John 15 1-17
The bible says in James 2:14 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save them?
-How do you view what the Bible tells us that good works cannot get you into heaven but faith will, but not faith alone there has to be works or (evidence) of your faith. Cause the Bible also tells us in
James 2:26 For the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:15
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Every action, thought, decision should be done by faith in Christ and if not, it is not recognized by God. How do we/you keep all self righteousness out of our work we do through faith.
What is Fruit?
-Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”.
-The fruit is of the Holy Spirit and not of man. It can only develop as we are led by the Holy Spirit.
And we can only be led by the Holy Spirit if we abide in Christ.
Difference between works and fruit. Works is action, Fruit is more characteristics. But they go hand and hand, works is evidence of your fruits and your fruits are evidence of abiding in Christ.
Matthew 7:16 says you shall know them by their Fruits.
Jesus’ teaching, John 14, 15, and 16,17 were taught right after the last supper. Before the betrayal and what was to come and ultimately lead to his death.
John 15:1-4
I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardner(Husbandmand) (vinedresser) 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, as I also in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must abide in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me.
According to verses 1–2, the Heavenly Father is the Gardner, husbandman, the vinedresser. God the Father planted the true vine [Jesus Christ] from which all others would take nourishment. Jesus’ disciples/believers are the branches.
– Verse 5-8
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not abide in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
What does abide (dwell) in Christ mean or look like?
Jesus is not a girlfriend who we date and see on the weekend or once on Sunday. He is everything. Every morning, afternoon, evening and night we must dwell in Christ. Is that substanable?
Ask yourself do you bear fruit? Are you a Branch? What does being a branch mean? Believer in Christ, Regenerated in the Holy Spirit, you are a new creature (creation). Can a person be a branch and never produce fruit. (No) If you are truly connected to Christ you will bear fruit. How much?
100 fold, 60 fold, 30 fold.
Matthew 13:23 says, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty”.
Verse 2, he cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. In me?
If only believers are branches and are being cut off what does he mean by this? Are these people pretending to be branches? You can’t fool God. Are the branches that are thrown into the fire people who once claimed to be believers? Can we lose our Salvation? Christians with knowledge of God’s word are held at a higher standard then non-believers.
Hebrews 6:4-6 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Romans 10:9, Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead. You shall be saved.
-But this shall not be done in Vain and much to often it is.
Verse 6. What does this mean, would God throw us into hell?
Jesus says in Luke 12:5, “But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”
-God doesn’t want us to go to hell, we choose that for ourselves, but he will be the one to throw you there.
Verse 9-17
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
What does it look like to love God?
Keep his commandments.
1 John 5: 1-3
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
John 14: 15
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
Duetoromy 6: 4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
James 2:10
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
This points out that there is no possibility that any believer can find victory in the law, it can not be done. It comes from faith in Christ and what he did at the cross and through faith, proper works,.and proper fruits will be produced and we will receive the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 21:43-44
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”