The true vine, by which Jesus described the organisation of all his own people, is not any church or clergy. It is Jesus Christ and those united with him by holding to his teachings. Anyone, even if uppermost in church hierarchy, who is not united with Jesus, anyone who does not hold to his teachings and teachings which come personally through him from the Father, is not part of the true vine. They might have once been joined to it, united with Jesus by belief in him and by holding to his teachings, but when they cease from unity with Jesus and aligning with his teachings, they become fruitless, and the Father, as gardener of the vine, cuts them off from Jesus and from the vine and its branches truly joined to Jesus. So it is not vital to salvation so much to be approved by a church, no matter how great that church and its approval powers, but rather it is to meet up to the teachings of Jesus and teachings the Father gives through him. Yes, that indirectly unites the person with others so joined to Jesus, but it is not a direct join to a church, but to Jesus, which gives the unity and salvation. The sign of it, the mark given to demonstrate this join, is to have the Holy Spirit personally from the Father. In meetings, the evidence of it is the evident presence of Jesus in spirit. Test yourselves to see if you have this spiritual join to Jesus. That is more vital than any church approval or affiliation or position in church hierarchy or stamp of office. The calling is not to be joined to a church. The calling is to be joined directly to Jesus, and it comes by believing in him, and in that belief, holding to his teachings, and to teachings from the Father which come through him from the Holy Spirit.
