Are You a Bare Branch?
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. John 15:1-2
I was reminded of this passage of scripture recently as I sat in my office looking at a tree in my neighbor’s yard. What was once a lush full mature tree now has several dead branches that need to be cut off. These branches once bore leaves but for some reason they are now simply bare. Last year there was only one dead branch but since the bare branch wasn’t removed there are now several.
Many people in the church today believe a false doctrine of unconditional eternal security. To justify this false doctrine it is often claimed that those who fall away from the Lord were never really saved to begin with. I believe the illustration used by Jesus in John 15 tells us just the opposite. Would you look at a tree like I’ve just described and say those branches were never really a part of that tree? That’s silly isn’t it? Of course those branches were part of that tree but for whatever reason they’ve stopped bearing fruit.
You might ask how it is that a Christian could bear fruit at one point in their life yet at some other point become unfruitful.
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. John 15:5-6
The word abide is the Greek word meno {men'-o} which means to remain, to continue to be present, to not depart, to be kept continually. So according to Jesus it is possible to depart from Him and if we depart from Him we will become withered or barren. What happens if we become withered and barren?
……….Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away:
God himself will take away every branch that fails to bear fruit. The word that is translated he taketh away is the Greek word airo {ah'-ee-ro}which means to move from its place, to take off or take away what is attached to anything, to remove.
Isn’t that an astounding statement? If we fail to remain present with and continue with Christ, God the Father will remove us from our place in the body. Now, would you like to know exactly how God removes unfruitful branches?
…….men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
The word translated men gather is the Greek word sunago {soon-ag'-o}. The meaning of this word may surprise you. It means to gather together, to draw together, to assemble or collect as a fisherman would collect fish in a net. So now do you understand why so many are drawn to the false doctrines of our modern apostate church? Could it be that they are being gathered together for destruction?
Are you in a church that you know teaches false or misleading doctrine? Do you think you are being a light in the darkness by staying? If that’s what you think you are wrong. God is gathering those unfruitful Christians together for eventual destruction. You will never be able to change the system from within because God has ordained it to be just like it is. Instead of you changing them it is much more likely that they will have an adverse effect on you.
Why do you suppose God allows bare branches to be cut off and gathered together? Just like a tree must be trimmed of dead branches so must the true body of Christ. If dead branches are allowed to remain on a tree they will suck up nutrients that are necessary for the healthy branches. What started as one bare branch will eventually become two, then three, and before you know it the whole tree is dead.
This is just as true in the body of Christ. When non fruit bearing Christians are allowed to hang around believers, they will eventually begin to affect others. Soon you’ll have an entire church full of bare branches.
So, how do we avoid this problem? What must we do to become fruit bearing branches?
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:7-8
We bear fruit when we abide in Christ and his words abide (remain) in us. Do the words of Christ abide in you or do the words of man live in your heart? What do you think about most of the time, the word of God or the cares of this world? When you are confronted with a problem or a challenge what is the first thing that comes out of your mouth?
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man…………….. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man……..Mat 15:11 & 18-20
Have you hidden the word of God in your heart? If you have then that is what will come out of your mouth. If you haven’t then the only thing that can come out of your mouth are things that defile you.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45
God is glorified and we bear much fruit when the words of Jesus abide in us. When we meditate on, speak, and act on his words we become his disciples. When we are his disciples we can ask whatever we will and it will be done because our will and His will become one. Fruit bearing branches are doers of the word. Bare branches are hearers only.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46
We prove what is in us by what we speak and do. When the word of God is in us, coming out of our mouth, being made evident by our actions, we are bearing fruit. And the fruit we are bearing is the very character and nature of Christ in us.
That is the fruit God is looking for. It’s not what you’ve done for God that counts. It’s what you’ve become. Is your old man decreasing so that Christ might increase in you? That’s the true gospel. It is not us but Christ in us. It is not simply looking to Jesus as our example but accepting by faith that we were crucified with him and it is no longer we that live but Christ lives in us.
Many today go through the motions and rituals of modern Christianity yet bear no evidence of true change in their lives. They attend church, volunteer for good works, have many relationships with other Christians yet their hearts are not truly changed. They still walk in their old nature. The apostate church justifies this by claiming that we can never really overcome in this life. We must be content with forgiveness only in this life but since we’ve “prayed the prayer’ we are eternally assured of a heavenly future. Is this what you’ve been taught?
Are you willing to ask yourself this question? Am I bearing fruit? Is the character, nature, and authority of Jesus becoming manifest in me? Am I being transformed every day into his image? Or am I a bare branch, still attached to the tree but producing no fruit? Your answer, if you are honest with yourself, may well determine your eternal destiny
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:47-49
Steve Lumbley 2006 www.apostasywatch.com
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