John 15.1,2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Jesus is the True Vine. He is the Source of human and spiritual life. In this beautiful parable of Jesus, the True Vine, and His branches. We see another “sub parable.” The tale of two kinds of branches. These two branches represent genuine believers and make believers. Please note, dear ones, that the distinction made between the two branches is crystal clear. True believers abide in Christ, and by virtue of union with Him, bear fruit. Make believers make a profession of abiding in Jesus, but bear no fruit.
Salvation is a work of God’s grace in our lives. So is fruit bearing. Good fruit is the result of genuine conversion and abiding in Christ. It is impossible to bear Christ-like, Father-glorifying fruit apart from a vital union with Him. A living union with Christ is absolutely necessary to bearing fruit; without Him, there is nothing.
And what is the fruit that real branches bear? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Any claim to abiding in Jesus that fails to bear this fruit (albeit imperfectly) is a false claim. The source of fruit bearing is abiding or continuing in Christ. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” Those who are not abiding will simply not continue following Jesus. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
Which branch are you, my friend? There are only two kinds of branches. Fruitful or fruitless. Those who abide in Jesus, and those who do not. Saving faith is a fruitful faith, because The One Who saves us is The Vine in Whom we bear fruit for the glory of God. Embrace and abide in the True Vine Jesus Christ today as Lord of your life. Begin to bring forth that God glorifying, joy producing fruit in your life. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
