Every Branch is Purged

John 15:1-17 KJV

1.I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2.Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3.Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

As I was writing this, looking out over the city, I heard the Lord speak to me about purging. He knew the question that was in my heart. Why is it necessary for the sons of God to be purged, which means to be cleansed, pruned and made pure? I asked this question in light of the fact that we have put on the New Man, which is Jesus Christ in the flesh. The new man is renewed in righteousness and the knowledge of God. He has no desire to sin, nor is he wanton for the things of this world.

According to Vine’s expository, the word ‘purge’ means to thoroughly cleanse, to purify and to prune. In every instance where the meaning is to cleanse or purify; this cleansing is done by the blood of Jesus in the salvation experience or by the believer in his walk. Below are some scriptural examples of this.

Hebrews 1:3(KJV)

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 9:14(KJV)

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? •

1 Corinthians 5:7(KJV)

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

2 Timothy 2:21(KJV)

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

However, consider this use of the word purge

John 15:2

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

The phrase “purgeth it” is the Greek word for pruning. Many years ago in the course “Rightly Dividing the Word”, I cited a principle that insists that the Father speaks to us in terms we are able to comprehend.

Therefore, Jesus, like Paul taught using terms we could relate to. In this chapter, Jesus teaches purging from the perspective of the keeper of a vineyard pruning a plant or tree in his garden

Hence, Jesus is the vine, we are His branches and the Father is the husbandman or keeper of the vineyard. The Father is the one who does the pruning. But take note of the fact that He prunes those branches that are in Christ. In other words, we are already saved and full of the Holy Ghost.

But it is also very interesting that the branches that are pruned are the ones that are already bringing forth fruit. Well, if the Father is speaking to us in our language, then we need to understand the nature of pruning. Pruning is the cutting and removing of parts of a fruit tree. It covers a number of techniques that control growth, remove dead or diseased wood, and stimulate the formation of flowers and fruit buds

Pruning often means cutting branches back, (to where they are closer to the parent). It may also mean removal of young shoots, buds, leaves, etc. Careful attention to pruning and training young trees affects their later productivity and longevity. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping (by controlling or directing growth), improving or maintaining health, and reducing risk of falling branches. (Article taken from Wikipedia)

Now we can readily see why the Master spoke as He did. It is the intent of the Father to control and direct our spiritual growth and productivity, while at the same time reducing the risk of us falling away. Remember, it is the branch bearing fruit that is pruned; all others are simply cut off completely from the vine. But what is the fruit referred to here? Is it the fruit of the Spirit; or is it the procuring of more sons. Again, let us allow the scriptures to answer for themselves

John 12:24 KJV

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ brought forth much fruit. We are the fruit He brought forth. He is not abiding alone. Thus, we are to do the same. Because we are in Christ, we are now anointed, life-giving spirits. We are able to procure more sons for the Kingdom of God. If we do not produce fruit, then we become like the young man in the parable below.

Matthew 25:24-30(KJV)

24.Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25.And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26.His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27.Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him, which hath ten talents.

29,For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30.And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The next obvious question is, “How is this pruning done?” Well, in nature, as the branch continues to produce fruit, it also continues to grow further and further away from the vine. It also begins to grow in different directions. The purpose of pruning is to control or train the growth patterns of the branches in such a way that they are able to produce more fruit. The same is true with the Body of Christ.

John 16:13(KJV)

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John cuts to the chase here; the Spirit will guide us. We can readily understand a scenario wherein the Spirit instructs us to go to some remote island, full of hostile, anti-Christian people, to preach the Gospel. But sometimes the soul is not inclined to go places the Spirit wants to take us in our knowledge of God and godliness. Let me remind you that it is the branch in the Lord bringing forth fruit that is to be purged. It is being purged so that it can bring forth more fruit. I want us to see this subject through the eyes of our God. If we look at purging from His perspective, it takes on a whole new meaning and purpose.

Ephesians 4:15(KJV)

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

The objective of the husbandman is for the believer to grow up into Christ. Therefore, He will lead and guide its growth patterns and direction. Just as the natural branches of a tree can be trained, so can the sons of God. Growth Patterns consider the facts of our new birth. Though we are in the world, we are not of the world. Yet we live in a hostile environment. Not only is this environment hostile, it is also full of the former pleasures of our past life in the flesh. And if that were not enough, the enemy is always faithful in seeking to introduce us to new pleasures.

First of all, let us not lose sight of the goal here. It is the intent of the Father that we grow up into Christ. The old man is dead and we are married to another. His name is Jesus Christ. We have been baptized or totally submerged in His Spirit. But He has given us the stewardship of His body (our flesh in which He dwells).

Purging out the Shadows of Turning

There are several scriptures that identify us as the light of the world. But in order for that light to shine as an influence in this world, there must be no shadows.

James 1:17(KJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning

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A shadow is a dark area or shape that is produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface. Spiritually, it is darkness produced by the soul turning from the light of the Spirit to serve its own desires and lusts that it created in the body. Jesus said, The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matthew 6:22-23 KJV

We are the sons of God, therefore in us should be no variableness or change in our values, desires, intent, behavior or purpose.

2 Corinthians 4:6(KJV)

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

There must be no consideration given to disobedience. When there is no consideration for disobedience, this is a state of purity, which can only be obtained when we prefer the will of God above all else. The trials in our circumstances and situations that the Father allows us to experience are designed to reveal our preferences. Making the right choices in trials allows us to experience the consolation of God.

This consolation of the Comforter is more powerful than wantonness for the things of the world. However, you must allow yourself to experience it by performing holiness in your trials. Each trial is approved by God. He is the one directing your spiritual growth. He knows what trials will accomplish His desire in you. During the temptation in the wilderness, there were only two people on the scene; satan and Jesus. At the end of the day it manifests that Jesus preferred things pertaining to godliness. He willingly forsook the things of the world, in order to please God and accomplish the work He was sent to do.

Purging also means to make pure. The Father is not happy to make us obey Him through the threat of punishment. He prefers that we would desire righteousness by setting our affections on things above. This is walking in the Spirit and putting on the New Man; taking on His mind and preferring righteousness.