Abiding In the Vine
by Gloria Copeland
There are two approaches to living the Christian life. One is to follow a set of rules: to focus on religious do’s and don’ts and endeavor to live by them. That’s called legalism, and it’s hard. It’s a recipe for frustration and failure.
The other approach is to simply stay in living contact with Jesus, and to focus on cultivating union with Him. That’s much easier than legalism and it works a whole lot better. It’s a recipe for joy and victory because it’s the God-appointed method of living the Christian life.
As believers, we’re divinely designed to live in union with Jesus!
We’ve been made one spirit with Him through the new birth (1 Corinthians 6:17). He’s living on the inside of us through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Our inner man has been
re-created in His likeness and we’ve become partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
Talk about having it made! We don’t need a bunch of religious rules to follow. We have within us the Good Shepherd who said, “My sheep hear my voice…and they follow me” (John 10:27). We don’t have to struggle to keep a long list of laws, we’re one with Christ Himself. We just have to choose to walk in that oneness.
The choosing is our part of the program. As much as Jesus loves us and desires to be involved in our lives, He won’t make our choices for us. He won’t just barge in on us and take over. That’s not His style.
Jesus isn’t a dominator like the devil is. He waits for us to give place to Him. He operates according to the principle in James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”
“But I don’t know how to draw nigh to God,” someone might say.
It’s simple. You just turn your heart and mind toward Him in an attitude of faith and obedience. You just acknowledge His lordship and His presence and begin to fellowship with Him by faith.
Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, Jesus is right there. Day or night, no matter what’s happening, His Holy Spirit is in you and with you, not even a breath away. You don’t have to wait until you get to church on Sunday to be near Him. You don’t even have to wait until you can get on your knees to pray.
BVOV : 5
