Abiding in Christ is not a mystical feeling reserved for elite Christians. It is the normal life of faith. Jesus teaches that branches bear fruit only as they remain connected to the vine. Christians are not called to produce spiritual fruit through independence. We live by union with Christ. Abiding involves trusting Him, receiving His Word, obeying His commands, praying, depending on His grace, and bearing fruit that glorifies the Father. When believers drift from Christ, they become spiritually barren. When they abide, fruit grows because the life comes from Him.
