How to Abide in Christ
Many people, when they hear an expression in the Bible like, "Abide in Christ," do not readily understand what it means. If a person abides in his house, he stays there. If one abides by the decision of the judge, he obeys the judge. In John 15:7, the phrase would mean to "remain stable" or "fixed in one’s state."
In John 15:7, Jesus is saying, if we live as He does by keeping His words, then our prayers will certainly be answered. If we say we abide in Him, we also ought to live in the same manner as Jesus lived or walked (1 John 2:6). Jesus was constantly doing things that were pleasing in the Father’s sight (John 8:29). When we live this Way, we are assured of having our prayers answered (1 John 3:22).
Living to please the Father daily is easy and pleasant (Matt. 11:30). It does not take a great deal of intelligence, but we must have the attitude of a child to live God’s Way of life (Matt. 18:4; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17; 1 Cor. 1:26-28).
God-fearing parents would train their children not to swear, lie, steal or cheat. Instead, they would train their children to get involved in doing good things and to continue to do good, overcoming evil by doing good. God wants the same (Rom. 12:21). Our heavenly Father wants us to do the same so He can bless us instead of send curses on us daily (Heb. 12:5-11; Acts 3:26).
We are, by nature, children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). But we come out from under the wrath of God when we become obedient to Christ (John 3:36). Unless we are abiding in Christ daily by practicing righteousness for God, we are all being held captive to do Satan’s will (2 Tim. 2:26). If we are not abiding in Christ, we are doing Satan’s will. But if we are overcoming evil by doing God’s Will daily on earth as it is constantly being done in heaven, we are abiding in Christ (Matt. 6:10). Doing God’s Will is doing good works and this is how we abide in Christ (John 9:31; 1 John 2:17).