Abiding in the Word of God

We are going to study in some detail what the word “abide” means as pertaining to the Word of God and to believers. We will study what abide means as to the terminology “APPLIED TO”.

Many people hear the terminology ‘Abiding’ in the title of this teaching. But, believe it or not, many people do not completely understand the first word of this teaching. We are going to focus on a very simple definition of ‘abiding’.

Abiding (in almost all examples) means to continue in a permanent state. For many years I was never really sure of the meaning of this word. Many of you may also feel the same. But it seems to make a lot of sense when we consider that we are to continue in a permanent state. Let’s take a look at a very familiar Scripture in the book of Matthew.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. -- Matthew 6: 33

In the first part of the verse, we see that it says to seek first the kingdom of God. This means that we are to abide in the kingdom of God by seeking Him first and continuing this behavior in a permanent state. The key here is the phrase “permanent state”. Do you see how simple the term abiding is defined (or as the old English puts it, abideth)?

Applied to: The Earth’s existence:

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. -- Psalm 119: 90

We should be beginning to understand the purpose of this teaching. At the end of the previous Scripture, when talking about the earth, the Scripture says ‘and it abideth’. This means that the earth will continue in a permanent state in our lifetime. It will be different in many ways when Jesus Christ comes back, because there will be a new heaven and earth. The earth is permanent – it abideth. We will be living in a new heaven and a new earth. That does not mean that the earth will not still exist in a permanent state. It will be a new earth.

Applied to: Believer’s works:

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. -- I Corinthians 3: 14

Now it takes some understanding to be able to understand this teaching. The Scripture says that if a man’s work abides, which means that if this man’s work continues in a permanent state, he shall receive a reward. His work abides.

Let me give you a simple example. All of my teachings are based on what I learned from one single ministry and basically from one single individual. This person’s work still abides in what I believe is a permanent state. Why? Because I have put together about 300 teachings based on the work which this man had built. In the next life, we are going to receive rewards from God for what we did in this life. The Scripture above says that the person who built the ministry who taught me everything I know will result in that leader receiving a great reward. I myself, will receive a great reward because I abide in those teachings. They have become a permanent part or state of my life. That should open up your understanding a little bit more. Let’s continue.

Applied to: Three Graces:

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. – I Corinthians 13: 13

Remember, we learn by repetition and some of this teaching will appear to be very repetitious, but when you’re done with the teaching, are you going to remember what was taught? So now in the above Scripture we see the word abideth. The meanings of these three graces will always be in a permanent state. They are never going to disappear in our lifetime, even though the Scripture tells you that the most important one is charity. That is the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation. The love of God never fails. Can you imagine that? I have seen the love of God perform miracles in my own life by keeping me away from trouble and problems for mostly every part of my life. But that is not the point of this teaching. The point is that on a permanent state, faith, hope and charity will always be with us in this life. That is the power and meaning of that one word in the verse referred to as abideth.

I should’ve stressed this at the beginning of this teaching. We are referring mostly to the Age of Grace and that is the time in which we are now living. We live in the Grace Administration. Almost every Scripture that we will study falls within the seven church epistles which are written directly to us. For example, in the three graces, the word hope that is used is regarding the hope of the return of Jesus Christ. When Christ comes back, we won’t need that hope any longer. But for the present moment, we need that hope as a permanent state. This is why it’s so important to rightly divide God’s Word. By understanding what the word hope is referring to, we can then clearly understand that someday we won’t need that hope. That is because Christ has already returned. But again and one more time, in this present age of grace in which we live we must permanently have the hope for the return of Jesus Christ. Hope motivates us and it keeps us going knowing that we have something magnificent to look forward to.

Applied to: God’s faithfulness:

If we believe not yet (delete yet), he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. – II Timothy 2: 13

Perhaps you heard this said another way. ‘God is not a man that He can lie’. However this verse begins with ‘If we believe not’ -- God abides faithful. It doesn’t matter if we believe God’s Word or not, God’s Word is true, pure and righteous. God cannot deny Himself – He cannot lie. God gave us free will to believe Him or not. If we choose not to believe, it has no effect whatsoever on the truth of God’s Word.

Applied to: Christ’s priesthood:

Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. – Hebrews 7: 3

The Son of God abides as a priest continually as a permanent state. His father or mother or the beginning of his life or the end of his life does not affect the fact that Jesus Christ remains a priest as a permanent state. He abides as a priest continually. Again, this example should be simple for you to understand. Let’s take two more examples.

Applied to: God’s Word:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. -- I Peter 1: 23

I am glad that this teaching is getting simpler as we progress. We surely know one thing and that pertains to the Word of God. The Word of God lives and abides forever. Once we are born again we have incorruptible seed within. We have only obtained this great blessing by the Word of God. The Word of God lives and abides forever. It is continuing in a permanent state and always will be. This is a good Scripture to study since it expresses the simplicity of the principle that we are studying in this teaching. Let us move on to our last example.

Applied to: The believer’s eternity:

This verse is very similar in context to the previous verse. In the previous verse we talk about the Word of God which lives and abides forever. In the verse we are about to study we see a similar statement about the Will of God. Let’s get to the verse.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. – I John 2: 17

Here we see a verse that says about the same thing about a believer abiding or living forever. In the last verse, we talk about this world passing away and you should remember that we spoke about this once before. There will be a new heaven and a new earth referred to as the third heaven and earth and everything will be changed and different. Among many other things that will cease to exist is what is mentioned in the last verse and that is lust. Lust is over desire. It can be referred to as greed. There is more lust today in this world than you can imagine. Lust is a devil spirit and the enemy takes advantage of people who will give in to lust. If you have six cars in your driveway, you are being influenced by lust. People who are taken over by lust feel a sense of power by trying to make others feel smaller than them. I won’t get deeply into this subject right now, but I just want you to know that lust is over desire. When this world passes away, lust will pass away with it. But he who does the Will of God abides or lives forever. We, as believers, have eternal life because we make an attempt to do the Will of God. I am going to conclude this teaching with a verse that has always comforted me and taught me great things as far as wisdom is concerned.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear [respect] God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty [purpose] of man. -- Ecclesiastes 12: 13

We were designed to do this. We were designed to live by the Word of God. Can you imagine that? When I first saw this verse in the Bible, it just blew my mind. God just comes right out with it and we finally know what our purpose is in this life.

I have tried my very best to get you to understand what it means to ABIDE. And for one last time I would like to state that it means to continue in a permanent state. Don’t ever turn your back on God or His Word. We must fulfill that condition if we want to live the more than abundant life. And living by that condition of keeping God first in your life is the most exciting life that you can ever live.

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