When you’ve studied God’s word for twenty years like I have it gets easier and easier to understand what verses in the Bible actually mean. Not all of them of course; but some of them. As I go through my weekly Bible affirmations before God, speaking his word after him in prayer, I always affirm my obedience to the commandments of God in that verse and I lay claim to the blessings of God that go along with my obedience. Every believer should create their own personal Bible affirmations that are just between them and God. If you do this you’ll deepen your relationship with God because you’ll be speaking to him daily. This will help you to maintain fellowship with your creator. I’ve shared my Bible affirmations in earlier blogs because my ministry of reconciliation before the Lord is to give my testimony of God to all men through the written word of my two Christian blog sites and by distributing gospel tracts containing the gospel message of Christ. Therefore, I have no wish for or expectation of privacy. I’m commanded by the Holy Spirit of God to share what I know and what God reveals to me through my study of his word. In this blog series I’ll discuss verses from my own Bible affirmations and break down what they mean. Here is the first Bible verse I want to talk about:
John 15:5 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
God loves using the metaphor of a grapevine to describe man’s relationship with God. All life, whether it’s angels or men, comes from God; the eternal vine, who has always lived. I know it’s hard for finite man to wrap his head around the concept of “eternity” so we must meditate on it. God is forever so when he created angels and men to serve him forever in heaven God created them from his own essence so they too would live forever like God. If God is the eternal vine then God has to graft man onto himself (or give of himself) in order for us to partake of his divine nature (immortality); hence men are branches just like the angels are branches. The vine can live without the branches but the branches cannot live without the vine. The Bible is not only the truth of God it’s also about eternal possibilities based on our choices. The Bible states what we could become through obedience but not necessarily what we are at the moment. God gives each person an eternal spirit from his own body at our conception so we become immortal beings in that instant. Have you noticed that God never destroys eternal beings once made by his hand? Eternal means forever. Otherwise God would be breaking his word and admitting that he made a mistake. If God did either of those things he wouldn’t be God. Instead, angels and men who have sinned against God without repenting are incarcerated in hell for all eternity.
Our “forever” life when we die will be in one of two places; eternal life in heaven or eternal life in hell. Numerous scriptures confirm that heaven or hell are our only two options and we must choose one of them by our actions. Not choosing is a choice for hell. God cannot lie. In John 15:5 Jesus is saying if we accept him as our Lord and Savior we become branches grafted onto the holy vine that is God and we will live in heaven forever in his presence as a result of our faith. If you’re a nonbeliever who has rejected God and his Christ then this won’t happen to you because your branch is not grafted onto the eternal vine and you will burn in hell for all eternity. Listen to me. There’s no other pathway to heaven other than through Jesus Christ, the son of God, for those of us born under the blood covenant of Christ; which means since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in 33 AD.
John 15:5 is speaking specifically about the opportunities that believers have to save lost souls for the kingdom of heaven through their witness for Christ. God uses “fruit” as a metaphor for souls saved to the kingdom of heaven. “Abiding” in our God is the key to successful witnessing for Christ. The potential possibilities of this verse are not available to nonbelievers unless they are first saved unto eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. With any Bible verse always ask yourself, “Who is God talking too?” and “What is God saying?” If a verse is not very clear review similar verses as a comparison and look at the other Bible verses around it for context and to help interpret what God is really saying because most of the spiritual truths of heaven are repeated multiple times in scripture. Every word in the Bible is God’s truth and wisdom.
People get to heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That’s a one time event that is easy to do through our faith and confession to God. God wants salvation to be easy. In the next sentence of John 15:5 God talks about man and God “abiding” in each other. In the dictionary “abide” means to accept or obey a rule or decision. God doesn’t abide in man until we first abide in, or obey, God. When God abides in us he “accepts” our obedience as being holy before the Lord. What does that look like? After our salvation we are to read and study God’s word every day for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We’re to pray to God every day as often as we can. We’re to commit to obeying God’s commandments. If we do this we’re “abiding” in God. Abiding in God is all about being obedient. God indwells believers but God doesn’t “abide” in us until we are being obedient to God’s will. Then, and only then, will God abide in us. It’s also called fellowship. When God abides in us it means we have God’s approval of our works before the Lord. When God approves of us he is pleased with us and he gives us his grace.
“Grace” is defined as the free and unearned favor of God. When God graces us we receive all the good things in life that we need such as health, wealth, happiness, and fruit. The fruit of God is nonbelievers saved to heaven. What’s the main reason we need to abide in the Lord and vice versa? It’s so nonbelievers can be saved to heaven. Because without God and man both abiding in each other we can’t effectively obey the Great Commission, which is to share the gospel of Christ with all nations and people. You cannot please God if you don’t abide in him and God won’t abide in you unless you please him. When you stand before the bema judgment seat of Christ on the last day if you haven’t saved at least one person to heaven you won’t hear Jesus say to you, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Any other good works you do for the Lord will be burned up on the last day if you haven’t saved at least one person. You’ll be a worker bee in heaven without any saved souls.
God uses the terms “bearing fruit” or being “fruitful” as metaphors for saving lost souls for the kingdom of heaven. In John 15:5 Jesus makes it clear you can save a lot of people for heaven if you abide in the Lord and I’ve explained above how you can do that. In the very last statement of John 15:5 God says you can’t save anyone to heaven unless the Holy Spirit (Jesus) is already on the inside of you. Nobody is saved without God’s word being spoken. You have to be saved yourself before you can save anyone else to heaven. That’s just plain common sense. God’s salvation plan for man calls for every believer to witness Christ to nonbelievers and then pray that the Lord will save them unto eternal life. That’s God’s job through his Holy Spirit. We’ve done our part by witnessing for Christ. The gospel is more than mere words. It is the power of God unto salvation, through his Holy Spirit, for those who believe. As believers we’re to give our witness for Christ, pray for God to save them to heaven, and then let God do the rest. Believers can’t save everyone but we can save some if we persevere in our witness for Christ with anyone who will listen to what we have to say. God has a plan for each believer that requires each of us to witness for Christ as soon as we’re saved to heaven. It’s how we build up treasure in heaven.
After I speak John 15:5 before God to glorify his name I follow up by affirming obedience to God’s commandment. The entire Bible is God’s commandment and we’re to obey every positive statement God makes to us through scripture. My affirmations continue to evolve as I add and detract from them over time. Below is the current affirmation I speak to God immediately after I speak John 15:5 in prayer:
MY AFFIRMATION:
“I will do all things through the Lord Jesus Christ, who indwells me and strengthens me by his glorious power. Lord help me to save lost souls for the kingdom of heaven through my witness for Christ. I will produce much fruit for God as I abide in the Lord forever. Abide in me O Lord and save whom you will through the gospel seed I cast before you. I rejoice in my salvation from God! Thank you Lord for your saving grace!
Your blog is a shining example of excellence in content creation. I’m continually impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the clarity of your writing. Thank you for all that you do.
Thank you so much!