A Word of Caution: Do Not Backslide!
Jesus declared: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 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.”Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”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.” John 15:1–6
The Need to Remain in the Vine.
Jesus gives every believer a clear command: abide in Him. Regardless of conflicting teachings or opinions, every believer has a responsibility to search the Scriptures and safeguard their own standing in Christ. What a believer hears, accepts, and continually gives themselves to, will affect the way they live. The essential message of Jesus is unmistakable: remain in the Vine.
There are some who teach that salvation is unconditional, that once a person has given their life to Jesus, nothing further is required because Jesus will keep them regardless of how they live. Believers are indeed held securely in the hands of the Father and the Son, but:
- Those hands are not a prison.
- God does not remove a person’s free will.
The Father and the Son will never abandon those who remain in them, yet Jesus repeatedly warns of the necessity of continuing, abiding, watching, and remaining faithful. The Vine does not sever its life from the branch, but Jesus warns that the branch can cease to abide in the Vine: “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered.”
The question therefore demands an answer: Whose responsibility is it to abide in the Lord, is it the Lord’s or the believer’s? Jesus also warned: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?”“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”Matthew 5:13–16. Every believer needs to understand that:
- Salt can lose its savour.
- And light can be hidden.
These are not warnings that can simply be dismissed. Jesus calls His people to remain effective witnesses, allowing His life and light to be seen through them.
No Turning Back
Jesus also warned against turning back: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”Luke 9:62. The illustration is simple. A person ploughing a field must look forward to remain on course. Looking back causes the plough to veer away from its intended path. The believer must therefore keep their eyes fixed upon Jesus and continue faithfully in following Him.
Remain Faithful.
Jesus gave another solemn warning concerning the faithful and unfaithful servant:“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”But concerning the servant who became careless and unfaithful, Jesus said: “The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him… and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”Luke 12:42–47
The warning is unmistakable: it is not merely how a person begins, but how they continue and how they finish. Many have begun well but have later become casualties of the world, entangled again in its ways and distracted from following Christ. Jesus Himself warned of this danger in the parable of the sower. The believer must not become entangled in the affairs of this life or return to the old way of living.
The believer’s life cannot be separated from its Christian conduct. What a person believes and how that person lives are inseparably connected. A repeated prayer or a profession of faith cannot replace a life surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Neither can a person obtain eternal life simply by attempting to live a good life without receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour. Here are two vital aspects that every believer needs to embrace :
- Jesus must remain Lord.
- The believer must remain watchful.
Watch Therefore.
It is very important to gain the revelation of being a prepared believer, Jesus gave perhaps one of His clearest warnings in the parable of the ten virgins:
- Five were wise and five were foolish.
- All had lamps.
- All went forth to meet the bridegroom.
- All became weary and slept.
But when the midnight cry came, the difference was revealed. The foolish virgins discovered that their lamps had gone out and were unprepared for the bridegroom’s arrival. The wise were ready and entered with him to the marriage, “and the door was shut.”When the foolish returned, they cried: “Lord, Lord, open to us.”But the answer was: “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”Jesus concluded: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”Matthew 25:1–13
The warning must not be explained away or rendered powerless by interpretations that avoid its challenge. The message is one of preparedness, watchfulness and perseverance. The believer must not presume upon yesterday’s experience with God. The believer’s life is a continuing walk with Christ. The believer must continue abiding in Him, walking faithfully, keeping the lamp burning, and remaining prepared for His return therefore:
- There must be no turning back.
- There must be no losing of the savour.
- There must be no hiding of the light.
- There must be no drifting from the Vine.