Abide in Jesus: Reflecting on John 15 for Spiritual Growth
The Importance of Abiding: A Deep Dive into John 15:1-8
Context
I have entitled this series Jesus’ Last Words because I will be focusing on John 15-16. Technically, I could have included chapter 17 as well, which is Jesus’ prayer, and maybe I’ll cover that chapter in the future. To provide some context and a timeline, John 13 describes Jesus washing His disciples’ feet during the Last Supper. The conversation in John 14 seems to take place at the conclusion of the supper. John 14 ends with “Arise, let us go from here.” So it seems that John 15 was given to the disciples on their way from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane. In John 18, Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane.
I AM
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”
— John 15:1 NKJV
This is Jesus’ eighth “I AM” statement. Jesus’ previous “I AM” statements include:
“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51)
“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)
“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9)
“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14)
“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5)
Israel is often referred to as a vine (Psalms 80:8–9; Isaiah 27:2–6; 5:1-7; Hosea 10:1; Ezekiel 17:6-10; 15:1–8; 19:10–14; Jeremiah 2:21)
Countries often have symbols: the eagle for America, the maple leaf for Canada, and the lion for England. For Israel in the Old Testament era of history, it was the vine. It reminded them that God had planted them in the land to bear fruit as his people.
—Sam Allberry, “John,” in 90 Days in John 14–17, Romans, James, Explore by the Book (The Good Book Company, 2017), 31.
With all this in mind, what do you think Jesus means by describing himself here as “the true vine”?
One likely interpretation is that all that Israel was meant to be but never was, he is. In every area that Israel fell short of God’s ideal, Jesus succeeded. In every area that Israel rebelled against God’s will, Jesus was faithful. Jesus is the clearest example of what a life fully dedicated to God looks like.
Another point is that if Jesus is the true vine, then the only way we can ever be part of the people of God is by being in Him. We must be included in his righteousness and obedience. Jesus will continue to highlight the importance of this unity.
Judgment?
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
— John 15:2 NKJV
In my study of this passage, I came across one scholar who took issue with God taking away or pruning branches.
The word translated “takes away” in verse 2 is airo—a word in which three of the four definitions deal with lifting up, raising up, or pulling up. Yes, the fourth definition in the Greek lexicon is “take away.” But there are three that precede it. Airo is used in John 11:41, where Jesus lifts up His eyes toward the heavens—and again in Luke 17 when the people lifted their voices. Thus, the idea here is not “take away” but “lift up.”
—Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 563.
John Courson makes an apparently compelling argument, but it is worth noting that every English translation of the Bible that I read translated John 15:2 “airo” as take away. This causes me to question Dr. Courson’s interpretation.
Regarding pruning, Pr. Courson said the following.
The word translated “purge” is kathairo from which we get our word “catharsis,” referring to a cleansing process. Kathairo is used in John 13 when Jesus cleansed the feet of His disciples. In fact, in virtually every case in New Testament language, kathairo being translated not “purge” but “cleanse,” I believe the use of “purge” here in John 15 is a mistranslation. If you put these thoughts together, you get an understanding of what Jesus is really saying—and it’s wonderful. It’s not terrorizing; it’s terrific. It doesn’t cause consternation, but rather comfort, for He says, “Every branch in Me that bears not fruit, I lift up. And every branch that bears fruit, I cleanse that it might bring forth more fruit.”
You see, in vineyards, it is not uncommon for branches to become so heavy with fruit that they sag to the ground—leaving them vulnerable to the mud from the rainy season sure to follow. Consequently, the vinedresser, seeing a branch in the mud, lifts it up and braces it. And if there is fruit on it, he washes the mud off the fruit—lovingly, carefully, and tenderly.
Thus, Jesus paints a picture not of the Lord lopping you off, but of Him lifting you up; not of Him cutting you, but of Him cleansing you.
—Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 563.
I might find Pr. Courson’s interpretation appealing, however, for those of you here who like plants and are familiar with caring for plants, which practice are you more familiar with, cleansing branches that produce fruit or pruning them?
I bring this up because I want to share with you my thought process as I study and interpret a text, and how I approach different interpretations. Commentaries can be helpful. But they do not need to be followed blindly; they should be considered carefully. The same goes for sermons and devotional materials. Do not disengage your mental faculties; rather, engage them more intensely.
In my experience, God has removed things from my life that hindered my spiritual growth. Some of the things God removed I thought would always be a part of my life. Other things that God has removed from my life, I never thought were a problem, but once they were removed, I experienced greater spiritual growth. I am grateful for all the things God removed from my life and gave me victory over, and their removal allowed me to experience not only greater joy and fulfillment in my spiritual journey but also caused me to bear more fruit for the kingdom of God.
I do believe that God prunes us, removing things from our lives that will cause us to bear more fruit. But I do not think this is grounds for alarm, I believe this is a cause for celebration!
It is also worthwhile considering what Hebrews 12:11 says.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
—Hebrews 12:11 NKJV
The other ditch
If there is a ditch on one side about removing any judgment from Jesus’ words, there is also a ditch on the other side where we want to do the pruning and the casting out.
The church in its humanity has generally had difficulty dealing with lack of productivity in disciples. The main reason is that it lacks the wisdom and purposiveness of God. But more importantly, it is God who does the pruning and removal. Yet the church does not usually wish removal to take place because of its attachment to numerical size and a worldly sense of what is important. In other words, the boundaries of the church have often become fuzzy today and almost nonexistent. That is not the case in some parts of the world, where it can be very costly to be a Christian—one’s life can be at stake. In those places the boundary lines are much clearer.
—Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 140.
Jesus’ words regarding pruning and removal should not be weaponised by His followers who want to establish themselves as the vinedresser. Jesus is clear that His Father is the vinedresser. The danger for us is that we never have the full context, and we tend to focus on the outwardly visible sins or those that are most different from our own. I am likely to consider the sins that I struggle with more grace and patience, and have zero tolerance for a sin that has never been an issue for me.
How many sermons have you heard about the evils of… and you can fill in the blank with something that affects mostly young people and women. How often are those sermons about something that a middle-aged heterosexual man struggles with? It feels like the older I get, the holier I become. It almost seems like Satan mostly tempts young people and women.
I don’t have a lust problem; it’s the women who are dressed provocatively.
I don’t go to the movies, play violent video games, or listen to pop music. I’m ready for heaven.
I don’t wear revealing outfits. I’m a saint.
Surely there are no other sins out there, nothing that I would struggle with. So, we create a culture where, if we follow certain disciplines and guidelines, we are holier and more saved.
I don’t wear jewelry, I don’t drink coffee, I don’t eat meat… whatever the culture may be in your religious tradition. Do we realize that the religious leaders who killed Jesus didn’t listen to gangster rap or heavy metal rock music? They did not play violent video games or wear revealing outfits. They probably also didn’t wear makeup or jewelry. They ate kosher meals, attended church faithfully, and adhered strictly to the letter of the law.
I hope this helps illustrate our need to be humble and invite God to prune our own lives. We can get all the outward observance right and still miss the heart connection, which is what truly matters.
But please don’t twist my words. I am not saying that outward signs don’t matter; I am just saying that it is possible to achieve that part out of discipline, habit, or culture, and be no closer to Jesus than someone who neglects all those outward behaviors. I see the value of the behavioral guidelines. I see the danger in the lyrics of certain songs and the culture they promote, and the violence in some movies and video games. I understand that the culture was shaped by good intentions, but it can lead to a false sense of security and a judgmental attitude.
He who professes to be in Christ is expected to bring forth fruits appropriate to his profession. These fruits are elsewhere termed “the fruit of the Spirit” ( Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9), or “fruits of righteousness” Phil. 1:11; cf. Heb. 12:11), that is, fruits which are righteousness. These fruits are evident in the character and the life. When these “good fruits” (James 3:17) are absent it becomes necessary to sever the fruitless branch.
—Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 1042.
We should be careful not to confuse compliance with cultural norms with bearing fruit. According to the Bible, the fruit Jesus is talking about includes the following.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
— Galatians 5:22 NKJVfor the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth
—Ephesians 5:9 NKJVbeing filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
— Philippians 1:11 NKJVBut the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
— James 3:17 NKJV
The challenge with the biblical fruits is that you can’t see them as someone walks by; you only learn about them as you walk with someone. You can fool the pastor, the elders, the church board, and most church members. But your co-workers, your neighbors, your classmates, your teammates, your spouse, your children, and your parents know the truth. It is those closest to you, who spend time with you, who know whether or not you’re bearing fruit.
In John 4, Jesus refers to fruit as saving lost souls, and Paul makes a similar reference in Romans 1:13. Influencing others for the kingdom of God, making disciples for Jesus, and sharing the gospel is also part of bearing fruit.
Already Clean
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
— John 15:3 NKJV
Jesus further clarifies that His word is fundamental to our status of “clean.” If you want to clean someone, expose them to the words of Jesus. To experience cleansing, spend time in the Word of God. The disciples had not only heard but also accepted the words of Jesus. Whenever we move away from the words of Jesus, we enter into dangerous territory.
We are judged based on our reaction to Jesus and His words. You cannot separate Jesus from His words, His teachings, His message.
He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
— John 12:48-50 NKJV
Jesus’ words from John 12 help remind us that we should not try to differentiate between the words of Jesus and the words of God. The words Jesus speaks are the words of God. The Bible describes one God, and we must resist the temptation of seeing the Trinity as three gods. I won’t get into the topic of the trinity or godhead in this post, but I did feel it necessary to highlight that any attempt to differentiate Jesus from the Father regarding their character and teaching is futile and unbiblical.
Abide
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
— John 15:4 NKJV
Here is the key! Everything else that we will study in this series must be interpreted in light of this central truth. We achieve nothing of eternal worth on our own. We are completely dependent on Jesus for everything, and we accomplish and achieve by remaining/abiding. We do not succeed by striving, but by abiding. The kingdom of heaven is not about trying harder but about remaining in Jesus and allowing Him to work in you and through you.
A branch is not a self-contained entity, and neither is the Christian disciple. And as a branch separated from the supply of nourishment cannot produce fruit, neither can the Christian. Fruit bearing for the disciple is totally dependent on a direct connection to Jesus. Attachment to Jesus or abiding in him is, therefore, the sine quo non of Christian discipleship.
—Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 142.
The secret
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
— John 15:5NKJV
We are not required to bear fruit in order to abide in the vine. We are called to abide in the vine in order to produce fruit. You don’t produce fruit in order to belong; you join, you remain, and you will produce fruit as a result of your relationship with Jesus. Focus on Jesus, and everything else will fall into place. Everything that you are able to do without Jesus, outside of a relationship with Him, is equivalent to nothing.
It is impossible for man in his own strength to escape from the pit of sin into which he has fallen and to bring forth fruits unto holiness.
—Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 1042.
Dry branch
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
— John 15:6 NKJV
When I lived in Georgia, I had a burn pile in the back of my house. Throughout the year, I would trim the trees and bushes and throw all those branches into a pit that eventually became a pile. Over time, all those branches dried up. Once the branches were nice and dry, I would stand up on top of the burn pile. The sweat would bead down my face as I pushed down all those dried branches. I would pull out the garden hose and wet the grass around the burn pile. Then I would light it up. It would take hours for the whole thing to burn, and on a hot and humid day, it was quite an adventure poking the fire, keeping it controlled, and ensuring it burned all the dried branches. By the end of the day, my skin had a pinkish-red coloration from the heat, my shirt was stuck to my body due to the heat, and I had drunk a ridiculous amount of water.
Jesus is very clear, and the analogy is quite simple. When we abide in Him, He makes sure that we produce fruit. The burden for causing us to produce fruit is 100% on Jesus. Our responsibility is to abide in Him. Just don’t go anywhere. However, if you freely choose to leave Jesus, He also explains what will happen, you will wither and die.
This may seem harsh. But think of a branch not wanting to be connected to the vine but wanting to remain alive. The branch is simply unable to sustain itself. The branch is free to choose, but is not free from the consequences of its choice. The motivation to abide is in order to produce fruit. But Jesus also clarifies what happens to those who choose not to.
There is no doubt that the image of burning the dried branches is a judgment motif that goes back to the Old Testament including the plagues of Egypt (Exod 9:23) and the cities and disobedient people who are burned (Lev 10:2; Num 26:10; Deut 10:21; 12:3; Josh 6:24; 8:19; 1 Sam 30:1–3). God’s anger is linked to fire (Deut 32:22), and fire is often used as a symbol of judgment both in the Old Testament (Ps 11:6; Jer 4:4; etc.) and the New (Matt 3:12; 5:22; 13:40–42; Mark 9:47; etc.). And, of course, fire is repeatedly used in the judgment scenes of Revelation (Rev 8:7–8; 11:5; 14:10; 16:8; 18:8; 19:20; 20:9–10, 14–15; 21:8).
—Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 144.
Further support for the judgment scene is found in Matthew 25:31-46.
Glory to God
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
—John 15:7-8NKJV
The secret to answered prayers is abiding in Christ. When we abide in Jesus, His words abide in us. Our desires match His will. When we want the same thing that God wants for us, all of our prayers are answered, because those answers will bring blessings and ultimately glory to God.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
—1John 5:14 NKJV
Bearing fruit and glorifying God is not optional for the follower of God. We are not saved because we bear fruit, but those who are in a relationship with Jesus can’t help but bear fruit. God receives the glory when His character is reflected in the lives of His followers.
Takeaway
If you emphasize one thing in your life, focus on remaining in Jesus. If you worry about the lack of fruit in your spiritual journey, do not try harder to produce fruit; rather, invest in your relationship with Jesus.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
P.S. If you would like more information about how to abide in Jesus in a practical way, feel free to leave a comment on this post or reach out to me on social media. I would recommend starting with reading through the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Mark is probably the easiest one to begin with if you’re brand new to the Bible and Jesus.
