The Southern Review
December 19, 1899
The Vine And The Branches
“I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. 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. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will (in accordance with the word), and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” Here is seen the sure result to every human being who receives Christ and believes him. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name.” In the sixth chapter of John we find the same lesson given by another illustration. “Then Jesus said, unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of (God) man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” SW December 19, 1899, par. 1
These two chapters given by the great teacher contain in them the very mystery of godliness. No one need be left in darkness. It is the truth that is to be received, and its reception will be revealed in the life of every true believer. In John we can see and understand more clearly who the true believer is and who the spurious. A large number of those who followed Christ were not grafted into the vine, and they revealed the fact when Christ gave this lesson. Many of the Jews who claimed to be Christ's disciples had murmured among themselves because Christ has said, “I am the bread of life which came down from heaven. And they said, is not that Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know, how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, murmur not among yourselves. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread that cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread which I shall give him is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” SW December 19, 1899, par. 2
But the priests and rulers strove among themselves saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” This is the union that is represented by the graft of the parent vine stock. When by faith the believer takes hold of Christ, there comes a turning point in his life. He absorbs that spirit and the mind of Christ, and represents his character. SW December 19, 1899, par. 3
All who heard might have interpreted correctly the words spoken by Jesus, if they had searched the Scriptures. “It is the spirit that quickeneth—the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” SW December 19, 1899, par. 4