Growing Through Fellowship with Christ

JOHN 15:1-5

JESUS’ Parable of the Vine and the Branches never ceases to hold vital meaning and interest for every consecrated Christian. “I am the vine, ye are the branches”—thus does the Master express the close relationship we bear toward him, the blessed partnership which exists between himself and his disciples. This, of course, is not the only illustration used in the Scriptures to represent the oneness of Christ and his church. There are several others, and each in its own way brings home to us our great dependence upon him and the necessity of our keeping close to him in communion, trust, and obedience.

The main lesson highlighted by the parable is our partnership with the Master in fruit bearing. We cannot bear fruit of ourselves, but only as we remain in him as a “branch” in the “vine.” It is a simple illustration, the meaning of which is instantly apparent, for no one could fail to realize that if, in the natural world, a branch was severed from the vine it could not bear fruit. So, likewise, if we remove ourselves from Christ, or if because of our unfaithfulness he severs us from his association, our lives will bear no fruits of righteousness.

In this parable Jesus said, “My Father is the Husbandman.” The husbandman’s interest in caring for the vine is in his expectation of the fruit which it will bear. In the case of the Christian, as a branch in Christ, the true vine, what is this “fruit”? Primarily, no doubt, it is what the Apostle Paul describes as the “fruit of the Spirit”—love, joy, peace, etc. These are qualities of godlikeness which result from our close association with Jesus and because of the Heavenly Father’s love and providences which are daily operative in our lives.

It is well to remember, however, that a vine and its branches do not bear fruit for their own benefit. Nor does a husbandman care for a vine in order that it might bear fruit which will simply serve as a decoration. So, in the divine arrangement, the fruitage of righteousness which is brought to maturity throughout the Gospel age in the lives of all who are branches in the true vine, Christ Jesus, will be used for the refreshment and blessing of mankind during the new dispensation now so near.

This fruit of the Spirit is not something which is hung on the Christian in the sense of it being separate from him. It is a part of him. It is the Christian character which is developed in the likeness of Christ. It is that character-likeness of the Heavenly Father and his beloved Son, which, through the merit of Christ to cover our imperfection, will vouch-safe for us an “abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”—II Pet. 1:11

We know that the purpose of the kingdom is the blessing of all mankind; so, in the final analysis, our fruit bearing today is in order that the world may be blessed tomorrow. What a powerful incentive this should be for all of us to remain closely associated with the Master in order that the vital qualities of his perfect life may continue to flow into and quicken us as branches which will bear fruit to the honor and glory of the Husbandman, our Heavenly Father, and thus qualify us to continue in that blessed partnership by which all mankind will be provided with the fruit of everlasting life!

PHILIPPIANS 3:8-16

IN THIS testimony of Paul’s in which he declares his determination to “know Christ,” we have the partnership of Christ and his church brought to our attention from another standpoint. Here it is not partnership in fruit bearing, but in suffering and subsequent glory—the “fellowship of his sufferings,” and the “power of his resurrection.” Paul tells us that in order to enjoy this blessed partnership with Christ he had suffered the loss of all things, and was determined to continue forgetting those things which were behind, and ever to press forward to those things which were ahead.

Many who have appreciated to some extent the devotional aspects of Christian living have failed to enter into this deeper meaning of fellowship with Christ, not having recognized the fact that the body members of Christ have the privilege of suffering and dying with him sacrificially as a part of the great sin-offering feature of the divine plan. However, Paul understood this precious truth very clearly. He knew the relationship of Christian suffering to the divine plan for the recovery of the human race from sin and death.

In Romans 6:2-11, he discusses this subject in considerable detail. He reminds us of our privilege of being “planted together in the likeness of his [Christ’s] death,” and then explains what that likeness is, and its purpose. As Christ died unto sin, he writes, so likewise we should reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin. Jesus did not die “unto sin” in his own body. His dying unto sin was his sacrificial death on behalf of the sin-cursed world. And Paul says that we are to “reckon,” that is, to count ourselves as being dead unto sin in the same way.

This is how we are planted together in the “likeness” of Christ’s death. Actually, we have nothing to offer to the Lord in sacrifice which would be acceptable to him; but through the merit of Christ we are authorized to “reckon” the matter as though we did. And we have the assurance that our sacrifice will thus be “holy and acceptable unto God, our reasonable service.”—Rom. 12:1

To Paul this was a very precious truth, giving real meaning to his every hardship in serving Christ and the Christian cause. To him, everything else in life was but as loss and dross compared with this privilege of enjoying a fellowship, or partnership, in the suffering of Christ, and of being made conformable to his death.

He knew, of course, that he could not enjoy such a partnership in the sacrificial work of Christ upon the basis of his own righteousness, that he had nothing to offer which God could accept. But he knew also that the righteousness which is “of God by faith,” the righteousness provided by God through faith in the meritorious blood of Christ, did make him acceptable, and having this assurance, he accepted the opportunity of sacrifice and claimed the promises of divine grace to help in every time of need.

At the time Paul wrote this testimony he had been in the narrow way of sacrifice for many years; but he felt that he had not yet “attained … that for which also he had been apprehended.” Up to the time he wrote the epistle there had been no slackening of the hand, and his attitude still was, “This one thing I do.” But, like the prophet of old, he knew that it was not time to boast until he had taken off the harness, the goal having been reached; so he was resolved to continue pressing toward the prize of the high calling, and not to permit anything to interfere with his victory.

And as many as are likeminded will view their privileges in the same way, he tells us. Are we “likeminded” to Paul in our willingness to give up everything, and to suffer all things in order that we may win Christ? May our answer be, Yes, and trusting in divine strength and care, may we too press forward for the prize as we fellowship in Christ’s sufferings, having the assurance that ultimately we will know in full the power of his resurrection.

QUESTIONS

What was the divine purpose in furnishing us with so many illustrations of the oneness of Christ and the church?

What is the fruit that is borne by the branches in the true vine?

Is this fruit intended only for the benefit of the branches? Or is there a larger purpose in the divine plan for Christian fruit bearing?

What did Paul mean by fellowship in the sufferings of Christ?

What relationship does Christian suffering bear toward the divine plan of human redemption and recovery from sin and death?

What is it that makes Christian sacrifice acceptable to God?

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