Abiding in the Vine
(A lesson of true Christianity)
(John 15:4-8 NKJV) “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. {5} “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. {6} “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. {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.
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The Lord Jesus’ teaching in John 15 is one of the most important lessons in the Word of God. I cannot think of another teaching that so clearly describes the nature of true and false Christianity. The teaching enforces all the other examples and lessons that are presented by Christ and the letters of the Apostles Paul, Peter, James, and John.
The lesson uses the metaphor of a grape vine and grafting process. This was a familiar example to the disciples since grape production was a very essential part of culture in Israel. Grafting is a fundamental part of the vinedresser. When Christ declared, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser,” they knew exactly to what He was referring.
To explain clearly why this lesson is so important, I must go into a bit of history concerning American grape production. When early Americans tried to make wine from indigenous grapes, they found them too sour, bitter, and strong in aroma. Thus, they tried planting European vines, but the vines were not hardy enough to survive. The main reason foreign vines could not be grown in American soil is phylloxera, a tiny louse that kills grapevines by feeding on their roots. Phylloxera was unwittingly introduce into France during the 19th century and wiped out nearly all of Frances vineyards. From France, it spread around the world destroying nearly every vineyard on each continent. Because grape vines indigenous to America were phylloxera resistant, rootstocks from America were shipped to France in order to save their vineyards. Currently, there are almost no grape vines in the world that are grown on their own rootstock. This is where the story gets fascinating for me.
American rootstock is phylloxera resistant, but European vines are most desirable for making wine. Therefore, Americans and Europeans graft the popular European vine, the Vitis vinifera scion (cutting or bud stick), onto the roots of a phylloxera resistant Vitis labrusca or other American native species. There are several grafting methods, so I will give only one example. The T-method involves cutting a T into the bark of an adult vine near the ground. Two Vitis vinifera scions are then inserted and wrapped with grafting rubber or some other wrap. The vine will bleed when it is cut, so two additional cuts are made below the grafting area in order to let the blood drain into the soil. Weeks later, when the grafts heal, the vine is sawed off above the grafts and thrown away. The grafts will then grow vigorously and rapidly into a strong fruit-bearing vine.
This is a fascinating event. The root has its main body cut off and thrown away. It is treated almost savagely, bled, cut, sawed, spliced, and yet will faithfully and unassumingly grow the foreign vine as if it were its own body. What an amazing example of Christ! Selah!
Therefore, it is important to notice that the Lord Jesus did not say that we should abide on the vine. He said abide in the vine. Consider that when He declared Himself to be the Vine, He was declaring Himself as the Rootstock.
(Isaiah 11:10 NKJV) “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”
(Romans 15:12 NKJV) And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
(Revelation 5:5 NKJV) But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior, is the Rootstock that is impervious to sin. We cannot grow in this world without Him as our Rootstock. Here is the mystery of Christ that is clearly revealed in the Bible. Israel, who was the indigenous branch, was cut off because they produced fruit unfit for consumption. Those who submit their lives to God, accept Christ as Lord and Savior, are grafted in. The Apostle Paul warns us not to boast about the process since we could also be cut off for the same reason as Israel was cut off.
(Romans 11:17-21 NKJV) And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, {18} do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. {19} You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” {20} Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. {21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
In John 15, Christ Jesus gives the same warning as Paul gave in Romans 11.
(John 15:2 NKJV) “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.
The lesson in John 15 is explicit concerning true followers of Christ Jesus. Additionally, there is no ambiguity in any of the Gospels or in Paul’s letters. If we are grafted in, and refuse to produce fruit, the Father, who is the Vinedresser, will cut us off. Much is said about God adding to the church those who are being saved, but little is said about His subtractions.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:28-29 KJV)
There is complete security in abiding in the Vine. But rebellious flesh hates the accountability of abiding in the Vine. Carnal people want to remain in the Vine even when they have long since ceased producing fruit. The lesson of John 15 is that we must bear fruit.
We must abide in the Vine to be an overcomer.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev 2:11 (KJV)
Our own rootstock is worthless because it was not resistant to sin. We were removed from it, but we retain some of its nature. In other words, we are still human. We cannot overcome sin unless we have the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:6-9 (KJV)
The nature of the new Rootstock affects the grafted branches. This is because the blood of the Rootstock flows into the grafted branches and governs the aroma. The aroma is called the vigor of the rootstock by vinedressers.
(2 Corinthians 2:16 NKJV) To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
We are at the mercy of the Rootstock and the Vinedresser. If we are cut off, we cannot be grafted again into our old rootstock because it cannot survive in the sin-infested soil of self or the world system. No matter what doctrine one believes in, what denominational title he or she chooses to wear, or how many degrees are parked in front of his or her name, if there is no fruit production, there will be no connection to the Rootstock and no spiritual life.
It is any wonder that Christianity is dying today. There are multitudes cut off, withering and dead branches, who are either ignorant of, or unwilling to, produce fruit. Most professing Christians believe that just struggling to the meeting each Sunday morning, enduring the lecture, and racing to the restaurant for lunch, is true Christianity. Otherwise, their lives are as empty and barren of fruit as a dead thorn bush. How can such people remain grafted into the Rootstock by merely claiming to be Christians? Will their claims stand before the Judgment Throne when God clearly calls for presentation of fruit? How can He say, “Well done” to them?
When we surrender to God, we become His property. We are no longer remain on our own rootstock. We were bought with a price, grafted in, and become His possession. We gave up the rights to follow our own whims and wishes. However, there is a clear picture of God the Vinedresser dealing with His property. If we are truly grafted into the Rootstock, then either life must flow and fruit produced or we are dead branches. There is no other option. We will either bear fruit or God will remove us as a dead branch is removed during vine dressing. When we bear fruit, we will be pruned so that we will bear more fruit. We must acquiesce to the will of God in all things. Retaining the right of self-possession is a refusal of the will of God, and a rejection of the Rootstock. It is an attempt to draw life from the Rootstock, but remain aloof and indifferent to His demands that we produce fruit.
Abiding in the Rootstock means that we are connected to Christ. We will receive substance from the connection. We become one with Christ, albeit an extension of Himself. Our minds conform to His mind. The Divine Nature, which is the Holy Spirit, flows in us. We consent to do His will, which is His mind that is transmitted to us by the Holy Spirit. He thinks, “bear fruit,” and we are supposed to bear fruit. Notice that the Rootstock does not bear fruit, but the branches. However, it is the Rootstock that holds all the essential substance for life and fruit-bearing and imparts it to the branches. The branches ask for leaves, the Rootstock gives them leaves. They ask for buds, and they get buds. They ask for growth so that they may grow and increase the size of their leaves. They ask for blooms, for moisture during dry times, and the Rootstock supplies all their needs. Because they are connected, the Rootstock knows what they need before they ask. It is not a matter of positive confession, or even of much asking, but a matter of abiding. Abiding will cause a flow of continual substance necessary for spiritual life. If we are abiding, we will be a branch that receives substance so that we may produce fruit and represent the Rootstock properly. It will be our nature to do so.
Until there is a full surrender, there will be no abiding in the Rootstock. When God looks at us, He looks for His divine order. In nature, His divine order is branches in the vine grafted into the Rootstock. To every true Christian, abiding in the Rootstock means their lives are hidden with Christ in God.
