General Articles by Ellen G. White

International Tract and Missionary Society · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Feb 4, 1886

General Articles.

By Ellen G. White

Branches of the Living Vine.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

"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."

JESUS was about to take leave of his disciples, and return to the Father. He had been presenting before them the close union with himself by which they could maintain spiritual life when his visible presence was withdrawn; and to impress the thought upon their minds, he gave them this appropriate and striking illustration of his relation to believers. The Jews had always regarded the vine as the most noble of plants, a type of all that was beautiful, excellent, and fruitful. "As a nation," our Lord would seem to say, "you prize the vine. But I am the true Vine. As sinners, you should prize a connection with me above all earthly good. The branch cannot live separated from the vine; no more can you live unless you abide in me."

Our Lord has here given us a rule by which true disciples may be distinguished from those who claim to follow him, but have no vital connection with the Source of life. There is a wide difference between a pretended union with Christ, and a real connection with him by living faith. A profession of religion may place men in the church, but it does not prove them true followers of Christ. The question is, Do they bear fruit to the glory of God? For "by their fruits shall ye know them."

"I am the vine; ye are the branches." Can we conceive of a more intimate relation to Christ than this? The root sends its nourishment through the branch. The communication of life, strength, and fruitfulness from the trunk to the branches is unobstructed and constant. Such is the true believer's relation to Christ. He abides in Christ, and draws his nourishment from him.

This spiritual relation can be established only by the exercise of personal faith. This faith must express on our part supreme preference, perfect reliance, entire consecration. Our will must be wholly yielded to the divine will, our feelings, desires, interests, and honor, identified with the prosperity of Christ's kingdom and the honor of his cause, we constantly receiving grace from him, and Christ accepting gratitude from us.

When this intimacy of connection and communion is formed, our sins are laid upon Christ, his righteousness is imputed to us. He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. We have access to God through him; we are accepted in the Beloved. Whoever by word or deed injures a believer, thereby wounds Jesus. Whoever gives a cup of cold water to a disciple because he is a child of God, will be regarded by Christ as giving to himself.

The Father is the vine-dresser. The living branches are often subjected to his skillful and merciful pruning-knife, "that they may bring forth more fruit;" but the withered, lifeless branches are severed from the Vine. Their end is to be burned, when the "Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity."

All the followers of Christ have as deep an interest in the lesson of the vine and its branches as had the disciples who listened to his words. In the apostasy man alienated himself from God. Evil is so identified with human nature that no man can overcome in his own strength. But though the separation from God is so wide, Christ has made provision to again connect us with himself. Through this union we receive moral and spiritual power. If we have the spirit of Christ, we shall bring forth the fruits of righteousness,—fruits that will bless our fellow-men and honor and glorify God.

Those who share the suffering and reproach of Christ now, will share his glory hereafter. He "will not be ashamed to call them brethren." His angels will minister to them. To those who have united themselves to him, he declares, "Though a mother may forget her child, yet will not I forget thee. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands. Thou art continually before me."

Oh, what amazing privileges are offered us! Will we put forth earnest efforts to form this alliance with Christ? Will we break off our sins by righteousness, and our iniquities by turning unto the Lord?

A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first, and last, and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a relation of utter dependence to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment, as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness—sin in all its forms—must be overcome, if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is, they try to attach themselves to Christ without detaching themselves from these cherished idols.

After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. It is only through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, that we can hope to gain the victory.

Believers become one in Christ; but one branch cannot be sustained by another. The nourishment must be obtained through vital connection with the vine. We must feel our utter dependence on Christ. We must live by faith on the Son of God. That is the meaning of the injunction, "Abide in me." The life we live in the flesh is not to the will of men, not to please our Lord's enemies, but to serve and honor Him who loved us, and gave himself for us. A mere assent to this union, while the affections are not detached from the world, its pleasures and its dissipations, only emboldens the heart in disobedience.

"Every one who is born of God doth not commit sin." He feels that he is the purchase of the blood of Christ, and bound by the most solemn vows to glorify God. The love of sin and the love of self are subdued in him. He daily asks, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" The true Christian will never complain that the yoke of Christ is galling to the neck. He accounts the service of Jesus as the truest freedom. The law of God is his delight. Instead of seeking to bring down the divine commands to accord with his deficiencies, he is constantly striving to rise to the level of their perfection.

God has made ample provision that we may stand perfect in his grace, wanting in nothing, waiting for the appearing of our Lord. Are you ready? Have you the wedding garment on? That garment will never cover deceit, impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy. The eye of God is upon you. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We may conceal our sins from the eyes of men, but we can hide nothing from the all-searching gaze of our Maker.

We must have an experience for ourselves, if we would be prepared to stand in the day of God. Now, while probation lingers, while mercy's voice is still heard, is the time for us to put away our sins. While moral darkness covers the earth like a funeral pall, the light of God's standard-bearers must shine the more brightly, showing the contrast between the light of Heaven and the darkness of error.