Those "IN" Christ Not Bearing Fruit

[Woody]

Not every person "In Christ" will always bear fruit. They will automatically bear fruit when they come to Christ. The heart is changed. There is immediately LOVE for God. But the LOVE can wax cold. And fruit can wither.

John 15 points out that "Every branch IN me" does not necessarily bear fruit. But what God does is to LIFT up the branch that does not bear fruit. This is what we should do with each other. Even if someone is not bearing fruit ... we should love and lift them up. We should not condemn and criticize their lack of fruit. But by loving them and lifting them up ... we will encourage and promote more fruit. They will then abide IN Him and bear more fruit because of the encouragement and lifting UP.

[olger]

I went to the Good Book to read that passage. Here is the first 5-verses.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 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.

5 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."

the other Gerry

[Woody]

Thanks Olger. That saves me from having to quote it.

Yes, "Every branch IN me that beareth NOT fruit." This is an example of being IN Him and NOT bearing fruit. As the vine master ... He takes the branch off (away from) the ground ... lifts it UP off the ground. He loves and cares for the branch and in that way ... He nurtures it and encourages growth.

The point is that it was IN Him and it was NOT bearing fruit.

[Woody]

Quote:

and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Next ... we see what He does to those IN Him that DO bear fruit. (He purgeth them) that they might bear more fruit. This is the job of the husbandman. That IS God's job.

[Woody]

Finally Olger ....

HE says to abide IN Him. He doesn't say to obey Him. He says ABIDE. Where is the focus?

[olger]

Well... let's consider that.

God says a lot here. Just so I might understand, what is a branch? Is it a person? Verse 4 seems to say so. "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."

Verse 5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches." That seem plain enough.

olger

[Woody]

Sounds good to me and VERY plain.

[olger]

Thanks.

[olger]

I like the suggestion that God lifts us, reminiscent of His promise to carry us on eagles wings (Exodus 19; Isaiah 40).

Are we sure that the word "airo" means to carry lovingly, or does it mean to "cut off" here, as the NIV renders it? It is the same word that Jesus used when He said "Get these things out of here" in John 2:16. It is also the same word that the Jews used when they condemned Jesus "Away with Him.."

I just want to be fair to the text, maybe some others will join in. Do you think verse two might be a parallel passage of verse 6?

olger

[Woody]

Let me say .... some have been on the ground many times but each time GOD lifts them up off the ground and nurtures them. He then says to go in a different direction. He doesn't want us in the ground. But we "gravitate" towards the ground. We have to be redirected frequently from our decisions. That is what the husbandman does. And He does it with great care and love.

Each time we fail ... He does not. He comes to us in Love and helps redirect.

[olger]

Thanks. I like to think of it as adoption. Each time we stumble, God doesn't grab the adoption papers and tear them up. Praise Him for that.

But if we run away from home (2 Peter 3:17), the Lord will ultimately let us go (Hosea 4:17; 1 Cor. 3:17).

warm regards,

olger

[Woody]

Praise the Lord ... we keep running away from home but he runs after us. As our Father He welcomes us back with a big feast and celebration. He NEVER tears up the adoption papers. Just as I would never tear up the adoption papers for my son. We are HIS son and he Never tears up the paperwork.

Praise God He loves me and pursues me.