John 15:1-5
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If we read these scriptures out of context, we might think that maintaining our salvation is dependent on our works or fruit and not on Jesus’ death burial, resurrection and His promises. “God cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit” can be troubling at first glance, but salvation is God’s work not ours.
Romans 10:9-10
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans does not support “saved” as somehow temporary and dependent upon our actions and faithfulness to maintain. So does John 15 really contradict Romans 10:9-10? Is it really up to us to keep our salvation valid? Is it possible that a Christian could produce no fruit at all? What do these two scriptures say?
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
The old isn’t waiting to destroy our faith, it’s gone!
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God does not make foolish plans that will fail.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Who carries our salvation on to completion? It is impossible for a saved person to have no fruit.
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through these scriptures?