7) The Vine “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. ( John 15:5) It’s important to understand that salvation is not a fruit bearing event, so in this statement Jesus was talking about our life after we’re saved. Of course a non believer cannot bear fruit, and even after we receive salvation believers are not automatically fruitful. But if we yield our life to Him, ( Rom 12:1,2) and respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit He sent to guide us. ( John14:26) We can bear much fruit. If not our lives will be unfruitful, because without Him we can do nothing of spiritual value. We’ll still be saved, but we’ll be of no more use to the work of the Kingdom than the unfruitful braches the gardener discards at pruning time. Saint Paul confirmed this in 1Cor 3:12-15. The unfruitful believer will be saved, but as one escaping through the flames. This is not a matter of success or failure from a worldly stand point. It’s matter of motive. Many of us will see some of our greatest accomplishments burn in the fires of judgment because we achieved them with wrong motives, like self satisfaction, or recognition from others, or even a desire to “make points” with God. Only those things that are prompted by the Holy Spirit and where our only motive is gratitude for all we’ve been given will survive. So don’t judge anyone now. The time for judging will be when the Lord comes. He will shine light on everything that is now hidden in darkness. He will make known the secret purposes of our hearts. Then the praise each person should get will come from God.( 1Cor.4:5) Jesus is the One who spiritually sustains us, 1) Through Him we gain spiritual understanding and wisdom for living. 2) He has given us free access to the Kingdom 3) Having paid our entrance fee with His Life. 4) Whether we die before the rapture or are taken live in it, He has guaranteed our eternal life with God. 5) He is the only one who can do this. 6) And for the balance of our life on Earth, the things we do in His strength, out of gratitude for what He’s done for us, are the only things that matter.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 17:57:28 +0000
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