Part 1 – Confusion Among Christians

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Are We Eternally Saved or Not?.

If you’ve been a saved believer for any amount of time you no doubt have heard the common phrase “once saved, always saved” expressing the fact of the ‘eternal security.’ Every genuine believer should enjoy this truth for our day of “the dispensation of the grace of God”being exempt from judgment and punishment for sins committed before and even after one’s… salvation (cf. Rom. 4:5-7). We are saved “by grace through faith” in Christ’s redemptive work of the Cross… as Savior of all who will ‘believe’ [trust in, cling to, and rely upon Christ as Savior] (Acts 16:31).

But some, who ignore Biblical context, say the verse below refutes the doctrine of ‘eternal security,’ pointing to this verse. But Jesus’ words here are spoken to His “Twelve” Apostles of Israelfor Israel.

If a man (of Israel) 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 15:6)

This verse is commonly used by religionist to prove the supposed erroneous idea of the possibility of the loss of salvation” after having been saved.  

Allegedly, if today’s Christian does not “bear fruit,” meaning he has a life of sin instead of maintaining good works, then he will lose his place in Heaven. They assert that Father God will disown such Christians from His family if they don’t practice ‘holy living’ sufficiently. Such teachers are imposing a Performance Based Acceptance System upon grace age believers.

We might ask; just how much holiness is considered sufficient? It’s clear that under Israel’s “Law” program, just one sin’ condemns you. (James 2:10).

Let’s now see if this is what Jesus is teaching in john 15:6 is for Christian obedience today?

First, John chapters 13–16 give the general context for John 15, where Jesus Christ is speaking in the upper room after the disciples had eaten the Last Supper, on the night of His arrest and trial before His crucifixion. So, these are Jesus’ words are being spoken by Jesus to Israel’s ‘believing remnant,’ whom He calls the Father’s “little flock,” (Luke 12:32). These disciples had submitted to John’s baptism of repentance, thereby being outwardly noted as ‘having come out of corrupt Apostate Israel.’

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

With this background in mind, we can look to John 15:1:

I (Jesus) am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (vine dresser)

Interestingly, the Biblical concept of a “vine” is nothing new in Scripture.

Thou hast brought a vine (Israel) out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.” (Psa. 80:8)

Undeniably, this “vine” refers to Israel, especially when compared to the words of Isaiah:

“Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth ‘Wild Grapes…. 7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.” (Isaiah 5:1-2, 7)

Clearly, this above refers to Israel, not “the body of Christ” today, nor is Jesus as God’s originally intended “vine.” The Biblical record shows that “vine” nation of Israel brought forth only wild fruitthat God did not accept. The Jews became involved with pagan religion, idol worship, gross heathenism and they added tradition to the words of God. Their nation, then Apostate and corrupted, had become a nation that God had neither created nor intended. Therefore, Jesus came and said, “I am the true vine.”

If Israel will ever be God’s people, His nation of people in the Earth must then be associated with Jesus Christ, for only Jesus Christ is “well pleasing” in God’s sight (Matt. 3:17). Israel will be ultimately saved only in the Lord,” to thereby be justified and given right standing before JEHOVAH God.

“Surely, shall one say, in the LORD’ have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 25In the LORDshall all the seed (offspring) of Israel (i.e., Jacob) be justified, and shall glory.” (Isaiah 45:24-25)

But, as opposed to being “in the Lord,” the people of Israel, as all men, are first naturally born “in Adamas lost sinners. These two-headships are explained in Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 5.

Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to Condemnation, but the Free Gift is of many offences unto Justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath Reigned Unto Death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 5:12-21)

In John 15:1 the Lord Jesus says His Heavenly Father is the “husbandman,” (the farmer). But Satan was also laboring among Israel, trying to bring about his own nation, a people that will accomplish his will in the earth. Read the parable of Matt. 13:24-3o noting God’s work planting “wheat” versus Satan’s counterfeit work in Israel planting “tares,” among the “wheat.” Tares look a lot like wheat but there is no good fruit to be gathered for food as with wheat. Now John 15:2:

Every branch In Me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he ‘purgeth’ (He prunes) it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Our relationship with the Lord is quite different from that of Israel. We as grace believers of today's “dispensation of the grace of God” are sealed and securely in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:13) from the moment of our first believing, we have no concern for being lost. Paul explains;

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him (Christ) that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God Imputeth Righteousness Without Works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute (count his) sin. (Romans 4:3-8)