I Am the True Vine

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (John 15:1)

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus declares His deity by use of His “I AM” statements. He alone is God in human flesh. He alone is the means by which men are saved.

In John 15, Jesus teaches that He is “the true vine” and that His Father is the vinedresser. He continues, clearly explaining His teaching:

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)

Those who identify with Christ are the branches, but according to Jesus, there are two types of branches: those that are alive and bearing fruit and those that are dead and fruitless.

Those that are dead are like Judas: they identify with the people of God and profess a faith in Christ, but they do not truly “abide” in Him.

What is it to abide in Christ?

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love… (John 15:10)

Those who have truly been saved have been given new desires to obey Christ and pursue His righteousness. These are those who truly abide, or remain, in Christ and in His Word. These are the fruit-bearing branches.

Those who are not truly saved do not desire the things of Christ and thus they do not and cannot bear true fruit. These branches will be cut off and cast away by God the Father (John 15:6).

Fruit-bearing branches will be pruned by the Father so that they will bear even more fruit (John 15:2).

God uses the Scriptures to prune us, so we must abide in Him by studying and obeying His Word. By the conviction of His Word, God grows, molds, and sanctifies us.

If we are not abiding in Christ, we can do nothing that serves and glorifies Him (John 15:5).

Fruitless or fruitful: what kind of branch are you?