CHAPTER XV

Our “ONENESS” with God
He Lives in Us and We Live in Him.

I pray this study of our “ONENESS” with God will help you to better know, understand, and live a life that demonstrates that the Godhead lives in you/us, and WE as “Born Again” adopted children of God are living in God. To me this is mind boggling!!! I did NOT know this until recently! It’s hard enough to believe, know, and understand how the Holy Spirit indwells us, BUT how can you/I live in God? In the following texts, Jesus shares with us truly “Born Again” Saints that we do dwell in the Him and He does live in us! As you read these texts, you will see the answer is because of God’s AGAPE for us from BEFORE time began, our current LOVE for Him, and our LOVE for each other!

John 17:21-23 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. 22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: 23 I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. AMP

John 15:1-16 “Jesus speaking} “I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. 2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing {spiritual fruit – does NOT win lost sinners to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.}] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. 3 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].
4 “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear {physical} fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the {life giving physical} vine, neither can you bear {spiritual} fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the {spiritual} Vine; you are the {spiritual} branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant {spiritual}) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

6 “If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned {he/she is NOT “saved”}. 7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you {This verse needs clarification. Our prayer requests MUST conform to His way and will:

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. AMP}

8 When you bear (produce) much {spiritual} fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of M 9 “I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]. 10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. 11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing. 12 “This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do. 15 I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]
16 “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear {much spiritual} fruit {using your testimony to win sinners to Christ as their personal Savior} and keep on bearing, and that your {spiritual} fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide {for all eternity}], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you” {The SAME clarification that applied to John 15:7 also applies here.}.” AMP

I believe that the “works of a True Believer” is that we MUST bear “fruit”/ have works for Christ of being a “soul winner,” and then to disciple/teach these new “Saints” so they remain and grow in their faith and service to God!

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. AMP

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. NKJV

Daniel 12:3 And the teachers and those who are wise {lead sinners to Christ as their personal Savior – justification} shall shine like the brightness of the firmament {stars}, and those who turn many to righteousness {sanctification – being set apart through discipleship} (to uprightness and right standing with God) [shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever. [Matt 13:43.] AMP

While each and all Christians are to “win and disciple” {Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3} sinners – the now new believers to Christ – we are to also provide relief for the disadvantaged Saints in our churches and also to help the disadvantaged people in the world to find and know Christ as their personal Savior and help them to let Jesus Christ restore their lives and become responsible Saints/people in our churches around the world {Matthew 25:32-40}.

Let’s continue on with our “ONENESS” with God. The following text is as good as it gets sharing with us our “ONENESS” with God! Follow and count the number of X’s – God’s indwelling/living in us and the number of Y’s – our indwelling/living in Him.

1 John 4:12-16 No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God {spiritually} abides (lives and remains) in us {X} and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us! 13 By this we come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we {spiritually} abide (live and remain) in Him {Y} and He in us {X}: because He has given (imparted) to us of His [Holy] Spirit. 14 And [besides] we ourselves have seen (have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated) and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Savior of the world. 15 Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him {X} and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God {Y}. 16 And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God {Y}, and God dwells and continues in him {X}. AMP {Isn’t this is an awesome text?! Four X’s for God dwelling/living in us and three Y’s for us dwelling/living in Him ALL through AGAPE/LOVE.}

Ephesians 1:5 For He {God the Father} foreordained us ({pre}destined us, planned in love for us) {BEFORE the foundation of the world} to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ {for us to be in spiritual “oneness” with Him}, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]– AMP