What will you do in this New Year? Do you make resolutions or pick out a word to guide you? For me, I like to look at a word or phrase that can guide me throughout the year. This year, considering COVID and all the unexpected challenges of the last few years, I focused on ways to “Abide in Christ.” So, for the year 2023, I want to align my life and thoughts with God, so I feel prepared for whatever comes my way.
The Meaning of “Abide In Christ”
What does the phrase “Abide in Christ” mean to our faith? I found these words on the C. S. Lewis website.
“To be ‘in Christ’ does not mean to be inside Christ, as tools are in a box or our clothes in a closet, but to be organically united to Christ, as a limb is in the body or a branch is in the tree. It is this personal relationship with Christ that is the distinctive mark of his authentic followers.”
(HTTPS://WWW.CSLEWISINSTITUTE.ORG/IN_CHRIST_PAGE1)
We also find this phrase used by Paul throughout his letters in the New Testament. Paul used the term over seventy-five times to express his thoughts. If Paul thought these words were so important, then maybe I need to explore his ideas on them.
Surrender our old selves
To start this study of the phrase, we should begin with the central theme of the statement found in the verse below;
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
We become new creations when we unite with Christ. Our old way of living goes away. We no longer want things from our past that pull us away from God. We surrender our former lives to Him, and God exchanges them for something better. But what do we get?
Renewed Life
Let’s dig into some of Paul’s Bible verses to see how a life in Christ brings us a better way of living. We will look at six key themes.
- In Christ, we become blessed. We find one example for this in Ephesians 1:3; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”
- We receive forgiveness. Paul shows us this in Ephesians 4:32; “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
- We become redeemed, righteous, and holy. We find these benefits in 1 Corinthians 1:30; “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
- We become united. Once again, Paul offers us this reflection in Galatians 3:28; “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- We receive grace. We turn to 2 Timothy 1:9 for this gift; “He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,”
We will go to heaven. Paul shows us the ultimate reward for a life lived in Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:16; “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
Wrap Up
When we are in Christ, we lose the things that weigh us down in life and gain blessings, forgiveness, redemption, unity, grace, and heaven. Sounds good to me. I want to use this year and become organically connected to Christ and deepen my relationship with Him. I want to follow the examples set by the Apostle Paul and be “In Christ.”
Prayer
Abba, Father. Thank You, Father, that I am a branch united to you, my Lord Jesus Christ. May Your life flow through me like the sap flows through the limbs connected to the source. Fill me with Your fullness so that I may live and move and grow and bear fruit as I abide more and more in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I love the Lewis Institute definition of abide. Abiding means being truly His. Thanks, Yvonne. God bless!
May we all belong to Him forever. Thanks Nancy. Blessings
Another stellar post Ms. Yvonne. Something I’m discovering about sanctification (the ‘setting apart’ of oneself for God) is that for some of us, it’s like restoring an old car. There are many layers that you have to peel back/uncover before you get to the original. If you will, some of us surrender in stages, as we sometimes slowly surrender ourselves to God’s will in our lives. With each layer God uncovers and we surrender to Him, we grow closer in our quest to abide in Christ. Thank you for this encouraging post ma’am.
Very well said JD and I totally agree. And I think age plays a part too. As I get older, I realize what is more important in my life and that’s not stuff or careers. Blessings
Amen. Abide in Him. Surrender our will and follow Him. Yes. Great message.
Amen. It sounds so easy but boy can I make it complicated. I try to surrender each and every day. Blessings
A beautiful message of hope and assurance, Yvonne. Thank you. May we be part of that branch, united with our Lord, abiding in Him always.
Amen Katherine. He is our hope. Blessings
“I want to use this year and become organically connected to Christ and deepen my relationship with Him.” This is the desire of my heart! As I get older I realize that Jesus is the legacy that matters. When my grands remember me after I am gone I want them to smile as they recall that I loved them best by loving Jesus most. ~Sharon
Beautiful thoughts and I agree. I want me grands to remember me the same way. Thanks Sharon. Blessings
Beautiful post, Yvonne. Love the Lewis description of abiding and that this is your phrase for the year.
Thank Karen. I pray you continue to Abide in Christ all the days of your life. Blessings
Abiding, one of my favorite topics. I love John 15 and strive to always be prunable. If that’s a word. Love the scriptures you shared.
Thanks so much Jennifer. I think prunable should be a word and we all need to be that way. Blessings
My deep goal is to live every single day, every moment, completely united in Christ… every breath, thought, move, all belonging to Him. I pray the Spirit makes that happen today and always. Thank you for this article!!
Thanks Jessica. Amen and me too. I want to deeply abide him always. Blessings
What an encouraging post, Yvonne. I walk away feeling encouraged. I have COVID right now and an eye that is infected. The hospital system in my city is ridiculous, and so, I needed these words: “When we are in Christ, we lose the things that weigh us down in life and gain blessings, forgiveness, redemption, unity, grace, and heaven. Sounds good to me.” Sounds good to me, too.
Praying for you my dear sister. Thank you for commenting. Blessings