September 3, 2019
READING TIME: 4-6 MINUTES
David, what happens to those in John 15:6 who fail to abide?
Reformed theologians like John MacArthur incorrectly believe (from his Study Bible) that “the branches that do not bear fruit are those who profess to believe, but their lack of fruit indicates genuine salvation has never taken place and they have no life from the vine.” He makes another error when he writes that “the abiding believer is the only legitimate believer. Abiding and believing are addressing the same issue of genuine salvation (Heb. 3: 6-19).”
Most Reformed theologians are incorrect in their assumption that “abiding” = “believing.” They also incorrectly assume that every believer is a productive believer and also wrongly thinks that progressive/present sanctification is automatic. It is not automatic, but it is certainly guaranteed. If godliness is automatic, then what is the purpose for the hundreds of commands in the epistles (Rom. 12:1-2 is one example) encouraging believers to make sure their “condition” and “behavior” matches their “position” and “belief?” In other words, the authors of the epistles would not need to give so many commands regarding behavior if every believer’s sanctification is guaranteed or automatic. In the same way, we all know that children do not automatically do the right thing, which is why adults have to give them so many exhortations!
The NT doesn’t teach that we must work to stay saved or prove we’re saved (i.e., past/first tense salvation) by how we live. A believer should never look at his/her works for assurance of salvation, but he/she should focus on Christ’s ability to preserve the believer; he/she should focus on God’s promises to give eternal security to those who believe. We are saved not because we are necessarily faithful, but because God is always faithful to keep His promise of giving eternal life. If you could lose eternal life, then it would cease to be “eternal.”
In John 15 Jesus is speaking to the 11 disciples (Judas left in chapter 13) who are all believers. The passage does not make too much sense is abiding is the same thing as believing. Why would Jesus ask the 11 disciples to abide in Him if believers automatically abide?
This passage is similar to the previous discipleship passage in John 8:30-32. Here the emphasis is on continuing in fellowship with Christ as the source of spiritual life, which will result in fruitfulness and evidence of being Christ’s disciple.
Some have misinterpreted Christ here as saying that salvation can be lost if Christians do not abide or stay connected with Christ. On the other hand, Calvinists who do not believe salvation can be “lost” typically interpret these verses as presenting a test of the reality of one’s faith in Christ.
In the context, Christ was specifically addressing only the eleven, saved, believing disciples, who would form the apostolic foundation of Christ’s universal church (Eph. 2:20) and through whom God would change the world forever by the preaching of the gospel. Judas Iscariot, the unsaved, unbelieving disciple had previously departed from their company (John 13:30). Consequently, Christ was not concerned here with testing the genuineness of the salvation of His eleven remaining disciples. Instead, He instructed them in the new spiritual relationships they would have with Him, the Holy Spirit, each other, and the world following His ascension to the Father and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Christ’s purpose in John 15 was to encourage His disciples through the analogy of a Vine and its branches, not to admonish them toward self-examination by measuring the genuineness of their profession, thereby warning them of possible divine judgment.
Many perseverance advocates interpret airō (the Greek word used in John 15:2) negatively as a warning, meaning that God “takes away” unbelieving professors in eternal judgment. But this word can also be interpreted positively as an encouragement to fallen branches that God the Father, as the heavenly vinedresser, will tenderly care for His vineyard and “lift them” to be in a position where they can be exposed to the sun and have the potential to be more fruitful. This interpretation is consistent with the real viticultural practices of first-century vinedressers.
The proper view of John 15:6 is it refers to a genuine believer can be “cast forth” as a branch, spiritually “wither,” and even be fruitless in the Christian life. However, instead of viewing the reference to being “burned” in verse 6 as something that God does as an act of judgment upon people (such as causing sickness or even physical death), it is simply a concluding statement regarding what human vinedressers in the first century were doing with unfruitful, unproductive, useless branches.
In John 15:6, Christ is illustrating spiritual fruitlessness and uselessness for believers who do not abide in Him; He is not illustrating divine judgment in hell.
What John 15:1-8 is teaching, along with John 2:23-25 and 8:30-32, is that genuine believers in Christ may not abide in a relationship of communion or fellowship with Christ and thus not grow as they should if they do not walk in daily dependence upon the Lord. Nevertheless, a believer’s union with Christ is permanent and eternally secure. But if believers consistently fail to abide in Christ, the result will be unfruitfulness and spiritual uselessness, according to John 15:4-6.
Sources Used (The sources listed below do not constitute an endorsement of all of the person’s books and journal articles)
MacArthur, John. NKJV, The MacArthur Study Bible, eBook: Revised and Updated Edition. Thomas Nelson.
Stegall, Tom. Must Faith Endure for Salvation to Be Sure?: A Biblical Study of the Perseverance versus Preservation of the Saints. Grace Gospel Press.
Wilkin, Bob. “Bob’s Second Ordination Exam.” < https://faithalone.org/grace-in-focus-articles/bobs-second-ordination-exam/>.
