The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 268

I. TDl!l NATURE OF THE Nl!lW SITUATION 0REATED BY PENTECOST. " I nm the true Vine, and my Father is the Hushan<lman," 1. Ohri8t i8 the true and e.,sential lflfe of his people. Ho lives in his people by his Spirit. He is at once the Root and the Stock from which the branches derive their so.p and nourishment, 2. The Father is the Huaband- man, at once Proprietor and Cultivator. He engrafts the plants into the vine, as he supports and guards the vine itself, that it may bring forth fruit abnnclantly. Christ is " the Plant of renown;" "the Branch thou mad est strong for thyself." 3. The nperation8 of the Husbandman, (1) He cuts off the unfruitful branch. "Every branch that beareth not fruit in mo he to.keth awo.y." This refers to seeming members of the Church, for none are in Obrist but such ns are "new creatures." (a) God knows the inner character of every man, (b) Fruit, as the result of growth, is the end of the plant. Therefore a fruiUess man has lost the end of his being. (c) God takes away the fruitless man (c:i) by death, (/3) by judgment. (2) He purges the fruitful branch, so as to concentrate the sap in the cluster that is preparing the fruit. So tme members of Christ are purge<! (a) by atllictions nnd (b) temptations, that they may not be barren or unfmitful in the know- ledge of Christ. 4. The instrumentality of this purging process. "As for you, ye nre clean already because of the Word which I have spoken unto you." The Word of Christ is sharper than any two-edged sword for this severe discipline; it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It thus enables the believer to see the plague of his own heart. II. 'l'HE NECESSITY OF A PERMANENT FELLOWSHIP WITll CHRIST, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." 1. The union of the branch with the vine is the very law of its life and fruitfulness. " I Ii ve ; yet not I, but Christ Ii vetb in me" ( Gal. ii. 20), 2. The union is continuously sustained in the believer's SO'Ul by constant acts of faith and love. 3. The absolute dependence qf the believer upon Ohri3tfor all his power. "Apart from me ye can do nothing." III. THE TERRIBLE OONSEQUEN0Eij OF LIVING OUTSIDE THIS FELLOWSHIP. "If & man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a braach, aad is withered ; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they burn." 1. The man who rejects Christ is himself rejected. 2. The faculty that is diSWJed loses its vita),ity, and is ultimately extirpated. 3. There is a final j'udgment which ends in unquenchable fire. IV. THE GLORIOUS PRIVILEGE OF THOSE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHBIBT. " If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." 1. The privilege is the abundant answer to prayer. Those who abide in Christ receive of his fulness; for all that is in Christ Jesus is theirs, through federal relation- ship and vital identification with him. 2. The condition of the privilege. (1) The believer must continue in the fellowship of Christ. (2) The Word of Christ is at once the means and the evidence of this fellowship. V. THE RESULT OF THIS CHRISTIAN FRUITFULNESS. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; and ye shall become my disciples." 1. The Fat!ier's glory is irlentified with the fruit-bearing vitality of the believer. It displays the glory of his power, grace, and mercy. All the fruits of righteousness are by Christ, to the praise and glory of God. 2. Ohrist is honoured by a /rnitful discipleship. Vers. 9-16.-The condition of abiding under the power of Christ's love. I. THE SPHERE AND CONDITION OF UNION. "As the Father hath loved me, I have also loved you : abide in my love." 1. The relation between the Father and the Son is the absolute type of the union between Ohrist and believers. 2. The love of Christ is the sphere or atmosphere in which the disciple lives. "We love him, becau~e be first loved us." 3. The disciple is under no other condition than that to which the Son is subject with the Father. "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father'a commandments, and abide in his love." Our obedience is the proof of our love to Christ, while our love in turn assures our obedience. II. THE IBBUE OF UNION-JOY. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might be in you, and that your joy might be full." 1. The joy of Christ is the Joy of self-sacrifice, in constant obedience to his Father. This be desires his disciples to enjoy. 'l'hus he ~uarantees their true blessedness. 2. Their joy will grow in powe1· and depth b31 their obedience,_as they will thus be drnwn closer to Christ, 3. The obedience to which !?78 THE GOSPEL AOOORDiNG To S'l'. JOHN. [OB, xv. 1-27.