Bob Deffinbaugh John 15
What does it mean to abide?
Notes/Highlights:
When I think of being fruitful, I think of being productive….accomplishing much. But fruitful in the context of John should probably be looked more as in doing and being – living in such a way that is consistent with being connected to Jesus. You know an apple tree is an apple tree because it produces apples. You wouldn’t expect it to produce anything else. Would you know an apple tree from an orange tree if it didn't haven't any fruit? You might say, "Well, yes...their leaves and trunks are different." But the average person wouldn't know that. You'd have to be a bit of an expert or at least very knowledgeable about the differences in the leaves and such. But should people have to be an expert to detect a true believer? What would that look like? Perhaps they would say they could detect a Christian by if they go to church; how ethical they would be; how they dress, etc.... This is all surface and may identify someone who is religiously observant but they wouldn't produce fruit consistent with being connected to Jesus. Knowing someone is connected to Jesus shouldn't take an expert opinion. Our leaves should inherently look different.
John 15:1-3 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Who are the branches that get cut off? It is said that these branches are "In Me". I believe because of that phrase that some conclude that these are those who were once saved but lost their salvation. However, based on other Scriptures which may give insight, these are people who were religious or superficial in their faith and produced no fruit consistent with actually being "in Jesus".
Bob Deffinbaugh outlines several Scriptures that explain:
In summary, Bob says the following:
I believe these New Testament texts give us a great deal of help in interpreting and applying our Lord’s words in John 15:2. The Jews of His day (not to mention our own) believe they are in “the vine.” They suppose that by being descendants of Abraham they have a relationship with God which will gain them an entrance to the Kingdom of God, and which assures them that they will not face eternal judgment.
Other observations made:
- the purpose of the vine is to bear fruit
I believe that as we abide in Christ, He abides in us, and when He abides in us, Jesus Christ becomes evident in and through us. The “fruit” then, is being Christ-like. The church is the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12). I believe we bear fruit as Christ is manifested in and through our lives. He is seen in us as we manifest His character (Galatians 5:22-23). He is evident in us as we carry on the work He began when He was on this earth (see Acts 3:6, 12-16; 4:13). Being fruitful, then, is manifesting Christ in our lives. - the branches are the instrument through which fruit is produced.
While our Lord produced much “fruit” when He was physically on the earth, He now produces “fruit” through those (branches) who believe in Him. - these branches only bear fruit in union with the vine.
The branches obtain life through the vine; they are sustained by the vine; they produce fruit through the vine. The only way to bear fruit is for the branches to abide (stay connected) in the vine. - the Father is the gardener, who tends the vine.
He removes the lifeless, fruitless branches—those branches which were never truly “in the vine,” but only supposed themselves to be. He “cleanses” (some versions render this “prunes”) the branches, so that they will bear even more fruit.
When our pleasure becomes paramount, rather than God’s glory, then we have fallen far short of what God’s Word teaches. Our purpose in life is not to “fill our cups” with all the pleasure we can experience; it is to abide in Christ so that we may bear fruit for Him. The process by which this fruit-bearing is promoted is often painful. Thus, the Father cleanses or prunes us, so that we will be more fruitful. And lest you think the Father is being arbitrary, do not forget that the “fruit” which our Lord produced by His life and sacrificial death at Calvary came at great cost to Him, and to the Father. - the Word is the instrument which the Father employs to tend the vine.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
Further, it is also my opinion that the Word is often the “cutting instrument” which the Father employs to “remove” the unfruitful (and unbelieving) branches (15:2). As I read through the Book of Acts, I see the closing of a chapter for Israel and the Jews. The gospel is proclaimed, and some Jews receive it. But many are those who reject the Word of God, bitterly opposing Paul and others who proclaim it. It is in response to the proclamation of the Word that some are “cleansed” and others are “clipped off.” The Word of God is at one and the same time the instrument which separates some from the vine, while drawing others all the more closely.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
- "Remain in me, as I also remain in you.
The Greek word translated as "remain" can also be translated as "abide" or "dwell".
To “abide” in Christ as the True Vine is to “make our home” in Him, just as He also “makes His abode” in us.
The idea of having God as our “dwelling place” is found as well in the Old Testament such as in Psalm 91:1,9-10 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. … 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling
Jesus Christ is the “abiding place” for the Christian. He is the One from whom we derive spiritual life and strength and the means to become Christ-like. It is only through Him that we can “bear fruit.” It is by “abiding” in Him that we also enter into the deepest union and fellowship. Thus, Jesus urges His disciples to “abide” in Him when He departs to be with the Father, assuring them that He will likewise “abide” in them.
- If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit
In trying to do the Christian life on our own, we are often, like a branch straining to produce fruit on its own. Branches are not designed to produce fruit - they are designed to have fruit produced through them.
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.
-- Galatians 2:20
It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. It is no longer I who am expected to produce patience, self-control and love in my life. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. It is no longer I who am expected to produce joy in the midst of stress. It is Christ working through the Holy Spirit.
The vine is Christ. We are the branch. The Holy Spirit is the sap that runs from the vine into the branch. The branch lives, grows, bears fruit not by struggles and effort but simply by abiding....staying connected to the vine.
Christ expects His followers to bear much fruit - not produce fruit.
The Greek word is 5342 phérō and it means to carry, bring forth.
verse 8: This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.…
Notice that bearing much fruit proves that we are His disciples. How apparent it is to others that we are believers correlates with the amount of fruit we bear.
[My first thought is....I'm not sure how much fruit I bear (carry forward from abiding). This seems hard. There is something wrong with me.]
Notice that Jesus doesn't say this will be difficult. He is saying that it will be impossible...APART from Him. No one can live the Christian life apart from Christ - at least not with the consistency necessary to accomplish what Jesus has called us to accomplish.
While Jesus was with His disciples on earth, they had drawn their strength and security from His presence. What Jesus is saying is that though He was not going to be with them physically, He still expected them to depend on Him.
If you do not learn to abide in Christ, you will never have the self-control necessary to consistently overcome temptation. You will always be an emotional hostage of your circumstances. Why? Because apart from abiding in Christ, you can do nothing!
[This section was an excerpt from my notes from Charles Stanley , The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life; Life as a Branch - see excerpt)
- “Apart from Me, you can accomplish nothing.”
The term “nothing” refers to spiritual fruit. There is a certain sense in which men can do nothing at all without Christ. They cannot live or breath or eat, apart from the provisions God has made.
Acts 17:28 "For in Him we live and move and have our being...." [This is the scripture that came to mind as I reflected on what it means to abide in Christ.]
Apart from abiding in Christ, Christians cannot do anything that will please Him.
John 15:9-17 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus reiterates and further explains what He has just said concerning abiding in Him. He now gives us some specifics as to how we are to abide in Him. He also spells out some of the benefits of abiding in Him.
- WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST, WE ABIDE IN HIS LOVE
Abiding in His love is not automatic; it is something which we are commanded to do, and which takes effort and action on our part (albeit, inspired and empowered by God—see Philippians 2:12-13). Abiding in Christ requires the self-discipline that Paul talks about (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) and which the Holy Spirit produces. [I believe the action on our part is to intentionally submit to the Holy Spirit in prayer and yield ourselves to Him so that He can produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Love is one of the character traits of that fruit.] - WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST, WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
[When we abide and remain in Christ, we will desire to submit to His will and desires for our lives. Following His commandments is not done out of a legalistic obligation but out of love for Christ.]
- WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST, WE LOVE THE BRETHREN.
In our Lord’s absence, the potential for division was increased. The Holy Spirit would give them a supernatural unity in Christ, but they must strive to maintain this unity by living in love. - WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST, WE HAVE GREAT JOY
[I have often tried to make someone else responsible for my joy...to make me happy. It is not wrong to enjoy another person, but making them responsible for our joy puts an expectation on them that is unfair and will only lead to disappoinment for us. The source of our joy comes from Christ and we are to cast our cares on Him and place on Him our hopes and expectations.]
- WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST, WE ARE HIS FRIENDS.
Up till now, there was a sense in which the disciples were more like slaves than friends. It was not because Jesus was treating them unkindly, but because they were incapable of being anything else. A “friend” is one with whom you share your thinking, your goals, your motivations, your reasons for doing things. The disciples were simply not able to understand any of these things, even though our Lord communicated many of them to His disciples. But now, with the coming of the Holy Spirit and their abiding in Him, He could openly disclose His plans and purposes, so that they knew not only what He was seeking to do, but how and why He was doing it. No longer were His disciples to be “in the dark”; they were to be fully enlightened as to what He was doing. Abiding in Christ intimately connects us with Christ, so that we not only draw life and strength from Him, but we also come to know His heart and mind.