Abiding in Christ as the Basis for Reorienting Sinful Desire

The concept of abiding in Christ is rooted in biblical teachings, particularly in John's Gospel, where Jesus exhorts his disciples to "abide in me, and I in you" (John 15:4). This abiding is closely tied to the reorientation of sinful desires, a theme explored in various Christian traditions.

The biblical foundation for this concept is seen in passages such as Ephesians 3:17, which speaks of Christ dwelling in hearts through faith, enabling believers to be "rooted and grounded in love" ^[2]. Similarly, 1 Peter 4:1 exhorts believers to arm themselves with the same mind as Christ, who suffered in the flesh, to mortify sin ^[6].

In Christian theology, abiding in Christ is understood as a transformative union with Him, where believers are renewed into God's righteousness. John Calvin notes that through Christ's blessing, believers are regenerated and renewed in the spirit of their minds, putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness ^[7]. This renewal is a work of the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to serve God's law with their minds, even as they struggle with sinful desires in their flesh (Romans 7:25) ^[1].

The reorientation of sinful desires is a key aspect of this transformation. According to Adam Clarke, those who abide in Christ crucify their sensual appetites and lusts, nailing them to Christ's cross, thereby destroying the body of sin ^[4]. This process involves denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, as well as mortifying sinful lusts, to live a life of devotion and obedience to God ^[3].

Different Christian traditions emphasize various aspects of this doctrine. The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, highlights the role of faith in Christ and the power of the Spirit in overcoming sin. Hodge notes that true believers experience the inwrought truths of their guilt and defilement by sin, their inability to free themselves, and their dependence on God's grace and the Spirit's power ^[11].

In contrast, the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, as seen in Adam Clarke's commentary, emphasizes the possibility of entire sanctification, where believers can be cleansed from all sin and live a life of perfect love ^{[4, 9]}. The Lutheran tradition, as represented by the Augsburg Confession, stresses the importance of faith in Christ for consolation and the renewal of anxious consciences plagued by the doctrine of works ^[12].

The Catholic (Scholastic) tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, explores the nature of Christ's soul and its relation to human suffering, highlighting the significance of Christ's passion in understanding human sin and redemption ^[8].

The patristic tradition, as seen in Augustine's writings, grapples with the complexities of human desire and the struggle against sin, emphasizing the role of God's grace in delivering believers from the body of death ^{[5, 10]}.

Sources

Romans “I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law. -- Romans 7:25”
Ephesians “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, -- Ephesians 3:17”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Denial — Christ set an example of -- Mt 4:8-10; 8:20; Joh 6:38; Ro 15:3; Php 2:6-8. A test of devotedness to Christ -- Mt 10:37,38; Lu 9:23,24. Necessary In following Christ. -- Lu 14:27-33. In the warfare of saints. -- 2Ti 2:4. To the triumph of saints. -- 1Co 9:25-27. Ministers especially called to exercise -- 2Co 6:4,5. Should be exercised in Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. -- Ro 6:12; Tit 2:12. Controlling the appetite. -- Pr 23:2. Abstaining from fleshly lusts. -- 1Pe 2:11. No longer living to lusts of men. -- 1Pe 4:2. Mortifying sinful lusts. -- Mr ”
Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 5:24: And they that are Christ's - All genuine Christians have crucified the flesh - are so far from obeying its dictates and acting under its influence, that they have crucified their sensual appetites; they have nailed them to the cross of Christ, where they have expired with him; hence, says St. Paul, Rom 6:6, our old man - the flesh, with its affections and lusts, is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. By which we see that God has fully designed to save all who believe in Christ from all sin, whether”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP.25. -- THAT WE SHOULD NOT EN-: DEAVOR BY SIN TO OBVIATE SIN. But, we are told, there is ground to fear that, when the body is subjected to the enemy's lust, the insidious pleasure of sense may entice the soul to consent to the sin, and steps must be taken to prevent so disastrous a result. And is not suicide the proper mode of preventing not only the enemy's sin, but the sin of the Christian so allured? Now, in the first place, the soul which is led by God and His wisdom, rather than by bodily concupiscence, will certainly never c”
1 Peter (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Peter 4:1: The apostle here draws a new inference from the consideration of Christ's sufferings. As he had before made use of it to persuade to patience in suffering, so here to mortification of sin. Observe, I. How the exhortation is expressed. The antecedent or supposition is that Christ had suffered for us in the flesh, or in his human nature. The consequent or inference is, "Arm and fortify yourselves likewise with the same mind, courage, and resolution." The word flesh in the former part of the verse signifies Christ's human nature, but in the latter part it signifies m”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Defects of Soul Assumed by Christ, Art. 4: Article: Whether Christ's soul was passible? I answer that, A soul placed in a body may suffer in two ways: first with a bodily passion; secondly, with an animal passion. It suffers with a bodily passion through bodily hurt; for since the soul is the form of the body, soul and body have but one being; and hence, when the body is disturbed by any bodily passion, the soul, too, must be disturbed, i.e. in the being which it has in the body. Therefore, since Christ's body was passible and mortal,”
1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 2:6: Abideth in him - He who not only professes to have known Christ, but also that he has communion with him, and abides in his favor, should prove the truth of his profession by walking as Christ walked; living a life of devotion and obedience to God, and of benevolence and beneficence to his neighbor. Thus Christ walked; and he has left us an example that we should follow his steps. To be in Christ, Jo1 2:5, is to be converted to the Christian faith, and to have received the remission of sins. To abide in Christ, Jo1 2:6, is to continue in that state of salvation, grow”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 21 .--NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST JESUS.: Then he adds the reason why he said all these things: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" And thence he concludes: "Therefore I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."[5] To wit, with the flesh, the law of sin, by lusting; but with the mind, the law of God, by not consenting to that lust. "For there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."[6] For he is not condemn”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 103: Scriptures teach that man is a fallen being, that he is guilty and defiled by sin, that he is utterly unable to free himself from the burden and power of sin, that he is dependent on the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, if these truths are inwrought into the experience of all true believers. In like manner, if all Christians trust in Christ for their salvation; if they look to Him as their substitute, obeying and suffering in their stead, bearing their sins, sustaining the curse of the law in their place; if they regard Him as t”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 19 Heretofore consciences were plagued with the doctrine of works,: 19 Heretofore consciences were plagued with the doctrine of works, they did not hear the consolation from the Gospel. 20 Some persons were driven by conscience into the desert, into monasteries hoping there to merit grace by a monastic life. 21 Some also devised other works whereby to merit grace and make satisfaction for sins. 22 Hence there was very great need to treat of, and renew, this doctrine of faith in Christ, to the end that anxious consciences should not be without consolation b”

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