Last time, we discussed the Purpose of Abiding…if you missed it check it out here: The Purpose of Abiding Part 1

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Today we are going to look at the

Pruning Procedures of Abiding.

² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

We see two types of pruning in this passage:

First, we see the removal of the unfruitful branch

If a branch does not draw from the life giving sap of the vine, it cannot produce fruit and will eventually die. A carnal Christian who is trying to nourish themselves from the pleasures of the world will eventually die spiritually. The carnal Christian seeks to live for themselves, instead of seeking to please Christ. A Christian who does not draw nourishment from the correct sources cannot produce spiritual fruit.

The unfruitful Christian is looking for the benefits of being saved without paying the price of living a life truly committed to Christ. This type of Christian is of no use to the Lord.

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Secondly, we see the purging of the fruitful branch

Hebrews 12:11, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

One purpose of purging is to remove the impurities in our lives. God is constantly trying to remove the dross in our lives to make us more fruitful.

God also takes us through trials and testing to increase our faith. Trials enable us to minister to others in greater and more effective ways. We don’t often like this process, but it is necessary to make us into the image of Christ.

“The key to remaining in the Vine is to look for the way God is working in our lives at any given moment.”[1] 

We need to realize that even when we don’t understand, God is working “all things together for good” in our lives. Sometimes, it is easier to see God at work after we have been through the trial. When we don’t see Him working in our present situation, we can remind ourselves of the things He has brought us through in the past.

Remaining Connected

During times of trials, it is even more important that we remain closely connected to the vine. If we go through difficulties apart from Christ, we will not survive spiritually.

Most of us know someone who went through a difficult time and fell away from the Lord. The problem was that they were not abiding in Christ and being sustained by Him through their difficulties. Oftentimes, during times of testing we spend less time with the Lord; however, the greater the trial, the greater the need to abide in Christ. We must keep our eyes on Christ at all times especially during times of testing.

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Pruning is not a pleasant process, but it is a necessary and fruitful process. God desires for us to bear “much fruit”. The only way this is possible is for Him to remove the unfruitful and sinful parts of our lives. The more we yield ourselves to His will, the more fruitful our lives will become.

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[1] Wayne Jacobsen, In My Father’s Vineyard, p. 29

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Next post in this series: The Process of Abiding