“Some ‘believe in Jesus’: whether or not their faith is genuine cannot be determined by the linguistic expression selected by the Evangelist [John]. But Jesus now lays down exactly what it is that separates spurious [bogus] faith from true faith, fickle disciples from genuine disciples: “If you hold to my teaching, [NASB: “If you continue in my word….”] you are really my disciples” (NIV) . The verb rendered ‘hold’ means to abide, to remain – a theme of critical importance that returns in a concentrated way in ch. 15. In short, perseverance is the mark of true faith, of real disciples. A genuine believer remains in Jesus’ ‘word’, his teaching…: such a person obeys it, seeks to understand it better, and finds it more precious, more controlling, precisely when other forces flatly oppose it. It is the person who continues in the teaching who has both the Father and the Son (2 John 9; cp. Heb. 3:14; Rev. 2:26).”
– D.A. Carson, commentary on John in the “Pillar New Testament Commentary” series (lightly re-worded)
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