11. The Fruit

John 15:2 (NRSV) — 2b … Every branch that bears fruit he prunes 

to make it bear more fruit.

Fruit is the one thing the branch is for, and that if it bear not fruit, the Vine-grower takes it away. The vine is the glory of the Vine-grower; the branch is the glory of the vine; the fruit is the glory of the branch. If the branch does not bring forth fruit, there is no glory or worth in it—it is an offense and a hindrance and the Vine-grower takes it away. The one reason for the existence of a branch—the one mark of being a true branch of the heavenly Vine—the one condition of being allowed by the Divine Vine-grower to share the life the Vine is—bearing fruit.

Q: What is fruit?

Something that the branch bears, not for itself, but for its owner. The branch does indeed receive sap for its own life from the vine by which it grows thicker and stronger but this supply for its own maintenance is entirely subordinate to its fulfillment of the purpose of its existence—bearing fruit. Many Christians do not understand or accept of this truth and thus fail in their efforts and prayers to live the branch life. Their desire may be genuine and they read, meditate and pray, and yet fail and they wonder why.

AM states that the reason is very simple—they do not know that fruit-bearing is the one thing they have been saved for. Just as entirely as Christ became the true Vine with the one object of receiving from and serving His Father, we too have been made a branch with the one object of bearing fruit for the salvation of men. The Vine and the branch are equally under the unchangeable law of fruit-bearing as the one reason of their being. Christ and the believer, the heavenly Vine and the branch, have equally their place in the world exclusively for one purpose, to carry God's saving love to men. Hence the solemn word: Every branch that bears not fruit, He takes it away.