John 15:6, commentary and pictures

Christ gave this as part of his plain parable of the true vine and branches to show what genuine union with him means and what separation brings. Anyone who does not stay joined to him is thrown out like a cut-off branch, dries up, and is at last gathered with other dead branches to be thrown into the fire and burned. Staying joined is not outward contact, church membership, or profession, but a lasting living union by faith in which heart, mind, and will become one with him and his words remain within in obedience and love. That union alone gives spiritual life, nourishment, growth, and fruitfulness, for apart from him nothing good can be done. Bearing fruit to God's glory is what marks true disciples, shown in obedience to his commandments, Christlike character, and labor to bring others to him, while a fruitless life proves there is no living connection and ends in complete ruin.

Words and Setting

The verse belongs to Christ's parable of the true vine and the branches, which explains genuine sanctification and makes known the mystery of the Christian life and practical godliness. It sets forth the relation that must exist between Christ and His people, that abiding requires bearing fruit and that bearing fruit glorifies God. The figure was given so plainly as a mirror held up to show His relation to followers and their relation to Him that hearers had no excuse to misunderstand. Nature rightly interpreted was made to mirror divinity, so that looking upon a vine would bring the lesson to remembrance. The parable was given to impress the necessity of having the moral excellence revealed in His own character and to create desire for the Holy Spirit, though many of its truths were lost to the disciples through dullness of comprehension and lack of spiritual intuition.

It was spoken as a last lesson and farewell instruction to the disciples just before separation from them, just before His great affliction and with cruel death before Him. He gathered comforts and blessings for them to remember rather than keeping His coming sufferings before them, to sustain them in disappointment and trial and to be kept in view as encouragement when trial comes. These were among His final promises before crucifixion, belonging to teaching about abiding and about a household devoted to God, and fully understood only after the resurrection. Abiding brings privileges and advantages through Him, remaining in His love under His guiding, upholding care even in the darkest hour, a lesson Peter needed to stay steadfast instead of denying his Lord and Judas needed instead of plotting his Master's death. The instruction also teaches that ministry fails if divine power is left out, for work must be built upon Christ in partnership with God.

The words in John 14, 15 and 16 were words of comfort and consolation spoken with thoughts not of Himself though He knew the terrible ordeal awaiting Himself. He knew how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried, and knew the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers. As one knowing every phase of experience and every conflict in a dark troubled future, He grieved over what they must suffer in difficulties, hatred, manifold afflictions and great temptation to lose faith. He prepared them by mingling bright hopeful promises with dark warnings, making every provision through faith that they should not fail nor be discouraged. The words are so simple that all, even children, may understand, and to those who study them they impart courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, bringing strength and assurance to the true believer as long as time shall last.

He illustrated the lesson by pointing to a vine with a withered branch to show what happens to a man who does not abide. The separated person becomes like a branch separated from the vine, withered and fit only to be gathered and burned in fire. The figure of vine and branches was chosen so that seeing a vine would bring the lesson to remembrance, nature rightly interpreted mirroring divinity and holding up a mirror of His relation to followers.

The verse stands in John 13-17, which plainly outline God's will for those who minister in word and doctrine and for all who honor God, including the duties Christ as Substitute and Surety requires. That larger teaching includes the process by which believers are made one with Christ in this life and remain one with Him for eternity, for life comes from Christ and is not independent of Him. It plainly expresses God's will, and living it in practical life brings unity as the remedy for dissension. God means just what He says, and it is the privilege and duty of ministers and all who know present truth, as distinct branches of the true Vine drawing all sustenance from the parent stock, to believe every verse, live them out, labor together with God in unity and love, and understand genuine missionary work. These chapters carry deep importance and the richest promises and must receive careful study and earnest practice, even to be committed to memory, studied in the meaning of every word, kept as a storehouse of truth in the mind to speak a word in season with Thus saith the Lord and It is written, refreshing others like a garden whose waters fail not.

Christ is the true Vine and His Father is the Husbandman who takes away every branch in Him that bears no fruit and prunes or purges every fruit-bearing branch so it brings forth more fruit. Cleansing comes through obedience to the word He has spoken, and God as Husbandman shapes and prunes His servants so they grow to reflect Christ and bear abundant fruit. No branch can bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, and without Christ nothing can be done, while he who abides brings forth much fruit. Abiding in Christ with His words abiding within brings answered prayer for whatever is in harmony with His will.

The order is exact: failure to abide leads to being cast forth as a branch, withering, being gathered by men with other dead branches, being cast into the fire, and being burned. The separated branch withers because abiding is indispensable and without Him nothing can be done. This leaves no excuse for spiritual weakness, lukewarmness, unbelief, wrath, and drawing apart and breaking the links connecting believers with each other and with God. Abiding means being practical Christians on the Lord's side cooperating with God in character-building, while selfish competition shows failure to abide. Education has no real benefit and cannot form a right character unless the person is under Christ's discipline.

Abiding in Christ

To remain united to Christ as the branch remains in the vine is necessary for spiritual life, nourishment, growth and fruitfulness, for life comes from Christ and is not independent of him. Apart from him nothing good can be done, and those who do not abide become spiritually unfruitful and face destruction like branches that wither and are burned. Merely being counted among his branches is not enough, for continued dependence is necessary for a fruitful life, and abiding produces abundant fruit and the graces of the Spirit. Abiding is necessary in order to bear fruit of the right quality, and the verse calls believers to accept his promise and live and labor for others, while the promise cannot be fulfilled for those who remain indifferent, careless and self-serving.

Abiding is a lasting union by living faith, not a temporary connection or mere outward contact, mechanical fastening, theory, or having a name on the church roll. A branch may appear connected while lacking genuine faith, sap, growth or fruit, having no living union rooted in faith, and baptism repeated has no power of itself to change the heart. Profession places people in the church, but character and conduct show whether they are truly connected, and those who bear no fruit are false, spurious branches. The woman who reached for Jesus in faith illustrates the genuine connection, unlike the crowd's merely casual contact. Separation leaves the branch fruitless, and to receive Christ is to become one with him.

To abide is to receive Christ and become one with him, with heart united to his heart, will submitted to God's will and submerged in his will and brought into harmony with Christ's, mind made one with his mind, and thoughts brought into captivity to him. It is to have Christ abide within and his words abide within, to keep his commandments and continue in his love as he kept his Father's commandments, and to rest on the Saviour in complete submission apart from the world. Remaining includes receiving his spirit and will, and those whom God has made children of his covenant who keep their wills submitted will not be cast off. The resulting fruit glorifies God and shows the character of the person, as fruit reveals the character of a tree, while those who do not abide are cast off as withered branches that are gathered and burned, able to do nothing good apart from him. Diligent heed to his words as spirit and light and life makes the children of God joyful in him, a safeguard against temptation and the ground of assurance, happiness, peace and joy.

This union is maintained by humble daily dependence, laying hold on Christ by living faith, taking hold of his divine power and strength and standing where his strong hand upholds, opening the heart to seek him earnestly, fixing the mind on him, and learning constantly of him. Abiding is kept by daily eating the Word as daily food is eaten for the body, bringing the life of Christ into the spiritual circulation, so that those who feed constantly upon the Word have Christ formed within, the hope of glory. Without this union a person cannot bear Christian fruit or receive the life that measures with the life of God, and neglect to read and study brings spiritual starvation, loss of fruit, withering and destruction. Abiding with faith as Saviour and coming in need brings the grace needed every day and every hour, delivering from the enemy's temptations and making peace with God, while failure leaves a person lifeless, fruitless and facing destruction. Set with the next verse it gives warning against a precious promise to be grasped by faith in perplexing trial, by laying hold on promises and appropriating them to individual necessities, keeping the mind fixed and not careless upon the One able and willing to assist and to give the Spirit's impressions needed to sustain, and learning so as to want nothing inconsistent with God's will.

The same lesson of dependence is taught by Christ's words about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and receiving him as life-giving bread. Believers take his Word into practical life, and their faith is shown in conversation, character and obedience, and through obeying the Word they have eternal life.

Those who abide bear much fruit, glorify the Father, prove disciples, and receive what they ask when abiding with his words abiding within for whatever is in harmony with his will. Cleansing comes through obedience to the word spoken, and no branch can bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. Abiding and continuing in his love brings assurance, happiness, peace, full joy, growth to the full stature and growth in character, and the joys of salvation through faithfulness to grace received and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Bearing much fruit and showing themselves his disciples is the great benefit presented, with the nearby verses identified as evidence of discipleship.

Abiding decides life, usefulness and glory. To abide is to be crucified with him, to be dead to the world and alive to Christ, and to become a partaker of his resurrection life, with Christ formed within as the hope of glory. When a person abides in this way Christ is glorified in him, his work for the kingdom becomes more telling, he does the work no one else can do for him, and he may wear the crown of life. Those who abide will prove true and faithful, while only Christ has power to keep them steadfast to the end, and those who do not continually abide are subject to change.

Fruit and True Discipleship

Bearing fruit to the glory of God is what distinguishes true disciples from those who only profess faith, for a claim to follow Christ or membership in the church does not prove a living connection. One who does not remain joined to Christ has no spiritual life and no living source of nourishment, but like a branch separated from the vine withers and is ultimately gathered and burned. Constant union is essential for growth and preparation for His coming, since without Christ no genuine fruit can be borne, and God removes the branches that produce none while trials may prune the fruitful so they bear more. Abiding and having Christ abide within is proved by fruit testifying to a change wrought by grace and to fellowship with Him, and without that fruit no one can come to God with full assurance of faith.

Good fruit showing union is wise words and persistent efforts to bring others to Christ, while evil fruit shows separation from Him. It is kindly words and deeds, which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, patience, hope, charity and Christlike character with saving influence, in contrast to the works of the flesh such as adultery, hatred, wrath, strife, envyings, drunkenness and such like, which bar from the kingdom of God. Apart from Christ nothing of value to God can be done, for all power to bear fruit comes from the vine, and remaining includes having His words and His Spirit and will abide within, so that the resulting fruit glorifies God and reveals character as fruit reveals the tree. Those who bear this fruit display Christlike humility, goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness and lovingkindness rather than harshness and coarseness, making a clear distinction between those who obey God and those who do not.

Fruit means forsaking sins and obeying the commandments of God, departing from all iniquity and perfecting holiness in the fear of God, which proves genuine repentance and true conversion and shows who are His disciples. This fruit reflects His character and leads to eternal life, and it is the evidence of belonging to Christ and of true discipleship, without which a person is not Christ's and has no right to the Christian name. A life that does not show the fruit of truth has not been converted and its heart has not been sanctified by truth, and such will be counted among the tares rather than fruitful branches. Those who abide bear fruit like the parent stock and like the vine, reflecting His patience, meekness, humility and love, revealing Christ to the world and serving as a wholesome, saving influence, with continual devotion enabling likeness to Him and much fruit to God's glory.

Genuine fruit includes the missionary spirit in faithful labor to save those for whom Christ died, with sanctified sympathy for His suffering, overcoming selfish ease and indulgence, and growing in spiritual strength by winning souls to Jesus. There is no true piety without this fruit-bearing to God's glory, for piety without yearning for the conversion of souls is sickly, inactive, strained, bigoted, self-caring and turned aside from righteousness, showing loss of first love. Everyone who professes Christ must be a worker, for there are no idle members in the household of faith, but each has an assigned task and a portion of the Lord's vineyard to work, requiring constant perseverance for higher usefulness with daily effort increasing ability to labor effectually. Those who abide become identified with Christ in all His plans, die to self-seeking and worldly ambition, live in His presence doing His work, and become one with Him as He was one with the Father, with truth and light and life interwoven in character and with pure, unselfish, heaven-ordered aspirations.

Living branches receive nourishment from Him, flourish, and bear rich clusters of precious fruit to God's glory through faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Their righteous works are the fruit of faith in Bible truth that purifies the soul, and their lives reveal Christ's character in truth and holiness, in contrast to the fruit of the natural selfish heart whose selfish conduct does not show the life and character He requires. Abiding in this way is essential to being daily converted and made fit for responsibility in His work. Those truly converted are fruit-bearing branches whose lives glorify God rather than self, and their union calls them to keep their whole being free from contamination.

An outwardly reformed life, a profession joining one to the church, and a name on the books can mask a spurious branch without vital connection, for outward association is not the same as a living bond. Such may appear attached and in fellowship, yet without living, vital connection they are not members of His body and cannot bear good fruit to God's glory, and lack of fruit reveals the false union. Judas appeared to belong yet was not joined to share the Vine's life, serving self and loving money, remaining separate, refusing transformation, and spreading doubt, showing how unbelief and an accusing spirit become a channel of darkness while professed faith is retained. In time unfruitfulness completes the separation in destruction like a dead branch thrown into the fire and consumed, and those connected with God's work with great advantages and sacred trust who bear no fruit will meet an ultimate separation as complete as a dead branch severed from the vine, the final casting only completing a separation long made in the heart. God bears long with the fruitless, granting probation to dig about and dung, but unless there is fruit and work corresponding to the sacredness of truth received, with old things passing away and all things becoming new, they will be cut down as cumberers of the ground.

Warning and Judgment

To fail to remain joined to Christ is to have no spiritual life, for as a branch cut off from the vine is deprived of strength and nourishment, withers, is gathered and burned, so the person faces ruin as complete as a dead branch destroyed by fire. Mere claim to follow Christ or membership in the church does not prove living connection, and bearing fruit to God's glory distinguishes true disciples from those who only profess faith. Many among believers are withered branches needing decisive reformation to prevent this outcome, since without Christ none can receive strength for spiritual life or bear fruit.

Separation leaves a person lifeless, fruitless, unable to withstand temptation, vulnerable to Satan's control and deception, and acting like the world, especially in the last days when living religion shaped by Jesus is necessary. This rejects Christ as Head and Source of life and strength, as in spiritualism which claims people can progress on their own apart from Him, and as in science falsely so called which teaches advance through fixed laws while acting independently of Christ. Apart from Him believers cannot bear spiritual fruit or live faithfully by their own power.

The warning falls on professed believers who fail to do Christ's works and pursue selfish temporal gain, whose profession does not make them fruitful or keep them joined. It includes those who take an easy position with no burdens, gratify self, lift no cross, and remain indifferent, careless, self-serving, lukewarm and unbelieving, for eternal life is offered through His gift but the promise cannot be fulfilled for such. Fruitlessness results from neglecting spiritual help such as diligent study of God's Word, private prayer, worship and bearing testimony, and leaves no excuse for spiritual weakness, wrath, and drawing apart and breaking the links joining believers to one another and to God through selfish competition.

Disconnection comes through pride and self-sufficiency, when men feel competent to devise and execute plans without counsel from God, a danger frequent among men of high position, great intellect or extensive knowledge. It is shown by taking the hand out of Christ's hand to persistently follow one's own way and will, depart from His counsels, mark out one's own course, resist His Spirit, and follow human wisdom, so that Christ's life and death do not avail and the soul has no sanctification and cannot be saved by Jesus. In a position of responsibility one who becomes so self-important that he no longer seeks counsel has ceased to abide, and trusting in himself becomes self-sufficient, acts foolishly, and cannot receive Christ's cooperation, for Christ alone is human efficiency.

Those who claim righteousness yet bear no burden for perishing souls are not truly branches of the living Vine, for abiding is joined to sharing Christ's work of seeking salvation by using abilities and living truth to win others. Those who profess Christ while indulging a jealous fault-finding spirit, sowing dissension by word and action, accusing and judging without Christ's love, acting dictatorially, competing selfishly, cherishing defects, serving self and loving money, show they are not branches of the True Vine but hearers and not doers whose lack of fruit proves false union. Such offensive, unfruitful branches, if they remain, drain life and nourishment until withering and perishing come, and keeping connection means dismissing the enemy's suggestions, keeping close to Christ as Teacher, and putting away enmity, criticism, evil speaking and false witness.

Judas appeared among the disciples but did not become joined to Christ or share the Vine's life, for his gifts were not devoted to God, he served self and loved money, remained separate, and refused transformation by Christ's teaching. His unbelief, accusations and objection to Christ's words spread doubt and darkness among the others, illustrating that outward association without change to share Christ's spirit leaves one outside Christ and in danger of being overcome by temptation. Failure to show sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life reveals this same danger.

Under persecution and when strait places and fiery trials come as the law of God is made void, some who once professed truth will apostatize, showing they had no vital union. In the absence of persecution they appear sound and their Christianity unquestionable, but instead of being strengthened they give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils in larger numbers than anticipated, go out from the faithful, are joined with unbelievers, scoffers and mockers, and are taken away by the husbandman. Those who profess to love truth but stumble and fall when trial shows truth cuts across practice or income prove they had no such union, and when iniquity abounds and love grows cold they are cut away as fruitless branches bound with unbelievers, while he that endures to the end is saved; after test and trial the worthless branches are cut away and cast into fire to be burned.

The Jews were cut off from the True Vine because they rejected Him and attributed His power to cast out devils to the chief of devils, but they may be grafted into the parent stock again to bear fruit to God's glory if they stand humbly on the right platform. The Jewish nation by rejecting Jesus, choosing Barabbas, and calling His blood upon themselves and their children became a dead fruitless branch severed from the vine, dead in trespasses and sins, realized in the destruction of Jerusalem and manifested for eighteen hundred years in scattering from land to land under a perpetual curse, to be gathered and burned. Israel's representatives rejected God as ruler in declaring Caesar their only king and became as a nation like a branch severed without a Saviour, and without repentance Jerusalem was destroyed forty years later and the people ruled by a foreign power.

Trials that prune the fruitful are distinct from being cut off, for disappointment, loss and bereavement can remove hindrances, deepen roots, draw to God, break down selfishness, and strengthen attachment so believers bear more fruit. God removes branches that produce no fruit, while constant union is essential for growth, harmony in diversity of experience, and preparation for His coming. God bears long with the fruitless, granting probation to dig and dung, but those connected with His work with great advantages and sacred trust who bear no fruit and show no work corresponding to truth received, with old things passing away and all things becoming new, meet ultimate separation completing a separation long made in heart and are cut down as cumberers.

Remaining in Christ means holding firmly to Him, laying hold on His strength, standing on vantage ground where His strong hand upholds, and this delivers from the enemy's temptations and makes peace with God. Merely professing Christianity without oneness with Him leaves one drifting in danger of sin and eternal loss unless help from above reaches the soul. One overcome or surprised by temptation is in danger of separation as a branch cut off to wither and be burned, and must be restored in meekness without crushing hope and courage or triumphing in a fall, by faith, reproof, kindly counsel and prayer that convinces of sin and error and sets the joint again as a dislocated bone is set, loving the erring in weakness as Christ loved in weakness to save from sin.

Unity Among Branches

Believers are branches of the true Vine who must draw life from the same source in constant union with Christ, for without Him they cannot bear fruit, grow, or be prepared for His coming. Individuality remains, and diversity of experience and gifts is compatible with unity and harmony, for unity does not mean becoming identical or uniform or one branch absorbing another. Each branch keeps its own individuality yet draws nourishment from the same vine and is united through that shared dependence. Workers with different gifts bear abundant fruit when they remain united in Christ and receive nourishment from Him, so that their diversity works in harmony rather than division. God removes branches that produce no fruit, while trials may prune fruitful believers so they can bear more.

Each branch cannot sustain another, yet branches share life through Christ while retaining individuality and showing diversity, with unity coming from common union with Christ and not from one absorbing another's identity. Connection with Christ binds believers to God and to one another as one family, and illustrates the union of His church with Him and with the Father. When disciples are at variance with one another they cannot truly be branches of the vine, so the verse calls for seeking the unity Christ prayed for among His disciples. Those consecrated to Christ remain individually responsible to God while being united with one another despite their differences.

To be indeed a living branch of the true Vine is to keep in sympathy and harmony with those of like faith, to be one in Christ, and to be brought into practical sympathy with Christ in His mission and work to save souls for whom He died, not in their sins but from their sins. No soul abides without having the mind of Christ and working the works of Christ, with the genuine fruit of that union being the missionary spirit in faithful labor to save the perishing, with sanctified sympathy for Christ's suffering, overcoming selfish ease and growing in strength by winning souls. There is no true piety without this fruit-bearing to God's glory, for piety without yearning for conversion is sickly, inactive, bigoted and turned aside, showing loss of first love. Those who abide become identified with Christ in all His plans, die to self-seeking, live in His presence doing His work, and become one with Christ as He was one with the Father, with truth and light and life interwoven in character and with pure, unselfish aspirations. Every true fruit-bearing branch is purged and pruned by the Master, its roots stirred and purified, so that it brings forth more fruit and the fruit may abide, and bearing much fruit through the Holy Spirit is the test before the world that one abides, since profession alone is no proof.

The two publishing houses are distinct branches that must remain connected to the same source of nourishment and not be merged. Fruit shows whether a branch is abiding in Christ and glorifies the Father, while branches or institutions that fail to bear good fruit face withering, gathering, burning and destruction. Abiding in Christ is indispensable, for without Him nothing can be done, and one who does not abide is cast forth, withered, gathered, cast into the fire and burned, leaving no excuse for spiritual weakness, lukewarmness, unbelief and wrath. Abiding keeps unbroken the golden chain that joins believers to one another and to God, while drawing apart from one another, breaking the links, and selfish competition among brethren of the same faith show failure to abide. Abiding means being practical Christians who are on the Lord's side and cooperate with God in character-building in individual experience.

Learning to abide leaves no room for selfishness in the heart. For those connected with sanitariums and schools this means being wholly converted, not living for self or worldly purposes, but giving body, soul and spirit to God to be used by Him in saving souls. They belong to God because He bought them with the life-blood of His only-begotten Son, and in His service they find the fullest satisfaction.

Obedience and Daily Life

Abiding is proved by keeping the commandments, for obedience is the Bible test of love for him and of having received light, while those who reject obedience and draw no life from him are removed as fruitless branches, in contrast to those who obey and seek to do his will rather than belong to the world and serve it. Selfish, worldly lives that value others by wealth and status, distance from the poor and distressed, and use gifts for self-exaltation show his words do not abide within, and followers are to obey his commandments and bear much fruit with his joy remaining in them. Abiding is shown by doing his works in thought, word and deed, for one who does not remain becomes like a branch cut off that withers, is gathered and burned. Speech reveals it, being a precious talent whose words God and holy angels can hear with approval, and the mind must be a storehouse filled with Bible treasures, memory hung with the Word and precious promises stored up to give to the weary and heavy laden, so that one who abides becomes God's missionary from the moment of standing under his banner, a laborer together with him, working together with God as fruit-bearing branches and living faith through personal service rather than mere profession, with selfishness, vanity, pride and indolence driven out.

Remaining means standing in right relation to God from this hour, carrying out his words to the letter and bearing fruit to his glory by working for neighbors and souls ready to perish, opening the Scriptures to them, teaching what it means to be a branch of the true vine, and growing in experience through that work. Those who make this pledge and do this work will meet it again in the day of judgment and will meet at last in the city of God, where parents and children are united because parents have done their duty, and the warning stands within his final lessons before the crucifixion, calling his followers to let his words remain in the heart and warn and labor for souls. Set with the next verse the warning stands against a precious promise to be grasped by faith in perplexing trial: if abiding with his words abiding within, what is asked in harmony with his will will be done. This comes by opening the heart and seeking earnestly, laying hold by faith on promises and appropriating them to individual need, keeping the mind fixed and not careless and frivolous upon One able and willing and ready to assist in every trying perplexity and to give the Spirit's impressions needed to sustain under trial, learning of him so as to want nothing inconsistent with God's will, while cleansing comes through obedience to the word spoken and without him nothing can be done but he who abides brings forth much fruit to glorify the Father and prove discipleship.

The verse calls for faith that abides and for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, warning against heavy spiritual slumber and calling for awakening, praying in faith and truly seeking the promised Spirit instead of neglecting it, and cutting away every needless hindrance so the Spirit flows in rich currents bringing all other blessings in its train. Abiding brings spiritual culture into harmony with him, for the soul purified and refined by grace is not selfish and does not treat licentiousness, earthliness and sensuality as small matters for leniency, but is always tender, kind, simple yet earnest, inspired with his Spirit, willing to suffer or rejoice for his sake, with words eloquent in simplicity. Constant union is essential for growth and preparation to meet him with joy, for one not united becomes like a branch cut off that withers and is finally burned, and the warning calls to humble before God and seek needed preparation. Its conditions are needed in every home and church, and refusing them leaves one unworthy to belong to his people when he comes in glory, while clinging to him and abiding in his love enables standing through every test with power from his righteousness to resist evil.

The lesson applies to ministry, for leaving divine power out makes ministry fail, so work must be built upon him in partnership with God, with union necessary for fruitful cooperation, communion with God, and work he will accept, lest one be useless with only delusive hope like a branch cut off that withers for the fire. Converted people must develop abilities by using talents, for a branch in the living Vine that does not grow is cut off and cast away, and daily consecration produces fruit glorifying God. Everyone professing him must be a worker bearing fruit to his glory with no idle members, each with assigned task and portion of vineyard to work, requiring constant perseverance for higher usefulness with daily effort increasing ability to labor effectually, while laying aside responsibility and failing to labor for others weakens spiritually and burdens workers, and dependence on preaching with no use of entrusted talents leaves members selfish, unfaithful, fruitless and withered facing destruction. Fruit-bearing includes giving back to support every good work advancing his kingdom, with generosity as tangible love and best evidence of sincere faith countering selfishness and self-indulgence.

The vineyard setting applies to sharing the message, with every part to be worked to bear fruit, principles of truth kept pure, the Lord presiding over and sustaining the steadfast, and the church as his vineyard to be worked and renovated lest selfish halfhearted Christians weaken the work and corrupt future believers, while leaving the vineyard unworked by neglecting given work and choosing one's own way brings the warning of the withered branch cast out, gathered and burned. In the home the verse is to be obeyed by fathers and mothers refusing a scolding spirit because scolding gains nothing, bringing children up in nurture and admonition and teaching them love, nurture and knowledge of him, keeping households devoted to God, for its conditions belong to all who claim to be Christians in every home and church and to his final promises before the crucifixion. In education character cannot be rightly formed nor real benefit gained unless under his discipline, for living connection is essential to all education through cultivation of superior faculties for human elevation, and young people must be rooted in the Word and live in harmony with his will to grow and bear fruit rather than wither fruitless.

Neglect of spiritual help leaves branches dry, sapless and withered, for fruitlessness results from neglecting diligent study of the Word and private prayer, while those who remain show it by words, influence and works. Failing to live in him, meditate on his Word and remain close leaves members without daily conversion and in danger of losing eternal life, and neglecting faithful attendance at worship and bearing testimony leaves weakness in moral power and spiritual withering unless course is changed, while business driven by worldly selfish plans with forgotten fervor in serving the Lord has the same drying effect. Those who do not feed on the Word and gather souls are not faithful servants, their fruits reveal it and their influence leads away, while life and growth are shown by cultivating spiritual qualities that make one fruitful in knowing him, and lacking them leaves barrenness and unfruitfulness. Abiding is the dividing line in carrying the gospel in purity in a life-and-death struggle, for those not abiding have not proved stewards in any sense, and confederacy or business ventures with such agencies prove a snare and thorn unless every proposition is conscientiously clear by the Word.

The church's connection is weakened by becoming closely joined to the world in spirit and purpose, depending on worldly favor rather than God, so strength diminishes, faith and zeal expire, and dead formality replaces living fruitfulness. Love of the world and its cares chokes the word and keeps from bearing fruit, requiring separation from the world and dependence on him to bear fruit that remains. Keeping connection means dismissing the enemy's suggestions and keeping close to him as great Teacher, putting away enmity, criticism, evil speaking and false witness which neither give nor bring relief. Keeping in divine love is abiding, and only by it can a temperament always a snare be controlled, for left to self the tempted deceived soul falls into the net prepared for the feet into ruin, while the soul that humbles under God's hand learning meekness and lowliness daily is restored by the Redeemer and molded by the Spirit after the divine similitude.

Union necessary for sanctification and eternal life cannot be broken by any power of Satan, and those who come in faith he will not cast out, but abiding brings life shown by growth and fruit, while a branch without life withers and bears none. Abiding requires daily emptying the heart of self and supposed wisdom and cleansing hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong to prepare the soul temple for the Spirit, for unless done self rules the whole being, words and acts are tarnished with selfishness, he does not appear in the life, and unfruitful self-confidence appears instead of patience, forbearance, controlled thoughts and words, and love for one another, with labor together with God in perfect unity bearing best fruit to God's glory and living out John 13-17 in genuine missionary work. Abiding happens only by knowing the Word and doing it, being rooted and grounded in truth, receiving everything from God through the Word with the Spirit impressing it on the heart, which is the only refuge and standard when everything shakable is shaken and the enemy comes with infatuating devices.

Abiding means having him dwell in the heart by faith, with an abiding indwelling believed with all the heart as dying for the world and personally, for only when in him can one bear living testimony from lips touched with the live coal and carry a living Spirit-inspired message to the dying rather than a divided monotonous one, and retaining defects is not Christlike and shows non-abiding. Abiding means continual advancing up into him as living Head according to advantages received, nourished by spiritual food, cultivating truth's seed to spring up and grow and improving entrusted talents in piety, for no one is stationary and to cease growing is to retrograde into mere pretension without genuine godliness. Those receiving no nourishment lose germinating power, keep the Christian name while making no advancement, become dead branches to whom amusement and worldly attraction are most congenial, disperse no light with untrimmed unburning lamps, become stumblingblocks dishonoring religion, and have no strength for spiritual warfare having never put on armor nor crucified flesh with affections and lusts. Abiding requires placing self in God's hands, obeying his words, co-working with him, dying to self and living unto him, fixing the eye upon him, beholding and accepting and lifting him up and yoking with him to be saved as an overcomer, with character molded after the divine similitude. Practicing these lessons requires opening the door and welcoming to the fold one who confesses and pleads for another trial even without marked change, not closing hope's door for fear of offending by disobeying his words.

Abiding means staying joined and claiming rich promises by faith for faithfulness and thoroughness in all efforts, living with his love that loves those for whom he died and obeys the command to love one another as he loved, with power to cling and bear fruit so each can begin the struggle to live as his branch. Selfishly limiting concern to one's own family and neglecting others shows failure to live in that love, and scolding and fretting when things go amiss contradicts genuine claim to be Christian. Those who resist reform, refuse his yoke to please self, retain defects or leave a master passion unconquered are not Christians despite religious life and face ruin, for abiding means more than hearing or accepting pleasing parts and produces Christlike character through reform and transformation requiring the heart wholly conformed without partial obedience, active labor and faithfulness. Those unwilling to part with evil and neglecting reachable opportunity and strength have no living union, work at cross-purposes out of harmony with God, and as dead branches cannot grow in grace, bear fruit or fulfill his purpose, leaving spirituality dwarfed, sickly and fruitless.

Those professing knowledge yet conforming character to the world, following own will and failing to discern his love and sacrifice show they do not abide and will not sacrifice themselves, for abiding appears in Christlike daily life, while one not united as branch to vine lacks discernment, misunderstands plain words, takes offense and turns away. Those without living connection are like dead branches fit for burning, spiritually dead wherever they live for lack of sanctified determination to obey the Word and serve God. Those finding his words objectionable and turning away expose unbelief beneath profession, and while among followers their unbelief and accusing spirit can channel darkness to others, revealing they bear no fruit and are ultimately exposed as unbelievers. When he is precious the person brings happiness to others and bears rich clusters in his name, for the Master wants his people joyful, and against Satan's pressing darkness telling one he cannot be saved, faith claims whole salvation through whole sacrifice laying the whole burden upon him, so the Father is glorified in much fruit as disciples and his joy remains full.

Fruitfulness matters more than inviting outward appearance, for leaves without fruit do not satisfy him who desires fruit, and selfish worldly valuing by wealth, distancing from poor and distressed, and using gifts for self-exaltation show his words do not abide and reveal unfitness for heaven's riches and trust. Pruning is a disciplinary process bringing benefits, with every true fruit-bearing branch purged, roots stirred, cleansed and purified to bring more abiding fruit through the Spirit as test and credential before the world that one abides, which profession alone cannot prove. Refusing correction and neglecting assigned work leads to dead fruitlessness and separation, while accepting the Father's pruning yields much fruit. Every teacher and worker should bear fruit in proportion to light received, with heart carefully cultivated for its appearance, for its absence brings sorrow to the Husbandman, and living connection shown in Christlike conduct with abiding in love shown by keeping commandments reveals character of work.

Deprivation of communion withers the soul like a cut branch, for God provides life-giving power and means for spiritual life and if unused vital interest in truth is lost. Abiding is oneness in which humanity grasps divinity and divinity lifts humanity, taking hold of divine nature and partaking of it having escaped corruption through lust, and not abiding is resisting the Spirit and failing to reach the standard made possible to reach. Abiding as a blessed mystery needs the Spirit to reveal his love and help remain in him, shaping speech to fewer irritating hurtful words, and remaining faithfully in the vine continuing in his love brings salvation's joys with faithfulness to grace and gifts of the Spirit enabling growth in character. The lesson in John 15-16 unfolds as precious truth making the Word shine in greater loveliness to be preserved and imparted, calling believers to let light shine in hearts then to others in clear rays so souls come to light, with highest value for every soul consecrated to service, spoken by One knowing every phase and conflict in the dark troubled future, grieving over suffering, mingling bright promises with dark warnings of hatred, affliction and temptation to lose faith so they should not fail nor be discouraged.

Men who once abode and bore good grapes can depart to wild grapes and bitter water from the same fountain once sweet, with present barren apostate history contrasting fruitful past to watchers' weariness and sorrow, so as the end nears when truth alone triumphs abiding requires truth as in him planted by the Spirit and daily tended by grace. Not abiding means not receiving his counsel, going in sparks of own kindling contrary to God's will, refusing humility to bear his yoke and come to have blind eyes opened, leaving helpless withering branches bearing no acceptable fruit who will lie down in sorrow. Abiding is God's good purpose requiring surrender of seemingly wise ways to take his ways, with rest in his love and assurance through surrender, as a position of living faith receiving nourishment to bear fruit to God's glory, with the soul needing strength from the living Vine and each humbled to be made a fruit-bearing branch avoiding being cut off. Profession without obedience and undivided love leaves a fruitless dry branch cut off as worthless and separated, while abiding joins sharing his work of seeking salvation for the perishing, using abilities and living truth to win others.

Those not coming into right relation and following his teachings are cast away, while those remaining are pruned to bear more, for every person must remain a branch and not be cast off. Life disconnected is fruitless as a plant bearing only leaves through self-absorption and lack of love, and God prunes to deepen roots, draw to himself and break selfishness so one becomes useful and works with him. Those connected with his work with great advantages and sacred trust yet bearing no fruit will meet ultimate separation as complete as a dead branch severed, with final casting only completing a separation long made in heart, though long borne with in probation to dig and dung, yet unless fruit and work corresponding to sacred truth appear with old things passed away and all new, they are cut down as cumberers. Abiding means earnest effort to keep in divine love by cultivating sympathy, courtesy, tenderness and mutual love, cherishing love as a tender heavenly plant watered and cultured with kindly words and acts, or it grows cold, withers and dies like a non-abiding branch. Thorn-bearing influence is the opposite of fruitful life, for without sap and nourishment no fruit for his glory is borne. Those holding aloof lack strength and discernment to serve God and recognize following him, becoming like sapless branches without spiritual life and blind to privilege and danger.

Formal connection to church without heart connection, transformed character and Spirit's fruit leaves one outside his life, and refusing his righteousness and resisting appeals leads toward destruction, with the withered branch ultimately gathered and burned. Without living in him, meditating on his Word and remaining close, members fail in daily conversion and endanger eternal life. The instruction calls for faithful living and abiding as students prepare for eternal life, learning his way to avoid fruitlessness and judgment. The chapter calls believers to live humbly dependent, not relying on merits but hiding life in him, following his example and keeping hold of God in every circumstance under the warning of the branch not remaining. Abiding to bring forth fruit to his glory requires having nothing to do with worldly books and presentations.