Bible Verse of the Day Thursday January 14th 2021

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

The vine was a common symbol in God's Word speaking of His Children Israel. Jesus said about Israel being a vineyard in the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44). There was a prominent ornamentation on the Temple's front face, pointing to the indication that Israel was God's vineyard.

There are many illustrations in God's Word concerning Christ Jesus's relationship with His followers and believers. However, the vine and the branch accentuate a total dependence and need for continual and persistent connection. The branch is reliant on the vine for its very existence.  When he was about to return to the Father in His Heavenly glory, this illustration encouraged His disciples to remain united with Him.

Our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus's proclamation indicates that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Jesus is telling all of His followers and believers that we have no sufficiency in and of ourselves to bear fruit. However, if we remain in fellowship with Him, He will continue in fellowship with us, and we will yield a bumper crop of fruit. Many unbelievers give an outward appearance of bearing fruit for God; however, their fruit is artificial. It can be compared to plastic fruit in a bowl; it looks healthy and nutritious but serves no purpose but to look good.

The absence of one bearing fruit in this life does not always point to one with no relationship with Christ Jesus (i.e., an unsaved person). It could very well mean that a person is not connected to the vine, meaning someone that has been saved but is not fostering a close personal relationship with Christ Jesus.

The Tenet of God's Word's truth is that we are totally dependent on our relationship with Christ Jesus if we are to ever expect to bear any fruit in this life for God. The only thing that we will carry with us when we go home to be with the Lord is the ones that we led to Christ Jesus. We do not get points for doing good deeds, helping people in need, being good stewards of God's house, or living a good clean Christian life; these are things that God expects us to do as His Children, His followers, and believers. The fruit spoken of here in this verse of scripture is the human beings that we have helped find the only way to eternal life, that is Christ Jesus.