One of the first Bible verses my friend suggested I memorize confounded me:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” [Jn. 15:5] [my emphasis]
[μένω: (mê’-nō) intransitive verb: to remain, stay, abide, live, dwell, last, endure, continue; transitive: await, wait for]
“…apart from Him I can do nothing?”
How could I have been apart from Jesus if I was already saved?
At that time though, I didn’t understood what being saved actually meant. But I’d also never considered the very personal nature of His appeal to remain in Him either, having never contemplated any type of relationship with Him to be closer than arm’s length.
It was a Presbyterian thing in my mind. They never talked about “being in Jesus” or Him “being in them.” He was up there. We were down here. Everything revolved around rote liturgy and life-lesson sermons. So, until I learned to read the Bible inductively, I never realized that being a disciple of Christ actually did have a cost.
I can perform a lot of great works for Jesus and never miss the opportunity to gather to worship or pray in His name. But if Christ is not in me, sustaining me with enough spiritual sap in my branches to resist the real battle against the lusts of this age, then I don’t belong to Him. [see Rom. 8:9-11; see also Matt. 7:21-23]
As a result, my ability to persevere and overcome in faith will atrophy. My lifeline to the Source of the vine will dry up.
This passage confirms the functional essence of discipleship in Jesus Christ. It’s not a spectator sport. It demands active participation.
But if I intend to remain in anything, I have to actually be there first.
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Last Updated: July 13, 2025 by cjournalme
Pruning the Nothing Branch
One of the first Bible verses my friend suggested I memorize confounded me:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” [Jn. 15:5] [my emphasis]
[μένω: (mê’-nō) intransitive verb: to remain, stay, abide, live, dwell, last, endure, continue; transitive: await, wait for]
“…apart from Him I can do nothing?”
How could I have been apart from Jesus if I was already saved?
At that time though, I didn’t understood what being saved actually meant. But I’d also never considered the very personal nature of His appeal to remain in Him either, having never contemplated any type of relationship with Him to be closer than arm’s length.
It was a Presbyterian thing in my mind. They never talked about “being in Jesus” or Him “being in them.” He was up there. We were down here. Everything revolved around rote liturgy and life-lesson sermons. So, until I learned to read the Bible inductively, I never realized that being a disciple of Christ actually did have a cost.
I can perform a lot of great works for Jesus and never miss the opportunity to gather to worship or pray in His name. But if Christ is not in me, sustaining me with enough spiritual sap in my branches to resist the real battle against the lusts of this age, then I don’t belong to Him. [see Rom. 8:9-11; see also Matt. 7:21-23]
As a result, my ability to persevere and overcome in faith will atrophy. My lifeline to the Source of the vine will dry up.
This passage confirms the functional essence of discipleship in Jesus Christ. It’s not a spectator sport. It demands active participation.
But if I intend to remain in anything, I have to actually be there first.
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