Print Page | Add To Favorites | Close Window | Send To A Friend | Save This Page
FAQ # 74
QUESTION 74
: John 15:5-6 speaks of a possibility
of us, the branch being broken off. Isn’t that backsliding or losing one’s
salvation?
It
reads, “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. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned.”
Firstly,
fruit here is argued from two standpoints. One, fruit as in soul-winning
and two, fruit as in the fruit of the spirit – love, joy, meekness etc.
Verses 9-13 of John 15 suggest that fruit here is the fruit of the spirit.
While verse 8 and 16 suggest winning souls.
In
either case, by being born again one automatically will bear fruits or
else one is not born again. Firstly, the fruit of the spirit is love;
“To explain the reason why…"fruit" is singular…is
that the fruit of the Spirit is actually one, love, with the other virtues being different manifestations
of love in operation,” records Baker Evangelical Dictionary.
The
opposite of salvation is sin. Love “equates” to salvation, so the opposite
of love is also sin. Therefore, a sinner doesn’t care for God, himself,
nor any person that is affected by his sin. So then, a sinner is a fruitless
person, in the sense of not demonstrating love, joy, meekness, etc. The
obvious reason is that he is not saved, and also because of this he cannot
backslide, seeing he has nothing to backslide to, lacking salvation.
John
writes, “every one that loveth is born of God”
and “we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth
not” (1 John 4:7;5:19). Therefore, born again believers are not
fruitless in this sense and neither can they be, because God guarantee
that we will bear fruit when he said, “I will
put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye
shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Eze 36:27).
Now,
the same goes for soul winning. A born again believer is not doing the
soul winning, but rather the fruit of love that has sparked will win souls.
The bible tells us, “Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven” (Matt 5:16). Only those who have the spirit of God
(save) can really glorify God to the point where souls can be drawn unto
him.
Jesus himself in the same chapter made this conclusion clear that
a genuine born again believer will bear fruit, as in soul winning; “Ye
have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye shall
go and bring forth fruit and your fruit should remain” (John 15:16).
Evangelism
is not the main purpose of you being born again, but if you’re born again
you will evangelize; whether to a person on your job or in front of a
crowd. Similarly, Adam and Eve wasn’t created to make babies, but God
fixed it in them that they will have sex, Eve get pregnant and more humans
with God’s image are created; if God wanted, he could have make tons of
humans. However, instinctively, Eve must get aroused sexually and Adam
two times more, which will result in intercourse and consequently children.
By spiritual
instinct in every born again believer, other born again believers will
be birthed. This is not only an accepted doctrine, but it is a fact! Unless
you produce more born again believers you’re not born again; as in
save. Sounds harsh, but it’s not, really. The Jehovah witness have an
idea of this, however, the carriage is before the horse. You do not evangelize
to show that you are save. When you become save, you'll automatically
begin to evangelize; one way or the other.
John 15:2
then states, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away…”
This scripture
wasn’t speaking of Christians only, though is says “branch in me,” because
we are all in him. Paul himself taught us this while speaking to some
pagans at Athens. He said to them, “he be not far from every one of us;
For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:27). Therefore,
we are all in him. But it’s when he is in us we become born again and
by this union, like Adam and Eve, we must birth other souls, guaranteed!
Answer Notes: 1.
More importantly, “Every Branch in me” could synonymously be referring
to the Jews, who are called the “natural branches” (Rom 11:24). By them
not accepting the Savior, hence not bringing forth the fruit of their
faith, they are broken off and the Gentiles are grafted in (Rom 11:19).
Go to top of Page | Get the Book | Buy it here or here or here or here | More FAQ's