“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15)
Q. 35. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a free gift of God by which our whole person is made new in the
image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to
righteousness.
Thoughts: As a tree grows, we are called to grow in Christ. We are to sink down our roots into Him, living in Him, growing/built up in Him, strengthened in Him, and then bearing the fruit of thankfulness. If we are not growing, then we are dying. Part of growing is remaining in Him. If we drift off on our own, we cut ourselves off from Him. We remain in Christ as we worship, have communion with each other, read-study-hear the Word, pray, serve and witness. As we remain in Him, we start bearing fruit in Him. The fruit of sanctification- remaining in Him are the fruits of the Spirit, the fruit of reproducing our faith in another.
Prayer: Help me to abide, stay, remain in you, O Lord. May my life bear fruit for you.
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