Are you seeking to live an abundant life in Christ but are unsure how to live it out? It can be challenging to discern, especially with all the noise and chaos in our world. But the good news of Christ is that when He died on the cross, one thing that resulted was the torn veil. This was symbolic of the fact that because of Jesus, we are now allowed to directly communicate with God himself and receive His holy spirit which guides us to that abundant life. The Bible, God's living word, also gives wisdom and insight into what it means, so let's take a look at what scripture has to say.
This idea of an abundant life in Christ comes from John 10:10 which says, "The devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Simply put, to live an abundant life in Christ means to experience the fullness of life in relationship with Him, which gives restoration, true joy, purpose, and so much more that surpasses anything the material world would try to offer. Contrary to what the world suggests, an abundant life does not come from having material possessions, success, or fame, but rather, from having Jesus by your side as you walk through life. By surrendering your life to Jesus Christ. He will begin to transform you to become more like Him which is the truest form of love. This is what that Life will begin to look like:
1. Becoming a New Creation
To begin this adventure with Jesus you have to start by accepting Him into your heart as your Lord and savior. What does that mean? Well, this Romans verse does a good job of summarizing the gospel as it says, "The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith" (Romans 3:22-25). In other words, "For God so loved the world, that he gave him only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). When you accept Jesus into your life, the old you passes away and you then become reborn as a Child of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 puts it this way, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are becoming new."
2. Growing in Faith
To live an abundant life in Christ also means that we are continually growing in our understanding of the Bible, and living out its teachings. God gave us the Bible so we could read it and receive daily nourishment for our souls. The Bible is the living Word of God and holds lots of wisdom about what it means to walk and love like Jesus. Our walk with God is an eternal relationship and a process. Romans 4:20, "he {Abraham} grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God." This verse shows that over time our connection with God will develop as we continue to seek Him.
3. Bearing Good Fruit
As you walk with Jesus, you will start to produce the fruits of the spirit, as these are outflows of an abundant life. If you are unfamiliar with the fruits of the spirit they come from Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Jesus taught that the fruits that we produce are a reflection of what's in our hearts. When a heart abides in Jesus, it will reflect His character and love in our lives. This teaching can be found in John 15.
4. Servicing and Loving
Jesus as a leader did not demand selfish gain for the works and power that He received from the heavenly father rather, He was humble and giving, not expecting in return. When we start reflecting the characteristics of Jesus, we begin to love and serve others. God can be found in what He created and the relationships we experience are one of the ways we find Him. It shows a fraction of what God must feel when He blesses us. This can be seen in the way our hearts become full when we love and serve others like Him. That fullness of heart can only be found in Jesus Christ and is part of the abundant life He gives.
5. Embracing Inner Peace and Joy
The abundant life in Christ is full of peace and joy that the world cannot give, even in the trials of life. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). In Psalm 23 we also know that God is our place of rest, healing, and restoration. We know that if we have Jesus we have everything we need ("The Lord is my Sheppard, I shall not want" -Psalm 23:1), which allows us to be content with what we have and joyful in all situations.
6. Looking to Eternity
When we die as Christians we know that is not the end, but the beginning. We look forward to eternally residing in God's presence forever. That's the eternal perspective that comes with an abundant life in Christ. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17). In a world full of false promises we know how important it is to put our hope in the right place, Jesus Christ. This eternal perspective gives us hope and purpose to brave the fallenness of this world.
In essence, to live an abundant life in Christ is to live a life that is fully surrendered to Him. It's living in this world but not of the world, always keeping our eyes fixed on what truly matters, Jesus Christ. It's embracing community and experiencing Godly love by letting ours overflow. On this side of heaven, we'll experience a life filled with the presence, power, and peace of God, regardless of external circumstances. We'll experience purpose and hope found only in Jesus Christ. We'll experience the abundant life only found in Christ.