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"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. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned... Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit..." John 15:1-6,8.
Jesus says "I am the true vine". He also says "I am the way, the truth, and the life". For a believer, the only real, genuine source of life and strength is in Jesus. A vine yields the proper juice and nourishment to all the branches, whether these are large or small. All the nourishment of each branch passes through the main stalk, or the vine, that springs from the earth. So Jesus is the source of all real strength to believers. He is our leader and teacher, and gives to us, the needed grace and strength to bear the fruits of holiness.
Then Jesus says "My father is the husbandman". This means vine-dresser, or gardener. This means that God gave, or appointed, His Son to be the source of blessings to man; that all grace descends through Him; and that God takes care of all the branches of this vine - that is, of all who are by faith united to the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father has the deepest interest in, and it is of great importance to Him that His church should receive these blessings and bear much fruit. Being fruitful means honoring God and bringing glory to His name through our lives.
"Now ye are clean through the word" means the father has chosen to use His word to prune and purify us.
"Abide in me": Just as a branch will shrivel up and die when it is cut off from the vine, we are helpless to produce fruit for God if we are not abiding in Jesus. He must be our source of strength and wisdom if we are to produce real, lasting fruit.
"Without me ye can do nothing": We are promised that if we abide in Jesus, and allow His word to cleanse and purify us, we will produce much fruit. Trying to live a good life on our own terms, separate from God, might appear good, but will never produce the real, lasting fruit He wants us to produce!
"Cast forth as a branch": Again, if we are trying to put on a good outward profession, but inwardly are in rebellion with God, in the eyes of God, all of our so-called good works are good for nothing, and worthy only to be cast into the fire and be burned.
"Herein is my Father glorified". Just as the purpose of a vine is to produce good fruit, we are saved in order to bring glory to God. And in His word, He gives us an outline of how to do this. Let us not deviate from His instructions, but rather delight in His ways and look forward to hearing Him say " Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21.
It is good to consider that for a believer, we can be in rebellion and disobedience to God, and our works will be burned and come to nothing, but this does not affect our salvation. We are saved by His grace, and nothing of ourselves. We may miss out on His rewards and praise, but since our salvation does not depend on us, we can do nothing to lose it. Anyone who has acknowledged their sins to God, and believes that the shed blood of Jesus cleanses
them from their sins, is saved. "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28.
If, however, you have not come to the end of yourself, if you have not acknowledged your need of a Saviour, God's word says you are dead in your sins, and on your way to an eternity in Hell. Do not be so foolish to think that living a good life and outwardly putting on a good show, while inwardly you are refusing to admit you are a sinner in need of salvation, will give you favor in the eyes of God. For "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13.
"Now ye are clean through the word" means the father has chosen to use His word to prune and purify us.
"Abide in me": Just as a branch will shrivel up and die when it is cut off from the vine, we are helpless to produce fruit for God if we are not abiding in Jesus. He must be our source of strength and wisdom if we are to produce real, lasting fruit.
"Without me ye can do nothing": We are promised that if we abide in Jesus, and allow His word to cleanse and purify us, we will produce much fruit. Trying to live a good life on our own terms, separate from God, might appear good, but will never produce the real, lasting fruit He wants us to produce!
"Cast forth as a branch": Again, if we are trying to put on a good outward profession, but inwardly are in rebellion with God, in the eyes of God, all of our so-called good works are good for nothing, and worthy only to be cast into the fire and be burned.
"Herein is my Father glorified". Just as the purpose of a vine is to produce good fruit, we are saved in order to bring glory to God. And in His word, He gives us an outline of how to do this. Let us not deviate from His instructions, but rather delight in His ways and look forward to hearing Him say " Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21.
It is good to consider that for a believer, we can be in rebellion and disobedience to God, and our works will be burned and come to nothing, but this does not affect our salvation. We are saved by His grace, and nothing of ourselves. We may miss out on His rewards and praise, but since our salvation does not depend on us, we can do nothing to lose it. Anyone who has acknowledged their sins to God, and believes that the shed blood of Jesus cleanses
them from their sins, is saved. "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28.
If, however, you have not come to the end of yourself, if you have not acknowledged your need of a Saviour, God's word says you are dead in your sins, and on your way to an eternity in Hell. Do not be so foolish to think that living a good life and outwardly putting on a good show, while inwardly you are refusing to admit you are a sinner in need of salvation, will give you favor in the eyes of God. For "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:13.
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