John 15:4 “…except ye abide in me”.
Christ in this discourse uses the metaphoric term “vine” to describe Himself as the only source of Spiritual growth. We must all produce the fruit of the Spirit. His disciples were to bring forth fruit as the branch and subsequently all Christians.
Our efforts without Christ is useless; therefore, we continue closely connected to Him by faith and love. If we abide in Him and He in us, as living branch we will flourish and bring for much fruit. We will be like the tree planted by the rivers of water (Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper).
Christ is the power of all good: the good Shepherd, John 10:11; the Good News of the kingdom, Luke 16:16. He is the Good Vine and we are the branch. It doesn’t matter how good the branch appears, as soon as it is severed from the vine-it begins to wither. However good you may appear in your own eyes-you cannot produce fruit by yourself.
Except ye abide in me… As the branch partakes of the vine, it is nourished by its nutrients, and sustained by its life, so ye must be made partakers of Christ Divine nature, (2Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.) and and all the virtues and attributes that heaven has to offer. 2Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua Christ.
To be fruitful is to produce the fruit of the Spirit, (Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.). To live and walk in the Spirit means to abide in Christ the true Vine- this is what make Christians powerful in His might, and pure through His holiness, but except ye abide in the Vine…