THE WAY OF BLESSEDNESS

If we are to be followers of Jess, we have to abide in Him:

·       “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. (John 15:4-5; ASV)

Abiding in Him is also necessary for salvation:

·       "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (verse 6)

And so, how do we abide in Him? By cleaving to His Word, His teachings:

·       "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)

This is exactly how the Son abided in the Father:

·       "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:10)

Jesus had painted us many portraits so that we might see what this looks like:

·       “For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal; the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.” (John 12:49-50)

How do we love God? Jesus provided us a model for how we are to love God - by keeping His Word. He never taught according to His own will but according to the Word that He had received from the Father.

The Church has often ignored this teaching to its great detriment. However, we are to love God by abiding in His Word, not by living according to our feelings, or by experiencing God, or even by loving others apart from the Word. It's by putting His Word above all else. And this is the way of blessedness (Matthew 6:33).