’s glory. What is the fruit? Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians:

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23

Other kinds of fruit could be the miraculous deeds that are possible through Him, and helping others come to saving faith in Him. For this to happen, all we need do is remain in Him and follow His commandments.

Previous – Forgive Others | Next – Live Righteously Before Men

Sections in this study:
Introduction
1: Repent
2: Be Born Again
3: Place God First
4: Love and Serve One Another
5: Live By Faith
6: Forgive Others
7: Remain in Jesus
8: Live Righteously Before Men
9: Avoid Bad Influences
10: Stay On The Narrow Path
11: Do Not Return Evil With Evil
12: Give More Than Is Demanded
13: Love Your Enemies
14: Check Your Motives
15: Pray Simply
16: Do Not Worry
17: Store Up Treasures In Heaven
18: Do Not Be Judgmental
19: Guard what is Sacred
20: Care For Those In Distress
21: Do Not Swear Oaths
22: Watch out for false prophets
23: Exercise Spiritual Power
24: Have Childlike Faith
25: Do Not Exalt Yourself
26: Settle Disputes Quickly
27: Settle Disputes Between Believers
28: Do not Oppose Brethren
29: Remember Me
30: Be Merciful
31: Make Disciples
32: Be Ready
33: Obey Jesus’ Commands
Closing Comments