Those who have been truly grafted into the vine—those who have come to Christ and received life from Him—are not guaranteed to remain if they do not bear fruit. Jesus Himself warned in John 15:2 that every branch in Him that does not bear fruit will be taken away by the Father. This means that even those who have been connected to Christ can be cut off if they fail to remain faithful and obedient to His teachings.
Being fruitful comes from keeping the teachings of Christ. In John 15:10, Jesus makes it clear: “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.” True fruitfulness is not about empty religious activity but about faithfully abiding in His words, living as He taught, and walking in obedience to the Father. Just as a branch only bears fruit by remaining connected to the vine, believers must stay rooted in Christ’s teachings to receive the life and nourishment that leads to spiritual growth.
Conversely, those who do not keep His teachings will be cut out of the vine. Jesus warns in John 15:6 that if anyone does not remain in Him—meaning they do not abide in His words—they are thrown away like a withered branch and burned. This is a serious warning: disobedience and neglect of Christ’s teachings lead to separation from Him.
God’s mercy is abundant, but His justice is also firm. Just as Paul warned in Romans 11:22, God is both kind and severe—kind to those who remain in Him but severe toward those who fall away. If God did not spare the natural branches (unbelieving Israel), He will not spare those who were grafted in but later turned unfruitful. This is why believers must remain faithful, keeping Christ’s words and bearing the fruit of obedience, love, and righteousness—lest they too be removed from the vine.
Stephen D Green, with ChatGPT, March 2025
