What is abiding in Christ?
How do we abide in Christ?
KJV
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye
are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (Joh 15:1-7 KJV)
If it were possible for someone who does abide in Christ to somehow not abide in Christ later, then where does it say that if someone does not abide in Christ that Christ will not abide in him?
See the above passage. There's also a Paul's words to Timothy.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with
him, we shall also live with
him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with
him:
if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If
we believe not,
yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
(2Ti 2:11-13 KJV)
It is no longer 'I' that lives, but Christ in me (new man)
It is Christ in you (new man) that is the hope of glory
Paul doesn't say anything about Christ in you when speaking of the new man. What he does do is connect it to the putting of sin. It seems you're imposing that idea on the text.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that
ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on
the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Col 3:9-10 KJV)
Paul uses the word new, in the sense of the existing man being renewed. It is the same man he is simply renewed. Notice Paul said he is renewed in knowledge. He's not changed into someone different.
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. (Rom 6:6-7 KJV)
Here again Paul connects the old and new man with sin and it's removal.
If it is simply a clean slate, then everytime someone commits a sin, and then repents, are they a new man again and again etc..?
Paul's use of the new man is the change from the old man, putting off sins. I believe he's talking about a fundamental change in a man's outlook toward sin.
Born again of imperishable seed
1Pe 1:23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but
imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Yes, this passage is addressed to Jews.
This seed we are born again by cannot sin because he is born of God
1Jn 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in
him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Born again, indicates a second birth. Born of God does not necessitate a second birth but can be a first birth also.
If someone does not hold the beginning of their confidence, then it was because they had an evil heart of unbelief. It says nothing of someone who had a
believing heart, that later became hardened.
It seems you're imposing you belief on this passage, say they didn't hold their confidence because they had an evil heart of unbelief. However, Paul said just the opposite.
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in
their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren,
lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Heb 3:6-14 KJV)
Only a believer and follower of God can depart from Him. An unbeliever who does not have God cannot depart from Him he doesn't have Him to begin with.
When God had brought the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness, many did not believe God (trust in Him) Many said has God brought us out here to die? We would have been better back in Egypt.
Which proves the point I was making. The did trust God or they would have remained in Egypt. Their choosing to follow God into the wilderness shows they believed. However, when things didn't go the way they wanted they determined that it would have been better for them in Egypt and desired to return. This is God showing someone who have turned from Him and as such He let them die in the wilderness.
They did not enter the promise land of His rest because of their unbelief. God kept them in the wilderness for forty years. Even Moses did not enter the promise land
because of his disobedience.
Does that mean they were eternally lost?
