Text: I John 2 & others
We've talked about abiding in the vine (Jesus). What exactly is abiding? I John 2:6 says, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as he walked." So abiding is to walk as Jesus walked. No one can stop us from abiding and no one can make us abide. It is up to us.
How do we abide in the vine? I John 2:24-25 tells us to let truth abide or remain, and pursue the promise.
John 15 says the Father (God) is the vinedresser. He prunes us so we'll bear more fruit, cuts off unproductive branches, observes us, and cares for us. His intentions are for our good.
His motivations are love for us as individuals, love for His family as a whole, and love for a dying world. There's a distinction between the world and His family. We have special privileges. My son works for a hardware store, and he gets an employee discount. It is a perk others do not have because they do not work there. God would like those in the world to be born into His family, so they too may enjoy the benefits.
What produces fruit in our lives? It is the abiding in the vine that causes us to bear fruit. You don't have to be perfect to be clean and productive. An unproductive branch is one who resists what Jesus says to do.
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