I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
John 15:5 TPT
The first important blessing and privilege of our union with Christ, as we considered yesterday is redemption by Him – the forgiveness of sin. I will like us to further identify some other significance of maintaining our union with Christ. The next important truth that we can see from today’s verse is that any believer who must bear fruit can only do that as they live in union with Christ.
Doubtless to say that God expects every believer to be fruitful. And such fruits that the Husbandman desires of every life can only come when are in union with Christ. Note how the NIV puts it: “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit”. Being in union with Christ is only complete when Christ is dwelling in us as much as we are in Him. This is the only way we would not be an ordinary worshipper; whose life does not bring forth any fruit that is pleasing unto the Lord.
It is important also to re-emphasize that our union is such that we are totally dependent on Him as the source of our life and strength. In fact, as the source of our being, and that is why the verse concludes that anyone who is separated from Him is inevitably powerless. Thus, he cannot do anything to make himself fruitful.
“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.”
John 15:5-6 CEV
There is no barrenness in union with Christ. And the fruit as promised here is not scanty or few but much fruit – lots of fruit. But whoever would not dwell in Christ and allow Christ to dwell in him would not only be useless, as he will not be able to do anything, but would also burn in fire. Remain in Jesus to continually experience the blessings that come with this life of connectedness.
