Category: John 15

Oft Misused Scripture: Abide in Me

On By TimIn Fruitfulness, John 15Leave a comment

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that bears no fruit, He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean through the word which I have spoken to you. (

John 15:1–3

It hardly ever surprises me that this portion of the Scriptures is often used in a misleading way. I know. This was taught to me as a way to elicit fear and guilt. It was not until I started praying to God and reading the Bible on my own that clarity came. As to reading, it was really waiting for God’s instruction.

Let me tell you, this text has nothing to do with salvation. Well, except for verse 3 above, where Jesus declares His followers as already clean. Meaning they are already believers, and do not have to fear that their salvation can be lost, manipulated, forsaken, or even abandoned. That’s not in this text anywhere at all.

This text has everything to do with being useful for the Kingdom and producing fruit. Some folks produce much fruit, others struggle to do so. Yet, the only way to bear fruit is to be connected to the Vine. Which means that one must be serious about maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus.

One cannot bear fruit without knowing Him and He knowing them. It is two-way. Yeah, we are called to salvation and to bear fruit. To do both requires faith. It means letting the Vinedresser have His way.

Bearing fruit is not good works, either. Well, not in the sense that most grasp. It is duplicating oneself. That is duplicating oneself, discipling others in such a way as to ensure the fruit ripens. It begins with soul-winning, as the fundamentalists say. It is discipling others so that they may be saved and connected to the Vine. This is the place where they will bear the fruit the Vinedresser wants.

Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in Me.

John 15:4

The exhortation is to remain in Jesus. It is not a quid pro quo agreement. He remains in us forever, that is the promise He gave with the Holy Spirit. The exhortation is for each of us to reciprocate what He does. It is not a warning to keep believing so you can keep your salvation. He is in you, and He is not ever leaving. So, He wants people to be fruitful!

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

That is self-explanatory. It is a repetition of the truth Jesus wishes to convey to all. Remain in Him to bear much fruit.

If a man does not remain in Me, he is thrown out as a branch and withers. And they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 15:6–8

The Vinedresser is responsible for dressing the branches to bear maximum fruit. Sometimes, there’s trimming. Other times, the branch doesn’t bear fruit, and tragically, it is removed.

Fruitless branches are removed and dry up, having no nourishment from the Vine. They are then gathered and burned. That’s not a metaphor for losing salvation. Being burned up is not an analog to Hell or perdition. It is removing them from the place of fruit-bearing, never to be able to go back. This physical life is the only place where each person can bear fruit. When a branch is removed, that’s symbolic of physical death. The burning of the branches finalizes the idea that they won’t come back.

The encouragement to remain comes with another promise. As one matures with Jesus, they will ask for things that are commensurate with His will, and those desires will be granted.

“As the Father loved Me, I also loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have spoken these things to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:9–11

This is not burdensome. Jesus wants you to have a full life. A full life is not pursuing personal programs, but His, as they become personal in us. This is the pursuit for all of us to learn what our Father wants, and then pursue that. It is the place of rest and joy.

This is My commandment: that you love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:12

This is a simple command. One that John will reiterate through his writings. Jesus set the example to follow.

Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you.

John 15:13–15

Do you want to know something?

Jesus laid down His life for His friends. In other places in the Bible, it says that Jesus died for all of humanity. That is not just a one-off declaration. Jesus is the atonement (meaning satisfaction of debt) for the sins of the whole world. So, if you are human, He died for you and considers you a friend. I think that is awesome.

A friendship is reciprocal. Which means you have responsibilities. Jesus said to do His commands. He said you must first believe to become a new creation and be born again. A new creation moves us from being just servants to Jesus, but friends with Him.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that the Father may give you whatever you ask Him in My name. This I command you: that you love one another.

John 15:16–17

This part of the text can be confusing without thinking through the context. Jesus is speaking with His chosen twelve disciples. This is primarily to, for, and about them. In the greater scheme, some of these things apply to all believers. When Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” That is specifically addressed to His immediate audience. They were the chosen twelve. He chose them for purpose, not salvation. The purpose is to go and bear fruit.

The Father gives what they would ask of Him. That does extend to us, as we tend to deny the spiritual reality of our warfare. We all need help every day, just as His twelve did.

And the hard thing… To love one another. This is the primary identification for saints. Jesus is repeating to them as if to underscore the importance. I think that is the most often overlooked detail for people to know that we follow Jesus. It is not something done too well. This is especially true in social media. It needs emphasis.

 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34–35

In conclusion, it is the Vinedresser Who has that responsibility for dressing the vine. It amazes me how many self-appointed lords think they are the vinedressers and fruit inspectors. I will tell you that you have only One Vindresser.

The lesson is that the only way a believer may bear fruit is by remaining in Jesus. That’s not keeping oneself saved, nor doing good works to maintain salvation. One either has the gift of eternal life or they do not. There is no middle ground. There is no wavering back and forth. It is a One-Way door into the sheepfold.

Faith is a necessary part of life for the saint. It is not just for salvation, but for every single day. We have faith, believing in Jesus. It is Who He is and what He has accomplished that keeps us saved. One cannot bear good fruit without the constant nourishment from the Vine.

But many think of this backwards, that the branches on the vine are to generate their own nourishment by doing good things.

The important thing that John is teaching is not about behavior at all. It is remaining in a relationship with Jesus Christ… Not to stay saved, but to be pleasingly fruitful to the Father.

I Laughed Today

On By TimIn Jesus, John 15, LoveLeave a comment

This week, someone said, “Jesus would’ve hated Charlie.” It made me giggle a bit. As I’m writing this, it still makes me giggle, but the laughter comes with the sad reality. Some don’t know Jesus.

I know Jesus. I know the Truth. Jesus loved Charlie Kirk. Charlie is with Jesus now.

A statement like this reveals that some don’t know much about the Bible, Who Jesus is, or what Jesus said. They know what others tell them, but have not verified anything.

As for hatred, it’s the world that hates Jesus and His followers. Consider this about hatred, and what it reveals about those who mocked Jesus, who mock Charlie and other Christians.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My words, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not performed among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin. But now have they seen and hated both My Father and Me. But that the word which is written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

John 15:18–25

Because the culture hated Charlie, one thing is certain: Charlie loved Jesus. It is the public reaction that brings out the truth Jesus spoke. They identify themselves.

From the personal testimonies of many close to Charlie Kirk. He was doing exactly what he was called to do by Jesus. He was a living witness to all of us that he was the man we all should be. Bold, loving, courageous, and with complete trust in our Savior. It is clearly demonstrated that Charlie was a servant. And he was not above his Master. Charlie even died a younger man than Jesus did.

It’s no coincidence that he was hated by the world. It is because Jesus is. Charlie is proof of that. As was John the Baptist, who was also taken out at a young age. These all spoke the truth; they unveiled the underlying sins of people to the light. Just like the text above says, if they hadn’t been spoken to, they would not have known sin.

The issue is clear. Evil does not like exposure. Exposure takes the stranglehold of its power away.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the verdict, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed that his deeds have been done in God.”

John 3:17–21

When people came to Charlie, he didn’t set out to expose their evil deeds. He simply wanted to have conversations. In those interactions, he spoke truth to people. Truth, to a student culture that is purposefully implanted with delusion, then sounds offensive. Like Jesus said, had they not been spoken to, they would not have known of their sin. In that way, truth is an equal opportunity offender. It happens to everyone. There are things God says to me that I don’t like. Yet in not being offended and confessing those faults, I’ve learned to trust that He has my best interests at heart. Sometimes, they are ones that I have no conscious clue about.

Watching the plethora of videos of his encounters, it’s clear that truth worked in the consciences of those to whom he spoke. Sometimes, a mind was open and willing. Most often, minds were closed, and the people left clinging to their delusions.

That’s sad.

They think they know Jesus. All they have is that He’s a cool dude who was nice to everyone. That’s very shallow. I wonder if the folks whose tables were turned, or the Pharisees He called white-washed tombs thought He was nice?

Yes, Jesus loves all humans. He also speaks truthfully to them. Love and truth are inseparable.

The soul who sins shall die. I think we all know that inherently. When truth is spoken to any of us, we inevitably know our faults in missing the mark of perfection that God requires. It’s like Paul said about the truth of the law… It made sin alive in him, and he died.

Because many walked away from Turning Point USA events rejecting Jesus, Who is the embodiment of Truth. It brings profound sadness. People don’t want to know the truth. Like the person saying Jesus would’ve hated Charlie. That’s mockery revealing no personal knowledge of Jesus. They don’t know Charlie, and they really hate the Truth he represented.

The real problem is sin. The danger is dying in one’s sins. So, how do we humans deal with this inescapable doom of death?

I will tell you now, if you’ve stumbled upon this post and the words of Jesus have somehow pierced through, showing you were caught up in delusion, that’s a first step. The next is believing in Jesus.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” This is the word of faith that we preach: that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:8–10

It is that easy. You can know Jesus today. He’s not dead, but very much alive! This is Who Charlie knew. This is Who I know. Jesus is not relegated to the past… He lives and loves today. He forgives sin, any sin, all sin. He also takes them away forever. Just confess it to Him.

Are you afraid to pray or even approach Him?

Don’t be.

I know the Truth, so how can Jesus hate anyone?

He doesn’t.

I mean this: He died for the sins of the whole world. Think about that. The creation cries out for justice because you and I have sinned. The death of Jesus satisfies that justice once and for all.

Almost 2,000 years ago, He died. His death provided a pardon for sins. You and I have been pardoned effectually and unconditionally. If you’re human, He did that for you.

How is that hate toward Charlie?

Charlie let anyone speak to him. He loved them enough to be truthful, which is exceedingly refreshing in our culture.

Get this, the Bible plainly states… There is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus laid down His life for Charlie.

He did that for you.

He did that for me.

I don’t care where you’re at, what you’ve done, or even who you are. I KNOW that for the sheer fact that you’re a human person… Jesus calls you a friend. One that He died to save.

Charlie was His friend. I am His friend. If He died for you, you are His friend; the question I leave to you…

Is He your friend?

If not, fix that right now.

I Will Not Leave You Fatherless

On By TimIn Fruitfulness, John 15Leave a comment

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that bears no fruit, He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean through the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in Me.

John 15:1–4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I am. The statement Jesus makes has a deep significance. He is proclaiming His bona fides, that is authentication to His identity.

In this, we also get another analogy that is agrarian in nature. It would be something easy for those hearing to understand. In it Jesus references Himself as the true vine. The one vine that bears fruit. That idea sets the tone here. It establishes context.

That context isn’t about salvation at all. As Jesus clearly stated that His disciples (His immediate audience) were already clean. (Even before this, that statement was made.) They were already saved by the Word He spoke to them.

Jesus encourages His followers to remain in Him. This isn’t about salvation, remember. The remaining in Him is to bear fruit. The Father wants you to bear fruit. There is only one way to do it, and that is by remaining in Jesus. That’s the work on our part. It’s not to keep being saved or to live right. Bearing fruit is to reproduce in kind… To make disciples. It is to be of use to the Father.

But what happens if you don’t bear fruit?

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing. If a man does not remain in Me, he is thrown out as a branch and withers. And they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15:5–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It’s a simple thing. Without Jesus, we can do nothing useful for the Kingdom. If we remain obstinate, not wanting to do the will of the Father, there are grave consequences. Just as unproductive branches are removed from the vine and destroyed, a saved Christian can be removed from the vine and destroyed.

That destruction isn’t about Hell or perdition. Even with the mention of being burned, this isn’t saying folks go to Hell.

If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 15:7–8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It’s going to be a tough night for these men. Jesus is preparing them with an encouraging message to stay the course. It’s not to discourage them at all.

Remember that greater context that comes before those where Jesus speaks of the promised Holy Spirit.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you fatherless. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more. But you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

John 14:15–19 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It’s all part of the same message. It’s gonna get tough for these guys tonight. Jesus speaks to them at length.

Jesus is saying the Holy Spirit is promised. When the Counselor comes, He will be with them forever. Jesus says He won’t leave them fatherless. Those things are sure.

If you’re saved, get to bearing fruit. You can only do that in Jesus. And if you are in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit in you. He won’t leave. Jesus promises to not leave you fatherless.

Considering that, why do you think Jesus the Son promises them a Father forever?