Bible Question: John 15:6 - what is this verse actually saying? Most people who are advocates of "conditional security" rather than "eternal security" use this verse among many others. Can anyone please explain the matter of "thrown into the fire..." and "burned." |
Bible Answer: John 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. In order to better understand this verse you have to go back to verses 1 and 2 Verse 2 mentions 2 different types of branches, which are "in Him" (meaning in Christ, and to be in Him is to be His. But we see in verse 2 the mention of one type of branch in Him which does not bear fruit. It doesn't produce anything when it should because it is not abiding and drawing life from the vine, and has become complacent, and is also in danger of being cut off from the vine, and a branch separated from the vine no longer draws nourishment from it's main life giving source, and through that process begins to dry up and wither. It is no longer green and growing. I'm sure you have seen how a branch cut from a tree over time begins to drop it's leaves and become dry and brittle. Thats what happens to us if we don't continue to abide in Him. Abide means to remain or stay connected. Once the branch becomes dry it then is only useful for the fire. Green braches don't burn well, but cut off non-producing branches will. |