Evening Reading for August 12 John 15:1-5 Suggested further reading: Ephesians 5:25-33 The general lesson of each parable is the main thing to be noticed. The minor details must not be tortured and pressed to an excess in order to extract a meaning from them. The mistakes into which Christians have fallen by neglecting this rule are neither few nor small. We are meant to learn from these verses that the union between Christ and believers is very close. He is `the Vine and they are `the branches. The union between the branch of a vine and the main stem is the closest that can be conceived. It is the whole secret of the branchs life, strength, vigour, beauty and fertility. Separate from the parent stem, it has no life of its own. The sap and juice that flow from the stem are the origin and maintaining power of all its leaves, buds, blossoms and fruit. Cut off from the stem, it must soon wither and die. The union between Christ and believers is just as close and just as real. In themselves believers have no life or strength or spiritual power. All that they have of vital religion comes from Christ. They are what they are and feel what they feel and do what they do, because they draw out of Jesus a continual supply of grace, help and ability. Joined to the Lord by faith and united in mysterious union with him by the Spirit, they stand and walk and continue and run the Christian race. But every jot of good about them is drawn from their spiritual Head, Jesus Christ. The thought before us is both comfortable and instructive. Believers have no cause to despair of their own salvation and to think they will never reach heaven. Let them consider that they are not left to themselves and their own strength. Their root is Christ and all that there is in the root is for the benefit of the branches. Because he lives, they shall live also. Worldly people have no cause to wonder at the continuance and perseverance of believers. Weak as they are in themselves, their Root is in heaven and never dies. `When I am weak, said Paul, `then am I strong (2 Cor. 12:10). For meditation: `But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Cor. 6:17).
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 19:55:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015