In First John 1:5 the apostle tells us that in the Lord (“in Him”) there is NO DARKNESS (SIN) AT ALL.” Which brings us to John’s Gospel chapter 15. Here we find Jesus talking to His 12 DISCIPLES and going to great lengths to stress the need for them (and all salvation seekers) to be “in Him (in Christ)” and to remain (“abide”) in Him throughout their lives in order to qualify for salvation upon His return to earth at which time He will establish His Father’s kingdom. It is there, in that earthly kingdom, that the Very Elect saints of God will live forever with their spiritual Father and His Son. Read The Kingdom of God and The Three Resurrections. Key words–Kingdom and Three respectively. Also read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe. Key word–Caretakers.

In First John 15:1-10 Jesus identifies Himsels as the True Vine (the only source of what is needed for fruit production) in His Father’s vineyard. He identifies Himself as THE TRUE VINE because there are other “vines” (false vines–prophets) in God’s vineyard who, not having been sent by Him (Jer. 14:14; 23:21), lead salvation seekers (branches) away from Him by convincing them that they are walking according to His will. To learn how this deception takes place read “My People Called by My Name” and Who are God’s People? Key words–Called and People respectively.

In verse 2 Jesus identifies His disciples as “branches.” Notice that not all branches within the Lord’s vineyard (church) are His true, obedient saints. According to Jesus, very few truly belong to the Father. Some branches do not bear fruit (do righteous works of obedience). These He rejects. Those branches that produce fruit (obey Him) He prunes (removes their “chaff”–useless parts) so that they can produce more good fruit (good works–obedience to His Law/Word–Rom. 6:22/ Eph. 5:22/ Heb. 12:11/ Jam. 3:18). In Luke 6:43-45 Jesus makes a distinction between good and bad fruit producers (church people). The vast majority of fruit producers (branches) produce bad fruit through disobeying God’s Law, which is the Biblical definition of sin (1 Jn. 3:4), which separates them from God (Isa. 59:2). Law keepers produce good fruit.

In verse 3 John tells his disciples that they are spiritually cleansed by the Word of God which He had spoken to them. This cleansing process is explained in Ephesians 5:26 where we are told that we can remain cleansed only by continually being “washed by the water that is the Word of God.” Continuous spiritual washing by studying of God’s Word rids our hearts/minds of all that is not of God, which is sin, which separates us from Him, making us low-hanging fruit for Satan’s false prophets who draw people into his Catholic/Protestant Religious System known as “the church.” Both good and bad fruit producers “know” that they are walking with the Lord. Only one of those groups is right.

In verses 4-10 Jesus uses the “IN” word 10 times relative to our relationship with Him. Recall that “IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.” With that Truth in mind let us take a quick journey through the “IN” statements Jesus declares in verses 4-10. First, He states that we must ABIDE IN Him. To abide means to remain, to stay. For example, we abide in our homes. Then He tells us that, in order to produce good fruit the branch (disciple/believer) must abide in the True Vine (Jesus)–the only source of good fruit. He tells us that “abiding in” works both ways: the true, fruit-producing (obedient) branch is spiritually IN Him and He is spiritually IN the branch (in the form of the Holy Spirit).

In verse 6 Jesus reveals that being IN Him does not guarantee salvation for the branches–the 12 disciples. He goes on to say that all non-producing (bad fruit-bearing) church members will, upon His return, be burned. This would include the disciples if they did not ABIDE IN HIM THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS. One of them failed to do so. In verse 7 Jesus explains that He abides in us by our having His Word abide in our hearts (minds) through continuous study of the Holy Scriptures. As Paul said, we can show ourselves approved by God only by studying His Word (2 Tim. 2:15). Reading a chapter or two after staring at a television screen for four hours will not gain God’s approval. In verse 8 Jesus tells us that it is through bearing much fruit that His Father is glorified in us, and that only those who do so are His true disciples. Remember that JESUS IS TALKING TO HIS HAND-PICKED DISCIPLES. In verse 9 He declares that the disciples can REMAIN in God’s love only by bearing much fruit (holiness, righteousness, godliness, etc.–obedience to His Law). The rules that applied to His disciples anciently apply to His disciples now. Those same rules applied to Jesus Himself Who, being a human being like all other human beings, had to obey God’s Law/commandments in order to remain in God’s love. Read Friends of Jesus. Key word–Friends. Note the all-important “IF” relative to the disciples’ relationship with Him. That same “IF” applies to all salvation seekers.

In verse 10 Jesus removes all doubt as to His and His Fathers attitude toward obeying Their Law. He says: “IF YOU (DISCIPLES) KEEP (OBEY) MY COMMANDMENTS (LAW) YOU WILL ABIDE (REMAIN) IN MY LOVE, EVEN AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER’S COMMANDMENTS AND (BY DOING SO) ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.” Did you get that? Jesus obeyed God’s Law while on earth and, because of His doing so, remained (abode) in His Father’s love. Jesus was a man like all other men. He had no advantage over us. Therefore, He has every right to demand of us what the Father demanded of Him. We have the same Holy Spirit available to us that He had available to Him. Therefore, we have no excuse for not following in His spiritual footsteps for “He was tempted in all areas of life, yet He did not sin” (Heb. 4:15). He commands no less of those who will live eternally with Him in the Kingdom of God. Only those who follow in His spiritual footsteps will join Him there

The vast majority of church people claim that the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14) retained His Godly powers when He came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. They reason that, because a God cannot sin, neither could He sin. They proclaim that, being a God, He had an advantage over us relative to obedience to God. Therefore, human reasoning dictates, He does not expect us to “walk as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6) or to “… overcome (Satan’s temptations) even as I (He) overcame” (Rev. 3:21) which, men know, is impossible. The consensus is that, being a God, he was immune to the temptations of the devil, and that, because we are not gods, we are not expected to resist Satan’s calls to obey him (Satan). But what do the Scriptures say about that issue? Are church people right? Was Jesus a God on earth? Did He retain His Godly advantages over the rest of mankind? Now we will compare Jesus of Nazareth (a man) to His Father (a God).

In James 1:13 we are told that a God cannot be tempted. Jesus was tempted (Heb. 4:15). God is a spirit (Jn. 4:24). A spirit cannot die. Jesus died. A God does not have to overcome Satan’s temptations. Jesus said that only those who overcome Satan’s temptations “EVEN AS I OVERCAME” him will sit with Him (Jesus) on His throne in paradise (Rev. 3:21). Those who claim that we are not expected to live as Jesus lived in order to spend eternity with Him are following in the spiritual footsteps of their original parents–Adam and Eve. We all know how that turned out.

In the following segment we will delve into what, in my opinion, is the most graphic, to-the-point, sword-wielding passage (1 Jn. 3:1-10) found in the Holy Scriptures. Only those who want to know God’s Truth will embrace those verses. Jesus prophesied that only a few would do so (Mat. 7:13,14; 22:14). He is calling you. Will you answer His call? L.J.