The Truth About Abiding In The True Vine

The truth about abiding in the True Vine

John 15:1-4 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandmen. 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. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 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.

The word abide is the key word to living and enjoying the Christian life. As the Lord looked at the grape vine he told his disciples he was the True Vine and just as the branches had to be attached or (Abide)to the vine, for life and fruit, so we as Christians need to be attached or abide in Christ for life and fruit. The difference is, abide implies a choice. We must choose to be close to Christ if we are going to be attached to Christ.

Primary lesson for this week: If you abide in the vine you are going to be near other branches! We cannot abide in Christ and avoid Christian fellowship (Hebrews 10:25) and (1 John 1:1-3). It is possible to be among the branches and not be attached to the Vine. These branches eventually reveal themselves through strong winds and a good shaking. 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” The church is certainly the place for Christian fellowship.  You don’t choose the branches that are near you, the vine does. If you allow a branch to keep you from abiding then you become the fruitless dead Christian. Your duty is to abide regardless of the branches that are near you. You may encounter difficult church members but don’t let them discourage you from attending services.  The fact is, if you are abiding you should have the fruit to deal with the difficult branches. Read Galatians 5:22-26


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