1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:1-8

God desires that we produce the fruits of faith and bring glory to His name for graciously saving us from sin and eternal death and enabling and moving us to live for Him and do the works He created us to do (cf. Eph. 2:8-10), but no one can do what is pleasing and acceptable in God’s sight without saving faith in Jesus Christ.

With the illustration of the vine and the branches, Jesus teaches us that He is the only source of life in communion with God, and only those who abide in Him — those who are and remain connected to Jesus through saving faith — can produce fruit acceptable to God the Father. He will cut off those branches that have no faith in Christ and thus produce no fruit for Him.

Our heavenly Father also prunes and purges those branches that do produce fruit so that they might bring forth more fruit for Him (cf. 1 Pet. 4:17-19). This may be through the admonition of God’s Word (cf. 2 Tim. 3:15-17) or through the troubles and hardships of life that force us to re-examine our ways and hold tightly to Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Those who, through faith, are joined to Jesus Christ have forgiveness for all their sins and evil works. They are clean through the Word of the Gospel spoken to them — their sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The sharp sword of God’s Word exposes and cuts away the evil from their lives through daily contrition and repentance (cf. Heb. 4:12).

As long as people have true and saving faith in Christ Jesus and His redemptive work, they are fruitful and do works acceptable and pleasing in God’s sight. This is so because Christ, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, abides in them and empowers them to live for Him, and because the sin and impurity yet in their works is forgiven and not held against them.

Apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ, the only true and life-giving vine, no one can do good works in God’s sight; unbelievers remain spiritually dead to God and unable to love Him and honor Him with pure and holy works. They are like a branch that is severed from the grapevine. It will not produce grapes but withers up and is, eventually, thrown into the fire and burned.

So also, the one who does not trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for forgiveness and life will not only be unable to do good works in God’s sight; he is dead spiritually and will be gathered up on the Last Day, together with all others who were unbelieving and fruitless, and cast into the eternal fires of hell!

“Abide with richest blessings among us, bounteous Lord; let us in grace and wisdom grow daily through Thy Word. … Abide, O faithful Savior, among us with Thy love; grant steadfastness and help us to reach our home above.” Amen. (“Abide, O Dearest Jesus,” Verses 4 & 6; Author: Josua Stegmann; Translator: August Crull)

[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]