I believe his version is once you are born again, you abide in Jesus permanently. And the ones who don't abide in Jesus by being born again, are the ones who are cast into the fire.
First we should establish what Jesus means by “abide” here in this passage. The Greek word means to dwell, live, stay, remain, or continue. So there’s basically two different meanings. Either to dwell or live in Him or to stay, remain, or continue in Him. So which of these two is Jesus referring to? Is Jesus telling these men to dwell or live in Him or is He telling them to stay, remain, or continue in Him? There are key indicators as to which He is referring to. Notice in verse 4 and 5 Jesus makes it clear that they cannot bear fruit of themselves and only by abiding in Him are they capable of bearing fruit.
“Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5 NASB2020
Well in verse 2 and 3 He just said that they have been cleansed or pruned because they have already bore fruit.
“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 (pruned) because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
John 15:2-3 NASB2020
Furthermore Jesus also stated that they were not of this world. These men are already dwelling in Christ, they are already living in Him. The context that Jesus is using the word “abide” is to stay, remain, continue. So it becomes quite apparent that Jesus is telling His apostles to remain in Him. If a person who is in Christ is incapable of falling away then this entire message would be useless. This isn’t the first time Jesus said that some would fall away or that only those who remain in Him will be saved.
“And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved.”
Matthew 24:10-13 NASB2020
“Those on the rocky soil are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and yet these do not have a firm root; they believe for a while, and in a time of temptation they fall away.”
Luke 8:13 NASB2020
“And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Matthew 10:22 NASB2020
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,”
1 Timothy 4:1 NASB2020
“The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
Revelation 3:5 NASB2020
“The statement is trustworthy: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He will also deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB2020
Falling away and only those who endure to the end receiving salvation is mentioned in the scriptures several times.
Your version I believe means continuing to abide through your own efforts, and if you fail, you're unborn, unsealed, disinherited etc and cast into Hell.
No not exactly by my own efforts, by cooperating with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Every second each one of us has a choice to make. We can either choose to ignore the Holy Spirit or to cooperate with Him. Only when we are acting in cooperation with the Holy Spirit are we born again and a new creation. We are not a new creation when we revert back to our old sinful ways.
“but
if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and
the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:7-9 NASB2020
Having fellowship with Christ and our very salvation is contingent on walking in the Light. Walking in the Spirit in cooperation with God. We don’t walk in the Spirit by being in opposition or defiant towards Him. Jesus gave clear examples of people who will be condemned for failing to adhere to the Holy Spirit. Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus specifically says why He condemned the goats.
““Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’”
Matthew 25:41-43 NASB2020
They were condemned for their lack of love for others which is a fruit of the Spirit. If these people weren’t believers then their lack of fruit would’ve been irrelevant. He wouldn’t be condemning them for not showing love for others, He would be condemning them for not believing in Him. Hence “These people honor Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me”.
And look at their reaction to His statement.
“Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’”
Matthew 25:44 NASB2020
To me they seem surprised by His decision. They seem to be expecting to be saved. They were fully trusting on Him to save them apart from doing any works. What Jesus was telling them is when you did not show love to others you did not show love to Me. They weren’t condemned for not trusting in Christ they were condemned for not adhering to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who ALWAYS urges us to love others. It was the sheep who heard His words AND FOLLOWED THEM. And as a result they were saved.