Many, including myself, are experiencing a lot of change as an era of reformation continues to release fresh wine that requires new skins. In times of change and uncertainty we long for a sense of security and predictability. Of course, this is a mechanism God put in us to motivate us toward Him. He is our security and He never changes. This draws our hearts so we experience a relief from the stress of change. Often we are attracted to Jesus' words about "abiding" in Him.
Abiding in Him is exactly what we are to do, but abiding in Him is not a stationary or stagnet situation. Abiding in Him is about movement and change. See how this works out as I explain what I see in John 15....
I have been giving thought to John 15. Of course there is a lot in there. Jesus was giving instructions at the end of the Last Supper and was about to leave the Disciples. He had washed their feet, commanded them to love each other, identifies Himself as Way/Truth/Life, promises Holy Spirit, and then says to abide/stay in Him (John 13-15). He reveals Himself as the vine, the source, not the temple or law. This dialog was to call the Disciples to remain in Him/new covenant and not fall back into the old or return to Judaism.
An important part to reading scripture is to keep in place the lens of the New Covenant replacing the Old and that the original text was written to those of the Old in order to call them into the New. Jesus' words about abiding reveals that He is of the new and anything that remains in the old is not connected to the Vine therefore doesn't produce fruit. This leads to being cut off and thrown in fire. This literally happened to Jerusalem and the temple as they didn't abide in Him. In AD70, the temple and Jerusalem were burned to the ground (the fire). Those "in the Way"/ Christians that stayed in Jesus got out and were preserved. Our lives are ongoing fruit of that.
So John 15 can really speak to us to stay connect in Jesus by being in step with what He's doing. We are "in Christ/abiding" by the means of His grace at our new birth. We have been brought to Him and are not going to fall out of Him. So there is not much of a way to abide more in Him then we are through new birth. For regenerated lives, we don't fear not being in Him. So John 15 doesn't say much to us about our position or status with Him. We may want or need a deeper or more up to date communion with Him, but we already abide/remain in Him once born again.
So I'm looking at abiding from the view of remaining with Him as He brings new eras, new seasons, further work. We are to stay/abide in step with Him as He progresses His Kingdom. That which does not remain/abide in step becomes the fruitless branches and is useless. This leads to drying up and being lifeless. We all know many people and many churches that are in Chirst positionally and salvationally but are dried up and fruitless. This is because they are not abiding in Him as He brings forth new. The context of John 15 is at the brink of the new exploding into history. The promise of the Holy Spirit is that He would be the Helper, Counselor to keep us in step with what Christ is doing. This shows me that we abide in Him by staying in step with what He is doing (our salvation is secured). That which is not abiding in Him is evident by dryness and no fruit. So if we want to abide, we must move and go past comfort, ease, own desires and walk in what has fruit of the Vine. When we see that which is dry and without fruit, we see that which is not in the Vine (abiding) and will be reduced to ashes.
As God changes seasons and calls us to the new, He calls us into it by calling us to abide. He is calling us to go with Him into the new that produces fruit. He prunes through the tension and ache of things being removed or going away. This is His process of bringing more out of us and deeping our connection in Him.
John 15 has to be seen in connection of John 13 & 14... The Last Supper/His final words to Disciples about moving from the old into the new.
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