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On Pruning

The other month I pruned our apple trees. I did this not just because they were out of control, too tall, ungainly or too wide. I did it because I want to get more fruit next autumn. I like apples! Note that I did not chop the trees down and they were in no way harmed. In fact, now it's Spring, they are budding and beginning to look beautiful.

John 15.2, below:

He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.2.NLT

...is a verse many people struggle with because they (in my view correctly) assume the vine is believers, plural, and they think some branches i.e. individuals will be thrown out of the kingdom. The trunk, and the roots, are Christ. It's from him that we get our nourishment.

It's rare that a gardener will chop off and remove a whole branch. Usually the branches are pruned. We may have to let some things in our lives that are unhelpful or unproductive go. We may have to get rid of them! God may help us remove them by causing us to go through difficulties that help refine us. This might be hard at the time but will make us more fruitful in the long run.

Just to reassure you, all true believers remain in the vine i.e. in Christ, and all produce fruit. Some who feign belief are not connected to the vine. Let's pray they get connected! Without that nourishment from the root, they are 'Christians' in name only.
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