John 15:6: " If anyone remains not in Me, he is thrown out as the branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”
There are many who profess to be connected with Christ. There is such a thing as not abiding in Christ, which leads to withering up and burning. There is such a thing as a withered branch. This is one in whom the initial union with Christ appears to have taken place, but yet it seems that his faith is only outward.
What a solemn call to look around to see if there be any withered branches in our churches. Then we look within to see whether we are abiding and bearing fruit. We look around. There are those who have never forsaken all to follow Christ. Those are those who base their religion and their faith in the wisdom of men, and not in the power of God. They trust in their church membership. Some trust in church ordinances. Some trust in their own supposed kindness. No wonder that, when the hot winds of temptation blow, they wither away. They are not rooted in Christ.
Notice: Jesus does not say, “ If a branch bears not fruit.” He at once goes to the inner cause, “ If anyone remains not in Me.” That is being unfruitful. Now comes the darkest part of the parable: The fate of the branches not abiding. These are the unfruitful branches. What a warning this implies!
Notice the five stages:
Now the parable states only the results. We are not told of the steps by which they are reached. The actuality of the divine act is hidden from us, but it usually appears in the outward separation from the church. The exception is that of the hypocrite who might outwardly still be in the church, but he is no longer of the church. This is also something we leave in God’s hands.
So, the branch that is not abiding is cast out of the vineyard. It withers away. It becomes dry. F.B. Meyer says: “ Jesus places Himself at the point of time when the last judgment is being carried into effect, when those who were cast out are gathered together and cast into the fire, after having been previously cast out of his community, and became withered.” So, the translation is “ was cast out” and “became withered.”
The Lord leaves the parable, just as it is, to work its proper effect. Therefore, we should not add our speculation to it. Let the Scriptures speak: “ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; And they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
“ And they are burned.” The wood of the branches is fit only for one of two things:
“Kaietai" is the Greek for “they burn." The verb is not “katkatesthai” which is the Greek “to burn up.” The castoff branches are burning. The noun, “the fire” and the verb “ are burned,” belong to the figure we see in Matthew 3:10: “ And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and is thrown into the fire.”
The great Greek scholar, Westcott, says: “ The Lord leaves the image, just as it is, to work its proper effect.”
And the reality which calls for the use of such an image must be something from which a rational being ought to shrink with horror. Something more terrible than aught else in the universe, save the sin which merits this awful doom. A reader of Scripture must bear in mind that, for every figurative expression of God’s Word, there must be a corresponding reality.
So, here it is! There is no room for being half-way with God. There are either living branches or there are dead branches.
“ Lord, is it I?”
Sermon By Dr. Harold L. White
Email Dr. White at [email protected]