TEXT: JOHN 15:1-6
But he knew he was supposed to be higher, better, and holier than them. The work of pruning was done on Isaiah by God, after which he was commissioned, and he answered, “Here am I, send me”.
Malachi 3:3-4. You need cleansing and purging so you can be closer and intimate with God, and offer our services to Him in righteousness. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
- THE PRUNING FOR MARVELLOUS FRUITS
Vines are pruned of unnecessary attachments in order to grow well. So also in your life as a believers, some worthless things must be taken away – things that sap your energy, grace and anointing, things that hinder your optimal growth.
Deuteronomy 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
The extra flesh that God will remove are not outrightly poisonous, but at the same time, not helpful in your life. There are some attitude people have which are not helping them to move forward in their journey to heaven.
Matthew 3:12. Some things are chaffs that have no nutritional value but hinder steady spiritual growth, they are things that attract bacteria in our spiritual life. Cut it off: needless things that cover your glory, limit your usefulness, things leaking your spiritual strength and power (1 Timothy 2:21-22).
Philippians 3:7. Apostle Paul realized that if he was to go ahead, and achieve more than his contemporaries, there are things he must do away with in his life. He said what things were gains to him he counted as loss for the sake of Christ. It could be the way you spend your time, at times staying glued to the television screen for hours watching, thereby reducing your prayer and devotional time to God. They could be irrelevant, useless, worthless, and habitual things you spend your time on, they may not be sinful, but they are not helpful either. Things that hinder your progress which must all be done away with.
- THE PERIL AND PERDITION OF APOSTATE BACKSLIDERS FOR THEIR FRUITLESSNESS. John 15:2,
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.
Jesus here was not talking about sinners but people who were once born again but have backslidden. People who are fruitless, who are no longer abiding in Christ. This is contrary to the opinion of people who say “once saved, always and forever saved” no matter what you do, even if you are as evil and sinful as the devil. Jesus warned His disciples not to listen to such people because at the end, they will be gathered together and cast into the fire.
- THE PROFESSION OF FALSE BELIEVERS
(Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5-7; James 2:17)
These people claim that they are of Christ, and their characters do not matter. They say, “do not judge or criticize me, I know I’m a child of God”. Titus 1:16.
2 Timothy 3:5-7. They are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth, salvation, grace, Sanctification.
James 2:17. People whose faith is without work. They have nothing to show for their claims. Faith without work is dead.
- THE PERIL OF FRUITLESS BRANCHES. John 15:2; Jeremiah 6:16-19; Luke 6:46,49; Hebrews 6:7-8)
“Every branch in me” refers to people who are not sinners but also not bearing fruits. People who are just encumbering the ground for nothing.
Jeremiah 6:16-19. We are admonished to look for the old path and walk in it, and find rest for our souls, not the way people walk in today, claiming to be Christians with nothing to show for it. Not the modern form of Christianity that is useless and not helpful to those who indulge in them.
Luke 6:46,49. They claim attachment to Christ, they call Him Lord, yet they do not do those things which He commanded.
Hebrews 6:7-8. Fruitless vines are burned in fire.
- THE PERDITION OF FORSAKEN BACKSLIDERS
(John 15:6; Matthew 3:9-10; 7:16-17; 13:40-42; Hebrews 10:26-31; Jude 12-13; Revelation 20:10-15)
God does not want anyone to PERISH. Whenever someone backsides, God sends people to him to come back to the fold.
If he does not listen, and remains a backslider till the end of his life, he will perish (John 15:6; Matthew 3:9-10; 7:16-17). A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruits and vice-versa (13:40-42) Some people choose to be offensive all the time, but at the end of time, they will be cast into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
