Relax and Wait

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”  They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?  Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.  So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.  In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.  No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.  “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:16-33

In John chapter 13, Jesus had been with the twelve disciples celebrating His last Passover. He washed their feet as an example of the grace and love He expects His Church to have for each other. He taught them by this demonstration that born-again believers are wholly clean, except for the daily contamination of our world-walk, which must be cleansed every day. He foretold of His betrayal by one of them and then exposed the traitor: Judas, sending him out to get it over with. Only then, alone with the eleven, did He begin to teach them about the supernatural love of the Church as an extension of His own love and that of the Father. Only then did He begin to teach them about the baptism, indwelling and teaching ministry of God, the Holy Spirit. This is family business. These are mystery doctrines, intimate and exclusive to the Church.

In John chapter 14, our Lord revealed that He would be going away to prepare a dwelling place for His own, and would therefore be coming back to accompany us there. He made it clear to the disciples at that time that He is the ONLY way of salvation. He began teaching them to pray in His name, identifying with His authority through the Holy Spirit, petitioning the Father for our needs.

In John chapter 15, He taught His men that only through direct, constant fellowship with Him can we do anything that will build up the Church and bear fruit for eternity. The severed branch can produce nothing. He stressed that we can know and love Him only by abiding in His Word, and that we will have to depend on the Holy Spirit to keep us reminded and grow us up in grace. Throughout these three chapters and chapter 16 leading up to Gethsemane, He was ordering them to love one another (the brethren) for mutual comfort and support through the coming persecutions. This was for their (and our) encouragement, and it is our testimony to the world that we are His. We are a heavenly people. We are not the world.

Now, in the latter half of chapter 16, Jesus repeated more forcefully these truths, warnings and encouragements. He was going away. Soon. They would be terribly grieved, but it would be a sorrow like that of a woman in labor. When the child appears, the sorrow is gone, and joy prevails (What pain? Just look at my beautiful child!). Verse 28 is key:

^“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” The time was short. Jesus laid it on the line for them. This is going to happen. Be prepared.

Then, in verse 33, one of my all-time favorite promises from Jesus, and I love it in the King James version:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

He spoke these things (John chapters 13-16) to us for our comfort and assurance. The troubles of the world are a certainty, as long as we remain here. Some troubles are just incidental to the ebb and flow of politics and nature. Some are specific trials by Satan, attempting to derail our testimony. Some can be divine discipline, for our disobedience to God’s Word; but we believers are IN CHRIST, and He has overcome the world. With that knowledge, we abide IN HIM, relax and wait.

Our life is from Him, our salvation is through Him, our peace is IN HIM. Always. Don't fret. He'll be back soon.

To Your Advantage

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. “ John 16:1

(“These things” – chapter 15 -- "The world will hate you because of My name.")

Jesus was preparing Himself to face the Father’s judgment on the cross. He must also prepare His men to face the shocking treatment they were sure to endure after His departure. They needed to be warned, so when it came, they would remain steadfast in their faith.  Sometimes, when enthusiastic believers are attacked by the world’s hatred and ridicule, they don’t know how to persevere. People, in general, would rather be liked and respected. Folks who are openly fervent about their faith tend to be not very popular with the masses. If it is a grace-faith they are fervent about, religion will not tolerate them at all. When the persecution came, these men would remember that Jesus warned them of it, and would know how to deal with it. God the Son is omniscient. He knew everything that would befall Himself as well as these men who loved Him. It would be a difficult trial for them, as the religious system tried to stifle their influence. They would be ostracized and martyred for their testimony of the Savior, but they need not be neutralized.

“They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.  But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” John 16:2-4

The disciples of Jesus at first met in the synagogues and the temple. They would soon be evicted from those facilities by the Jewish leaders. Then, those same leaders would launch a campaign to eradicate the Christians from the world. If they killed some in the process, they would consider it a sacrificial offering to God, Whom they did not know, just as they did not know His Son. The apostles would experience stress and confusion, but when they came to actually face the bigotry and persecution, they would remember His warning, and His encouragement. They would remain grace-oriented in adversity, because of His comforting advice, and because they would not be facing it alone.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.” John 16:5-6

Jesus had not attempted to make them understand these things earlier on, because while He was with them daily they were learning about Him and His ministry. Learning to love and trust Him. Now He was preparing to leave them. He had spent three years familiarizing these men with His grace, His love, His power, His deity. Those early years were not the time to prepare them for the persecution to come, although He had alluded to it at times in their work together. They had seen the dogged opposition of the religious leaders throughout His public ministry. It’s something all believers experience in our daily witness. This time it was different. More dire. More deeply serious. They had bonded with Him and with one another. The time of His departure was at hand, and the time of their testing by the world was about to begin.

Earlier, they had been like children, questioning Him about His destination. Now, there were no questions. Just stunned silence. A heavy pall had settled over the group. They were grieved, and they could not know how much they would need the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the days ahead. He could not come to them until Jesus was gone away.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7

“To your advantage!” – This human incarnation of God the Son was confined to time and space. He had laid down His life of supreme deity to become a man and to die for man’s sins. Now, He would go away, and God the Holy Spirit would come to indwell all who have believed in God the Son. He would be their, and our teacher, inspiration and power source for the continued Work of Jesus Christ on earth. And He would have a special ministry to all mankind.

“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:  concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” John 16:8-11

“He will convict the world” – admonish, reprove, convince. It means to lay bare the facts regarding the truth of the gospel so that men will have a clear understanding of the issue, which they can then accept or reject.

“He will convict the world” – of three things:

“concerning sin” – Singular. The sin that condemns is unbelief in Jesus Christ. Not behavior. Rejection of Christ.

“concerning righteousness” – The only righteousness that can save; the imputed righteousness of Christ. Not programs or regulations. Human good is no good. We must receive the righteousness that belongs to God. This is grace.

“concerning judgment” – Satan has been judged. His doom is sealed. He stands condemned. The sins of humanity were to be judged on the cross. Jesus would pay in full for all our sins, of all time. Those who reject Jesus’ atonement will share in the judgment of Satan and the fallen angels. (John 3:17) Those who refuse Jesus are choosing Satan’s destiny. This is fair.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-15

The eleven had already heard from Jesus more than their stunned minds could absorb. These men, who were rendered silent by our Lord’s farewell message to them, were simply not yet able to comprehend even what they had been told, much less capable of receiving the “all truth” of New Testament Mystery Doctrine, to which Jesus alluded here. That would require supernatural help. The Holy Spirit would help them remember and understand later, when they would desperately need it.  And then, the Spirit would give them the marvelous Church age doctrines of the whole New Testament, which glorify our Lord Jesus Christ and instruct us in the work we are called to do. There would be ordained men who would be gifted to receive these truths and to teach them to other believers, who would teach them to still others. It would start with these eleven apostles to whom He was speaking. "All truth" describes the inspiration of the canon of New Testament scripture.

It is important to note that the Holy Spirit never operates under His own agenda. His mission, always, is to glorify Jesus Christ. What He teaches is given to Him from God the Son. What comes from the Son has been given to Him from the Father. That’s why there can never be any contradiction between the written Word of God and any teaching by the Holy Spirit.

Repeat: if it contradicts the written Word of God, it is not from the Holy Spirit.

John 16:15 – “he (The Holy Spirit) will take what is mine (Bible Doctrine) and declare it to you.”

The Spirit received from the Son, and made known to us what He heard, and what was yet to come: the New Testament canon of scripture. The mind of Christ.

On Account of My Name

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

“If” the world hates you, believers, (1^st class condition—and it does), that’s because it hated Jesus before it knew to hate us. This is a matter of fact. A coming certainty. Be prepared for persecution.

Why would the world hate Jesus and His Church? What’s not to love? Answer: Absolute, uncompromising truth. Sovereign authority. Our assurance of salvation through one Man. Our confidence in His perfect provision. Our sense of peace because of His faithfulness to His chosen ones.  Our preaching of grace to all who will hear of His finished work.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19

"If' we were of the world-system (2nd class condition, and we are not), the world would love us. Our citizenship is in heaven, therefore we can have no friendship with the world. Friends must have something in common; a mutual appreciation of important issues in life; philos; rapport.  Jesus stressed to His men that they must expect to be persecuted, just as He was, because they were His. If He, the master, was ill-treated and despised, they should be prepared to face nothing less. Because they were not of the world, because He had chosen them out of the world.There is an exclusivity of the brotherhood of the saints. The world rejects this. The world does not understand this. The world resents this. The world hates this.

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master’ (John 13:16, Matthew 10:24). If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. John 15:20-21

There are those in and from the world who are willing to believe, so Christians always have the responsibility to teach God’s word. The ones who are positive to Jesus’ message will be positive to our teaching also, but the majority of worldlings will reject and hate the messengers of Christ. Their belligerence is reaching crescendo.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  Whoever hates me hates my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ John 15:22-25

Jesus came to Israel, the nation who was supposed to represent the Law of Moses. They were misrepresenting that law, and they despised the Lord for challenging and correcting them. If they had truly known the God they pretended to represent, they would have recognized and believed the Son of God. He came specifically to them to speak His truth and do His miraculous works. By these things they should have known Him. They did not, because they didn’t know the Father Who sent Him. Their system was a lie. Religion posing as reality. They could have claimed ignorance, had He not come to them with truth. As it is, their sin was exposed and they were now without excuse and aware of their sin (guilty). God has made provision for those who recognize their own sin. Receive the atonement of the Lamb of God, which takes away our sin and replaces it with His righteousness. They didn’t want His atonement. They wanted to continue in their religion, because it afforded them power over the masses. What does the world do when it doesn’t like the truth? It rejects the truth and the one who brings it. It plots to remove the messenger of truth, by murder if necessary. Then it murders; but strangely, the truth remains and increases and exposes the guilt of the world. So the world, in its impotence against truth, hates.

The world hates absolute truth, because they want to see every issue as situational, iffy; in shades of grey. That means every man for himself, to do as he sees fit, no matter what God has said. They prefer the lie.

The world hates authority, because it means someone is in charge and it is not them. It means some rules we obey, just because God has decreed them, whether we understand the reason or not. It means some persons are commissioned to certain positions in life, and others are not, no matter how we feel about it. There is a hierarchy in the plan of God. We who know Him and love His word are willing to submit to that system, thereby growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world prefers rebellion.

The world hates our assurance of faith alone in Christ alone for salvation, because they want to believe there are many ways to God. They consider it arrogance on the part of the Church to teach Jesus as the ONLY way. That would mean their other gods aren’t capable of getting the job done, and their human good is not good enough. It would require humility to simply accept and depend on the finished work of Jesus Christ as the full payment for our sins. The world prefers their mysticism or their prideful points systems.

The world hates our confidence in God's perfect provision. They want us to believe the earth is choking on her own waste and it is all our fault. They want us to believe humanity is a terrible burden on the earth, and she would be better off without us. They hate that we know God built this planet for man’s dwelling, and that He has promised it will support us as long as we need it. And when it is time for our departure, He will fetch us home. The world prefers gloomy uncertainty and fearmongering.

The world hates our sense of peace in spite of adversities, because we know all things will work together for our good. They prefer whining and blaming someone, anyone, everyone. Especially those arrogant Christians.

The world hates grace. The world, and religion, prefers legalism. Even pagans have their do-good systems that they believe everyone must observe, or suffer dire consequences. Religion has its laws, rules and rituals to prove how spiritual they are, and those things have nothing to do with spirituality.

Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost: fallen humanity. He brought grace and truth. He, Himself fulfilled His own law and paid our penalty. Worldlings despise and ridicule Him for His grace.

I John 4:17 “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” And in this world we are hated for it.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

The Helper was coming, though, from the Father. He, the Holy Spirit always testifies of Jesus. Jesus’ disciples testified of Him, also, having been with Him.

And we testify of Him, because we know Him, too.

Laying it Down

As Jesus gave private instruction to His innermost circle of eleven disciples, He was preparing them for His departure. They must be equipped to go on without Him after His ascension into heaven. They must be willing to obey His commands as they became His Church and His Body in the earth, carrying on His work through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They must understand the importance of working together as a unit, supporting one another spiritually, emotionally and even physically day-by-day, performing the “greater works” as His representatives to the world. This would require special understanding of their dependence on each other in all circumstances of life and ministry.

"At the commencement of the farewell address, Jesus enjoined on the disciples brotherly love as a source of consolation under bereavement (John 13:34); here He re-enjoins it once and again as a condition of fruitfulness." Bruce, A.B. - Training of the Twelve

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another. John 15:12-17

The Law of Christ: Love the Brethren. It is His command. How do we do this? Just as He loved us. Completely. Unconditionally. Without exception. As a matter of policy.

This is not the same kind of love as the grace mental attitude love we have for all mankind. This is special, intimate, family love. Unbelievers who think “love one another” is the gospel of Jesus Christ are mistaken. “Love one another” is commanded to those who have believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, thereby becoming His family. The Gospel message is “Jesus the Christ died to pay the penalty for all your sins. Believe this and receive eternal life.” That’s good news. Gospel.

“Love one another” is a rule of life for believers.  

The greatest demonstration of love is to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. This does not mean to die, physically, although it can include physical death. This has the sense of taking off a garment and laying it aside, as Christ did with His deity, for us. Laying down one’s life means to put others’ needs before one’s own. It is the exact opposite of “free spirit” living, in which one has no consideration for anyone else’s sensibilities or expectations, and does it “my way.” Laying down one’s life is what a mother does, to protect and provide for her young. She could theoretically be soaking up rays on a beach, sipping rum punch instead of diapering, cooking, cleaning, running errands, kissing boo-boos and cuddling the whining little ones twenty-four-seven. Laying down one's life is what husbands and wives do, putting each other's wants and needs before their own. Laying down one’s life is what the shepherd does, rather than just putting the sheep out to pasture, at the mercy of the wolves, while he eats, drinks and pursues happiness all day. It takes patience, compassion and sensitivity to the spiritual and physical needs of others. It is family responsibility. We are Royal Family of God.

Jesus came to die for our sins and be resurrected. That was His finale in the earthly mission. To get to that, He first had to leave His glorious home in the heavenlies, be born a helpless infant under the authority of limited humans; live and work in a body of flesh among smelly, ignorant people for 33 years; preach His precious truth to an obstinate, self-righteous audience who were hostile to Him; recruit and train these ordinary working men for discipleship. Then the time came for Him to face the terrible ordeal of being separated from the Father and Spirit on that cross, while being crushed under our sins. His dismissal of His spirit was His exit from the drudgery He had endured in those years of laying down His life for us. Finally, it was finished and He could return home. I marvel at the sacrifice He made by condensing and confining His eternal being into that individual human body for those years, submitting to the limits of time and space. He didn’t have to do it. It was done for love, to give us life.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

10:17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.

10:18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

John 15:14 “You are My  friends (philos—personal, intimate, familiar friends) if  you (3^rd class condition—maybe you will) do what I command you.

"...the disciples had been pupils in the school of Jesus; the apostles would be the treasurers of Christian truth, the reporters and expositors of their Master's doctrine, the sole reliable sources of information concerning the letter and spirit of His teaching." Bruce, A.B. - Training of the Twelve 

This is a new intimacy Jesus introduced to the eleven as He approached the cross. They were no longer servants, but His friends, with whom He was sharing the mysterious doctrines of the Church, decreed by the Father. This information would become real to them after the Holy Spirit baptized and indwelt them in the very near future. They had been chosen and ordained by Him, and given these truths to remember and cherish. These were divine operating assets that would enable them to continue His work in the world—preaching, teaching and producing divine good for eternity.

In order to fulfill those responsibilities, they would have to stick to the priorities He had given them, beginning with love for one another. The brethren. Believers of the same kind. There is strength in brotherhood, and comfort and confidence. In a hostile world they and we need all of that we can get. This is not superficial “warm fuzzies,” but honest, straight-forward, no-nonsense, deliberate kindness, consideration and intercessory prayer support for the spiritual well-being of our fellow believers, in whom Christ lives.

I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

The Vine

It seems the further we go into John’s Gospel, the meatier the Word becomes. Perhaps that’s because we’ve been walking with Jesus now, since the beginning (John 1:1). We are coming to know Him better as we move along. Chapter 15 is a sumptuous meal! Expertly prepared by our Lord and served up to the inner circle of Jesus’ faithful believers, who preserved it for us through their steadfast faith and determination to continue in His Word. These eleven to whom He spoke these words were disciples indeed (John 8:31-32), destined to become His Church.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1

“I AM”….Jesus is the genuine vine. The source of life. We cannot produce anything from ourselves alone.

He is the Vine, planted in the earth by the Father. The eleven, and we, are the branches through whom He, Himself produces fruit. The Father desires fruit, and His dealing with us is regulated by a purpose to increase our fruitbearing. - A. B. Bruce, The Training of The Twelve, paraphrased

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. John 15:2-10

We branches abide in the Vine by our spiritual attachment to, or identification with Him. The Vine abides in the branches by His sap, or spiritual lifeblood, flowing through us to produce fruit. 

“takes away”…non-productive, neutralized branches are cut off. There is no fruit there, and they hinder the production of the other branches. This is God’s discipline of His own. Divine discipline of believers includes being removed from one’s position or removed from this life, because of disobedience, arrogance or self-sufficiency, as in the case of King Saul. 

I Cronicles 10:13-14 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Prune: to remove (dead or superfluous twigs, branches, etc) from (a tree, shrub, etc), specifically by cutting off. The only way for a believer to produce divine good is to abide in (remain in close fellowship with, identify with, be occupied with, totally depend on) Christ. The ones who abide in Christ bear much fruit. Those who don’t abide in Him lose their spiritual vitality and have no testimony for the Lord.

The nation Israel had been the degenerate vine; religion masquerading as reality. Fickle. Traitorous. Idolatrous. This was the pronouncement of the prophets. Isaiah 5:2,4,6:

Then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones.
What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

“I will lay it waste;
It will not be pruned or hoed,
But briars and thorns will come up.
I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

Jeremiah 2:21“Yet I planted you a choice vine,

A completely faithful seed.
How then have you turned yourself before ME
Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?”

We have the perfect source of life in the dispensation of the Church. It is the Lord of life, Himself. The way to produce good fruit is not to hustle and compete and count points, but to simply remain as close as possible to Him in our daily life. We must saturate our souls with His Word. Then we are functioning from the mind of Christ. When He is in everything we think and do, what we produce will be divine good…good fruit, more fruit, MUCH fruit. Then, when our work is evaluated, our divine production will remain; the human good produced by the neutralized branches will be burned. This principle of human good vs divine good was later taught to the Church in I Corinthians 3:11-13, regarding the Bema, or the Judgment Seat of Christ for resurrected believers. As Jesus was presenting it to the eleven, however, the ongoing, daily relationship to Jesus Christ of the maturing believer was in view. This was foundational truth for the Church which was yet to be born. How do we maintain our spiritual life and divine production? Abide in HIM.

Conclusion: believers who are not bearing fruit will be purged, so as not to hinder the production of the vine. Believers who are producing fruit will be pruned (trimmed, groomed, honed, trained, shaped up) to enable the production of more abundant and even better fruit. Often, when it seems there are problems and irritations in our lives and we whine to God to remove those distractions, He will eventually make it clear that the thing, situation, person who is distracting you is His pruning tool, forcing you to focus more clearly on His Word and depend more completely on His loving care. By pruning we learn obedience, humility and unconditional love. That combination produces good fruit.

Caution, believer: never assume, because you don’t see the fruit of another believer, that there is none, or that his production is bad. Only the vine-dresser can accurately evaluate the quality of our fruit. We have no idea what divine good may be in the production of a low-profile believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit and comprehends the truth of God’s Word. Conversely, those who flourish in the spotlight could be producing polished wax.

Remaining closely identified with the Lord Jesus Christ and His perfect Word of Truth guarantees the fulfillment of whatever we ask from Him, as we seek to glorify the Father by our spiritual fruit. Obedience to His commandments = humility = true discipleship = unquestioned love = divine good.

He taught us this so that we could share in His joy, and that the very happiness which belongs to God (+ H) would be complete in us. John 15:11:

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.