December 15

Filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. — PHIL. i. 11.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. — JOHN xv. 5.

THIS parable teaches the essential oneness of Christ and his people. The inevitable result of that union is fruit-bearing. It needs especially to be noted that Christ is himself the whole vine — root, stock, and branches, — just as in 1 Cor. xii. 12, the whole body of believers is called “Christ.”

The meaning is that in this vine, which is Christ, the branches represent believers, who are “in him” and the life of each branch is the life of the whole vine. The believer is not to ask himself, “Am I a branch of the vine?” but rather, “Have I the life of the vine in me?” Nor is it a question of my trying to produce fruit, which always ends in failure, but of my “abiding in Christ, the vine.” “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself.” — “without me ye can do nothing.” The branch simply brings forth what the vine produces.

The fruitage is not so much outward services, which often are merely the energy of the flesh, but rather those affections and graces called “the fruit of the Spirit.” And the blessed result will continually be “fruit,” “more fruit,” “much fruit.”

“And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him, at his coming.”

Albert Erdmann

Not in my self, O Lord, not mine the good; I cannot do the holy thing I would. My strength, my hope, my life, are all in thee. Thou hast abundance for thyself and me; Nor in myself I strive.