John 15: He is the vine, I choose to remain connected

Reading John 15 yesterday morning got me searching and something finally made clearer sense after all these years. Something elementary that I've heard in church a hundred times. 

It struck me with fresh clarity and created some great discussion for the ride home with the children. 

John 15:1-8 (NKJV)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
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.
You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.
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.
“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.
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.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” As believers, we could take for granted that we are “in” or "secure"—but this chapter reminded me that we were grafted in by grace, not born righteous. We were once wild branches, far from the life of God, but through Christ, we’ve been brought near, nourished by the Vine Himself and continually pruned by the Vinedresser.

This is what I read with more clarity: (v. 2) “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (v. 6), and “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.”. This isn’t necessarily about losing salvation over mistakes—it’s about rejecting our lifeline and turning our backs on our source of life itself! It's a sober warning: abiding isn’t passive. We are called to remain, to cling to Jesus, to draw life from Him daily. To continually seek new understanding and yearn for the source of nourishment and growth! Fruitfulness is not optional; it’s the evidence of true connection.

John 15 isn't to instill fear—it’s based in love. The Gardener loves His Vine. He prunes us to grow. He calls us to stay rooted, not in religious rules, but in relationship with Him. Salvation could be misunderstood as a "Fire Escape" as if Jesus died solely to change our final destination. But it's so much more than that and as we studied on Easter Sunday, Jesus didn't endure the agony of Calvary simply to rescue us from hell -- He came to restore a relationship. Abiding is not a suggestion or an option on the 'menu of salvation', abiding is the entire point of John 15! 

Salvation is not a one time decision, it's a continual connection. I believe God always desires intimacy with His people: 

Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden..." God was walking with Adam and Eve. 

Exodus 25:8 "And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell with them" God desired to dwell among His people. 

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’”  A promise to be with us if we love Him and keep His Word. 

1 Corinthians 3:16 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” We ourselves, having accepted the calling of Jesus Christ and have salvation, are the living temple of God. His presence is personal and 'indwelling', those words can just be words until God wakes you up to the profound meaning! 

One final thought;

If we drift....  the branch doesn’t die because God walks away—it dies because we did.