John 15 - Study

The True Vine

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “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. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

If we love God, we obey Him.
And we obey whom we fear. Perfect love casts out all fear(all kinds of fear except the fearing God) So.

If we fear man, we love ourselves(imperfect love), for we worry of what man thinks of us.
If we fear God, we love God(perfect agape love), for we worry if we are giving Him the respect He deserves.
If we love our lives, we will lose it.
If we hate it, we will save it.

Too many people want agape love but don't do anything to obtain it. Because they fear man's opinion rather than God Himself. However, let us Christians start loving God by obeying Him. We can't obey Him unless we fear Him, so let's start fearing Him. We can't fear Him when we treat as common the things God regards holy. So let's fear Him by living holy lives. This is done by obeying His voice when He calls for our obedience. Pray for opportunities to obey Him.

And let's remain faithful to God.
We can't remain faithful to God unless we lose our lives for Him, because once we lose our lives for Him, we live only to please Him. Wanting to lose our lives is not enough. We've got to actually lose it.Obedience ignites our love engine, but faithfulness is what keeps us going. Will we be good and faithful servants of the LORD?

Love, Godly fear, Obedience, and Faith are not mutually exclusive events.
They are intertwined to determine our relationship with God.
Time to give up loving myself.
Time to love God.
Time to love others.