All Christians Abide in Christ to Various Degrees (John 15:1 10; 1 2 John) 56 Abide in me, and I in you (NASB, ESV, KJV, NKJV). This English translation of the words that Jesus spoke to his disciples in John 15:4 may sound strangely mystical. Largely due to the influence of Keswick theology, many believers yearn to become abiding believers, an experience that they view as a deeper, more intimate resting in Jesus that is a second tier in the Christian life. Keswick s assumption is that only some believers abide: those who do not abide are carnal believers, and those who abide are spiritual or Spirit-filled believers. 57 The dominant Reformed view is that all believers characteristically abide to some degree and that the concept is nearly synonymous with perseverance. 58 Μένω basically means reside or remain. The controversial issue is what the intimate μένω-metaphor means in relation to believers. It is never used in a way that supports the existence of a category of believers who do not abide. 59 John 15:1 10 is the locus classicus for abiding, and there are three major views on the passage. The key issue is the identification of the fruitless branch in verses 2 and 6. First, Arminians identify the fruitless branch as a genuine believer who loses his salvation and who experiences eternal damnation. 60 Second, Keswick and Chaferian advocates generally identify the fruitless branch as a carnal believer whom the Father either tenderly nurtures or severely chastises. Third, proponents of the Reformed view generally identify the fruitless branch as a professing believer who evidences that his connection to Christ is superficial and experiences eternal damnation. 61 Jesus metaphor for abiding (John 15:1 6). A metaphor is an implied comparison without like or as. For example, All flesh is grass (Isa. 40:6). 62 Metaphor, according to Soskice, is that figure of speech whereby we speak about one thing in terms which are seen to be suggestive of another. 63 Without being guilty of adhering to what Soskice calls the Substitution or Comparison theories, 64 Osborne explains a metaphor s components: A metaphor has three parts: the topic or item illustrated by the image, the image itself and the point of similarity or comparison (the actual meaning of the metaphor or simile in the passage). 65 Sometimes one or two of the three components may be implicit rather than explicit. 66 Table 4.3. The components of Jesus metaphor in John 15 1
1. Item 2. Image 3. Point of Similarity a. Jesus The true vine The exclusive source of fruitfulness b. God the Father The vinedresser Ensures increased fruitfulness c. Those connected to Jesus: 1. Judas: counterfeit believers 2. 11 disciples: genuine believers Branches: 1. fruitless branches 2. fruitful branches d. Jesus words Pruning knife [implied] e. What believers produce f. How believers produce it Fruit Remaining vitally connected Connection to the sources of fruitfulness: 1. non-vital connection 2. vital connection Means of cleansing to increase fruitfulness Product of vital connection Abiding Table 4.3 displays the items that the images in Jesus metaphor illustrate as well as the point of similarity between each item and image. 67 a. Exclusivity as the source of fruitfulness. A vine pours life into its branches, and this is the only way its branches can be fruitful. Furthermore, Jesus is the true vine (15:1). Jesus audience, his eleven disciples, were familiar with the vine metaphor because the OT often compares Israel to a vine 68 that failed to produce good fruit (Isa. 5:1 7; Jer. 2:21; Hos. 10:1 2). God s response was to destroy Israel like an unproductive vine (Ezek. 15:1 8; 19:10 14). In contrast to Israel, Jesus the Messiah is the genuine vine (cf. Ps. 80:8 18; Isa. 11:1 2; Jer. 23:5 6; 33:15; Zec 3:8 10; 6:12 13). 69 b. Ensuring increased fruitfulness. A vinedresser increases the fruitfulness of the vine by pruning it, that is, removing dead branches or stems and superfluous or undesired parts. 70 Verse 2 contains a word play: αἴρει (he takes away, removes) and καθαίρει (he prunes). Some argue that αἴρει means he lifts up and pictures the vinedresser tenderly nurturing unfruitful branches by propping 2
them up to receive direct sunlight. 71 Others argue that αἴρει means he lifts up in the sense that the Father lifts up carnal believers to heaven by chastising them with physical death. 72 In the context of Jesus black-and-white metaphor, however, αἴρει must refer to removal from the vine (cf. 15:2 with 15:6). 73 c. Connection, whether non-vital or vital. Every unfruitful branch connected to the vine (ἐν ἐμοί, in me, 15:2) 74 is removed (αἴρω), thrown away (βάλλω ἔξω), dried up (ξηραίνω), gathered (συνάγω), cast (βάλλω) into the fire (εἰς τὸ πῦρ), and burned (καίω, 15:6). Unfruitful branches evidence a non-vital connection to the vine. As Jesus spoke these words to his eleven disciples, Judas was evidencing his superficial connection to Jesus (cf. 13:1 2, 10 11, 26 30). In contrast to Judas, the eleven disciples were fruitful and clean. 75 Judas represents spurious believers superficially connected to Jesus, and the eleven disciples represent genuine believers vitally connected to Jesus. 76 d. The means or instrument of cleansing to increase fruitfulness. Verses 2 and 3 employ another word play: καθαίρει (he prunes, 15:2) and καθαροί (clean, 15:3). The branches are not washed with water; they are pruned with a knife. The vinedresser personally gives careful attention to each fruitful branch, and he cuts or snips off parts of fruitful branches so that they will bear more fruit. Though some may think of God s pruning instrument as uncomfortable experiences or trials, Jesus metaphor identifies the instrument as God s words. The Father s instrument for pruning the eleven disciples was Jesus words. His instrument for pruning all believers in general is his words as recorded in Scripture. Every branch that bears fruit experiences the vinedresser s pruning, and every believer experiences the Father s pruning by his words. 77 e. The product of vital connection. Jesus mentions καρπός (fruit) six times (15:2 [3x], 4 5, 8). He refers to no fruit (15:2, 4), fruit (15:2), more (πλείονα, a comparative adjective from πολύς) fruit (15:2), and much (πολύς) fruit (15:5, 8). f. Abiding. Branches that produce fruit evidence a vital connection to the vine. Professing believers who do not produce fruit (e.g., Judas) evidence a nonvital connection to Jesus, and believers producing fruit (e.g., the eleven disciples) evidence a vital connection to Jesus. Abiding is necessary for fruitfulness. Jesus command to abide (John 15:4a). Μένω occurs ten times in 15:4 10 (15:4 [3x], 5 6, 7 [2x], 9, 10 [2x]) and is implied twice (15:4 5). In Jesus first use of μένω, however, he does not define abiding. He commands it: Abide in me, and I in you (15:4a). 78 This command has at least three implications. First, believers are already vitally connected to Jesus. Second, believers must main- 3
tain their vital connection to Jesus; it is a non-optional responsibility. Third, believers are equally required and responsible for Jesus to abide in them. Commands such as this are a God-ordained means for the believer s perseverance. 79 Jesus reasons for abiding (John 15:4 6). After commanding the eleven disciples, Jesus gives three reasons that they should abide in him. 1. Fruitfulness is impossible apart from abiding in Jesus: Just as the branch cannot [οὐ δύναται] bear fruit by itself unless it abides [μένῃ] in the vine, so neither [can] you unless you abide [μένητε] in Me (15:4). Because apart from [χωρὶς] me you can do nothing [οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν] (15:5). By twice expressing inability with δύναμαι as well as a double negative (οὐ οὐδέν), Jesus asserts that it is impossible for believers to be fruitful without abiding in him. 2. Abiding results in fruitfulness: the one who abides [ὁ μένων] in me and I in him bears much fruit (15:5). 3. Failing to abide results in eternal damnation: If anyone does not abide [μένῃ] in me [ἐν ἐμοί], he is thrown away [ἐβλήθη ἔξω] as a branch [τὸ κλῆμα] and dries up [ἐξηράνθη]; and they gather [συνάγουσιν] them and cast [βάλλουσιν] them into the fire [εἰς τὸ πῦρ], and they are burned [καίεται]. (15:6) 80 This verse must be interpreted in light of other clear Scripture. The burned branch cannot refer to people who have never professed to follow Jesus because they were attached to him in a non-vital way. Therefore, the burned branch does not represent someone who has never heard the gospel nor someone who has heard the gospel but never professed to believe it. It also cannot refer to people who are attached in a vital way because all genuine believers are fruitful and will not experience a fiery destruction. 81 It must refer to people who superficially appear to be attached to Jesus but are not vitally attached to him. First John 2:19 describes such people: They went out from us [ἐξ ἡμῶν], but they were not from us [ἐξ ἡμῶν]; for if they were from us [ἐξ ἡμῶν], they would have remained [μεμενήκεισαν] with us [μεθʼ ἡμῶν]; but [they went out from us] so that they might be manifested that all [of them] are not from us [ἐξ ἡμῶν] (cf. Matt 7:15 23; Rom. 9:6; 11:20; Phil. 3:18 19). All genuine believers are fruitful (cf. Matt. 7:16 17; Rom. 6; Eph. 2:10; James 2:14 26). 82 The fruitful believers in John 15 do not represent Spirit-filled believers in contrast to non-spirit-filled believers. Fruitless branches represent counterfeit, professing believers who experience eternal damnation (cf. Matt. 3:10 12; 5:22; 13:40 42, 50; 25:41; Mark 9:43 49; Luke 3:17; 2 Thess. 1:7 9; Rev. 20:10 15). 4
Jesus explanation of abiding (John 15:7 10). After giving reasons for abiding, Jesus explains what it means to abide. 1. Jesus explains what it means for him to abide in believers. The difference between verses 4 and 7 is significant: Abide in me, and I in you (15:4) and If you abide in me, and my words [τὰ ῥήματά μου] abide in you (15:7a). Τὰ ῥήματά μου explain the second part of Jesus command in 15:4. 83 Jesus abides in believers when his specific utterances (ῥήματα) abide in believers (cf. 6:63). Jesus rebuked Philip in John 14:10, Do you not believe that I [am] in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you [pl.] I do not speak from myself, but the Father who is abiding [μένων] in me does his works. The Father resides in Jesus in that his words reside in Jesus. Though their inter-trinitarian relationship is impossible for finite minds to grasp, the relationship between God the Father and Jesus illustrates how Jesus resides in believers, namely, through his words (cf. John 8:31). 2. Jesus explains the result of his abiding in believers: ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit and prove to be [lit., become] my disciples (15:7b 8). When believers internalize Jesus individual utterances, they will make scripturally informed requests, and God will answer them (cf. 14:13 14). The fruit in this context (i.e., what a believer produces in this passage) is the answers to those prayers (15:8). 84 Bearing much fruit in this way glorifies God the Father and evidences that one is Jesus μαθητής 85 (cf. 8:31; 1 John 2:24; Col. 1:23). 3. Jesus explains what it means for believers to abide in him. The difference between his commands in verses 4 and 9 is significant: Abide in me (15:4) and Abide in my love (15:9). The command in verse 9 further specifies what Jesus is commanding, and verse 10 clarifies what this means: If you keep [τηρήσητε] my commandments [ἐντολάς μου], you will abide in my love. Jesus abides in believers when his words abide in them, and believers abide in Jesus when they obey his words. Abiding in Jesus is obeying Jesus (cf. 1 John 3:24). 86 Defining abiding as obeying seems clear in the text, yet anything but unanimity exists on its definition. Some define abiding as believing 87 and others as fellowship. 88 In 15:10b, Jesus illustrates how believers should abide in his love: just as I have kept [τειήρηκα] my Father s commandments [τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ πατρός μου] and abide [μέων] in his love. Jesus obedience to the Father is a motif throughout John s Gospel (4:34; 5:19; 6:38; 8:39, 55; 14:31). Thus, Abide in me, and I in you (15:4) means Obey my words, and let my words 5
remain in you. Jesus abides in believers to the degree that his words abide in them, and believers abide in Jesus to the degree that they obey his words. Every believer abides in Jesus to some degree, resulting in different degrees of fruitfulness. 89 Μένω in 1 John. Μένω occurs twenty-four times in 1 John. As with John 15, 1 John is not distinguishing between an abiding, Spirit-filled believer and a non-abiding, carnal believer. 90 Such a view wrongly interprets μένω as an activity that only some believers do. 91 John wrote his first letter in response to incipient Gnosticism in order that God s children may know that they have eternal life. He develops his main purpose with a cyclical structure that explains the means for such assurance. 92 These means consist of three inseparable tests: faith, righteousness, and love. 93 John presents tests for whether one is a genuine believer. God s word remains in believers (2:14) with the result that they remain in the Son and in the Father (2:24). Professing believers who do not remain with genuine believers evidence that they were not genuine believers themselves (2:19). People who remain in Jesus do not characteristically sin (3:6, 9) because the Holy Spirit remains in them and because they have been born of God (3:9; 4:12). The one who obeys the Father s commandments remains in Jesus, and Jesus remains in him (3:24). God remains in those who love one another (4:12, 16), and those same people remain in God the Father because he has given his Spirit to them (4:13). The person who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God remains in God, and God remains in him (4:15). Μένω in 2 John. Μένω occurs three times in 2 John, which asserts that truth abides in believers (v. 2). In his characteristically black-and-white terms, 94 John declares, Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide [μένων] in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who abides [μένων] in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son (v. 9). People who do not remain in Christ s teaching are unbelievers. John describes two categories of people: believers and unbelievers. 95 An unbelieving believer or non-abiding believer is a self-contradictory concept that is inconsistent with John s writings. 6