John 15: 1-14 The Royal Law of Christ

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.  Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Previously we understood that Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself so that we could be forgiven and find new life with the Father and Himself.  But a new plant cannot grow unless it is nourished.  This is what Jesus is telling us her.  Now that we have new life, we need to abide in Him and He in us for us to do works which glorify the Father.  The Latin term for this is perichoresis which describes the mutual indwelling between Jesus and the believer.  This is also what Jesus was speaking of in John 15 (High Priest Prayer) when Jesus says Father just as I and You are One, let I and they be one, just as we are one.  Finally it speaks of the Royal Law of Christ.  One day I was debating with members of the Mormon Church and I was reminding them that the Christian is not under the Law because Jesus fulfilled it.  But they rightly said that we are not under the Law of Moses, but are under the Royal Law of Christ which is to love one another against which there is no law.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, it is a joy to know that You and the Spirit live in me, making my life in the world fruitful. No longer are my words my guard, but Your words are my guard.  No longer do I need revenge, but love as You loved me.  No longer can I dwell in sin, because You dwell in me.  I have received the ultimate love and protection, I in You and You in me.  Amen.