No Other Rock

I am the Vine; ye are the branches. ~ John 15:5

Yesterday, we learned that among the chief roles of being Christians is to be a branch of Christ. The Lord declared that He is the one true vine and we are to be fruit bearing branches for Christ.

Baxter spends a lot of today’s devotion in explaining that Christendom is NOT the true vine, nor is the devout individual in any given denomination. Being a member of a church does not make use living members of Christ Himself. “There must be a personal, individual, heart-to-heart union with the living Saviour [sic].”

So how does one bear fruit?

First, there must be pruning, or cleansing. Second, there must be abiding. Finally, there must be obeying. These prerequisites can be found in John, Chapter 15, versus 2, 4 and 10 respectively.

We are cleansed through the word. That means as we read it, learn , live and respond to it, we are pruned. To abide, we

“allow nothing in the life, which breaks our communion with Christ; to leave no known sin unconfessed, unjudged, unexpelled; and by prayerful faith to draw upon Him for all strength and wisdom needed to live a Christlike life (p27).”

To be obedient, we must follow the simple commandment; “love one another as I have loved you” verse 12.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will be pruned, will abide and will be obedient so we will bear fruit as branches of Christ.