Fruit—an Evidence of Union with the Vine
NP
July 1894 [typed]
Previously unpublished.
When the branch is united with the living vine, it will bear much fruit. What a beautiful representation Christ has given us in the symbol of the vine and the branches. Those who believe in Christ are represented as being brought into as close connection with him as the branch is connected with the vine, which sustains and nourishes it. The branch grows from the vine, is a part of the vine; and believers in Christ are represented as one with Christ, as Christ is one with the Father. The union is so close and vital that the words of Paul have a precious significance, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Shall affliction, storm, tempest, persecution, life, or death? “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.” [Romans 8:35, 37-39.] 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 1
The branch derives all its fruit-bearing qualities from the parent stock. Of those who believe is Christ he says, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” [John 15:8.] Our profession of religion is no proof by itself. The test, the evidence that we are branches of the true vine, is the quality of fruit we bear. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” [Matthew 7:20.] 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 2
If we are branches of the true vine, we shall bear fragrant fruit. We shall derive our strength from Christ. If our fruit testifies that we are branches of the true vine, we shall have divine credentials, and may be assured that our ways please God. Jesus says, “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.” [John 15:2.] If you are really branches of the true vine, nourished by the sap that flows from the vine to the branches, you will be partakers of the divine nature. You will have moral power from Christ by which to overcome Satan, to hate sin, and you cannot be silent concerning the truth. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 3
But judging by the fruits they bear how little evidence is there that progressed Christians are connected with Christ. I feel deeply over the fact that many carry but little burden for the missionary work either in home or foreign fields. In America there are thousands of places where the standard of truth has never been raised, where the proclamation of truth has never yet been heard. There are thousands who might enter the harvest field who are now religiously idle, and as a result they go stumbling along, expressing doubts as to whether or not they are Christians. They need a vital connection with Christ in order that it may be said of them, “Ye are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] Many are waiting for someone to carry them to the harvest field, or to bring the field to their very door so that they may experience no inconvenience in labor, when if they would lift up their eyes, and look upon the fields, they would see that they were white, and ready to harvest. In whatever direction you may look, you will find work to do, either at hand or afar off. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 4
I often think how the angels must feel as they see the end approaching, and look upon those who claim to have a knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, who feels satisfied to gather together and attend meetings, and do literally nothing to save souls who are perishing for the light and knowledge of the truth which has been given to them abundantly. It is the duty of church members to put to use the knowledge which God has given them to save souls. Your temporal, financial prospects may not be as prosperous as they now are if you move to localities where the truth has not been proclaimed, or where there has been but a glimmering of light: but in so doing will you not be accomplishing just the work that Jesus has done to save you? I do not urge anyone to change his location to please his own ideas. Christ came to our world all marred and seared with the curse in order that humanity might touch humanity, and that souls might be saved from eternal ruin. Jesus did not leave the royal throne, lay aside his royal crown and high command, and come to our world, to please himself. “For our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.” [2 Corinthians 8:9.] What is the character of the riches that Christ would give us? Are we to have houses and lands and bank stock, or the unsearchable riches of Christ, in order that we may count all things but loss and dross, that we may win the eternal treasure? 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 5
If we join the Lord’s army we are to fight battles with the powers of darkness, and set up the standard of the cross of Calvary in every place where we can possibly find access. I am pained when I think how little our churches realize their solemn accountability. All who have enlisted in Christ’s army are to be solders; but are they willing to receive the soldier’s fare, and follow the example of Christ in his life of self-denial and self-sacrifice? What self-denial have our churches as a whole manifested? Have they not given donations in money, but withheld themselves from the service of Christ? 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 6
Heavenly agencies are waiting for the co-operation of human agencies in the grand work of reflecting light to the world. I send an appeal to the churches to “Arise, shine, for thy light is come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” [Isaiah 60:1.] Wherever there is a soul converted on the earth, a note of joy rings through heaven. When a soul is snatched from Satan’s hand, and given as a trophy to Christ, there is joy in the presence of God among the holy angels because he that was lost is found. Christ says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” [John 15:16.] 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 7
We did not make the first movement toward Christ; it was our Redeemer who made the first movement toward us. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.” [John 12:32.] It was Christ who touched your hearts by his grace in order that you might respond, and draw toward Christ. Man could not make the first movement. Christ was lifted up on the cross in order that he might draw all unto him. Love brought him to our world, and led him to make the offering of his soul for <the sins of> fallen man. Responding in gratitude for this unspeakable love the soul exclaims, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” [Psalm 18:35.] How should we feel as we come to understand that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life? Should each one not feel that he must put forth personal effort to lead souls to appreciate God’s unspeakable gift? 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 8
There are not a sufficient number of ordained ministers to do all the work that is necessary to be done. This fact makes it essential that every member of our church should deny self, lift the cross, and carry the burdens of Christ. Have you tasted of the powers of the world to come? Have you been eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God? If you have, then although ministerial hands have not been laid upon you, yet Christ has laid his hands upon you, and has said, “Ye are my witnesses, go trade on the talents I have given you. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid; let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Isaiah 43:10; Matthew 5:14, 16.] The church and the world will be antagonistic in spirit, precept, and practice, but the church is to let her light shine, to become a living channel of blessing to the world. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 9
Every branch that is in vital union with the living vine will bring forth fruit, and it is the Father’s good pleasure that ye bear much fruit. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away. ... If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” [John 15:2, 6.] Does not this statement from the lips of the great Teacher alarm you who have settled down in an easy position? Those who bear no burdens, who gratify none but self, who lift no cross, are not followers of Jesus. Why is it that the church and the world confederate together in confidence? Has the world become converted, or has the church lost her holy and peculiar character, and become assimilated to the world? The reason is that her members have failed to live up to the <divine> instruction, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” [2 Corinthians 6:17, 18.] Many of the professed followers of Christ feel no more burden for souls than do the worldings. The lust of the eye, the pride of life, the love of display, the love of ease, has separated the professed Christian from God, and the missionary spirit has been to a great degree extinguished in the church. What can be done to open the eyes of sinners in Zion, and to make hypocrites tremble? The spirit of truth must become a living principle in the soul. To those who ask what they shall do that they may work the works of God, the answer is, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” [John 6:29.] Those who have true faith will make it manifest; for their works will testify to the fact. They will be one with Christ as he is one with the Father. They will be continually drawing after Christ, and will ever be seeking to devise means whereby they may save perishing souls. They will cultivate love, they will deny self because they love Jesus who died for them, and who died for their neighbors as well as themselves. They will love the purchase of the blood of Christ, and will shine as lights in the world. Those who have light, will diffuse light. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 10
For some years I have been alarmed because I have seen the line of demarcation between the church and the world becoming more and more obliterated. The design of God in organizing his church, was that its separation from the world should attract attention, and cause the world to inquire into the things of God. The union of Christians in church capacity has a meaning which the world cannot read. The people of God are to be peculiar, to be conspicuous, to be detached from other objects, and to stand apart from the world <and shine as lights of the world amid the moral darkness>. Believers are to be one as Christ was with the Father, to be in harmony with God as his agents in the regeneration of the world. The children of God will not answer for the purpose of <revealing> the gospel <of Christ to the world> unless they are united together as the branches are united in the parent stock. Believers are to be centered in Christ and their combined influence is to work for the conversion of men. Those who really believe in him whom the Father hath sent, will make manifest that their works are wrought in God; for through their union with the <great> Head they are identified by angels and men as those who are partakers of the excellence of Christ. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 11
The people of the world love not God, but are full of self-love, and know no feeling of dependence upon God. They have not reverence for God’s name, and <have> not respect for his commandments. Though they may profess to be followers of Christ, and have their names on the church book, yet they are not joined to Christ. The spirit of the world has a controlling power upon mind, heart, will, and temper. The fact that such have their names upon the church book makes their influence more deadly; for they are hypocrites, a stone of stumbling to those who look upon them as representatives of Christianity. Those who are Christians in deed and in truth will have the Spirit of Christ. They will have the mind which dwelt in Christ Jesus. They will deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Christ. In the past I have made a solemn statement to the church, that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books, is prepared to close his earthly history. The greater part of our church members would be as verily without God, and without hope <in the world> as the common sinner. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 12
But there are men who, while professedly serving God, are in fact serving mammon. Half and half work in the Christian life results in denying Christ rather than confessing him. Many do not value the union which Christ commanded should exist among brethren. They have left the cool snows of Lebanon for the turbid streams of the valley. The Word of God, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate” [2 Corinthians 6:17], has to a great extent lost its effect upon them. They listen to the great deceiver, who says “You will greatly augment your influence if you confederate with the world. You will greatly increase your popularity, and by connection with the world be able to do a much larger work.” Let those who are not completely deluded, pray as never before, pray that they may be kept from the bewitching snares of Satan, <prepared> to entangle unwary souls in these last days. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 13
It is the work of every Christian in these days <of deception and teaching false doctrines>, to gather his family into his home, and sprinkle the door-post with blood, that when the destroying angel shall pass over, he may see the blood of the Lamb of God, and pass over. The end is near. In the judgment every soul will have just such a spirit and character as were cherished in the home life. The judgment will but point out the manner of character that was manifested in association with the members of the family and in association with neighbors and the world. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 14
If you appreciate the words of Christ, and surrender your will to the will of God, and give your character into the hands of Christ to be molded as clay in the hands of the potter, you will be a vessel unto honor. But how susceptible must you be of divine impressions! No earthly, selfish motive can be suffered in your heart; for if you give it a place, you cannot be molded into the divine image. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 15
The spirit of truth is to sanctify the soul, and it must be permitted to inspire and to govern the life. God alone must have power over the clay, lest the vessel be marred with unskillful human hands, and become good for nothing. God is perfect, and the command to us is, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48.] God has made every provision that we shall be made like unto him, and he will accomplish this for those who do not interpose a perverse will, an earthly, selfish spirit, and thus frustrate the grace of God. When the grace of God accomplishes its work, it will bring the thoughts into captivity to Christ. This work is beyond our finite comprehension, yet though we do not comprehend it we must let God accomplish it for us. The excellence that appears in our character or conduct does not originate in our finite, human nature; it is all from God, who has the power of the potter over the clay. 9LtMs, Ms 116, 1894, par. 16