Brother Doug please consider my commentary on these verses. I will provide the definition of the Greek words used in these verses that are in bold print.
John 15:1-10 is not talking about eternal life, but fruit bearing in this life. If you don't abide in Jesus Christ you will not bear any fruit.
““I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He
cuts off (to take off or away what is attached to anything) every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is
thrown away (to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls, to scatter, to throw, cast into in various applications, more or less violent or intense) like a useless branch and
withers.(to make dry, dry up, wither to become dry, be withered,
to waste away, pine away) Such branches are gathered into a pile to be
burned (to set on fire, light, burning to burn, consume with fire) But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
John 15:1-10
Nothing about this can result in salvation. The person is removed from Christ. No one can be saved if they are removed from Christ. Then he is violently and carelessly thrown away to wither then violently and carelessly thrown into the fire to be consumed. Please look into the Greek words that are used here and the definitions of those words.
Matthew 25:31-46
Those who are blessed of the Father, they are the ones who do good works and enter into the joy of the LORD.
The ones that are cursed, are the goats, they are not sheep. So they were never Christ's to begin with.
Or do you prefer that people who just do good works enter into the joy of the LORd whether they trust Jesus or not?
Jesus says exactly why the goats were condemned in verses 42-45
““Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth,
when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.””
Matthew 25:41-46
They weren’t condemned because they didn’t do works they were condemned because they didn’t abide. Their faith was not genuine and didn’t produce works. Now let’s look at James 2 and how it coincides with both of these passages.
James 2:14-26
Notice the statements in this passage where it says,
"a man may say" or something to that effect.
14, 18,
This is about people who are talking the talk, but not walking the walk.
An entirely different subject from what Paul talks about in
Romans 4.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?”
James 2:14
Faith without works is not a saving faith. A person who has a genuine faith will undoubtedly do good works. John 15, Matthew 25, and James 2 are all explaining how a person who’s faith that does not produce works is not abiding in Christ and will not be saved. It is not the works that is being judged it is the faith.
Please look at the definition of faith.
faith
G4102
Lemma:
πίστις
Transliteration:
pístis
Pronounce:
pis'-tis
Part of Speech:
Noun Feminine
Language:
greek
Description:
1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it a) relating to God
1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ b) relating to Christ
1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God c) the religious beliefs of Christians d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
2) fidelity, faithfulness a) the character of one who can be relied on
Not every time you see the word faith in the Bible does it mean trusting in Jesus. In many cases it is referring to our faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, and trustworthiness. These have to do with devotion. Faith can be compared to devotion because neither of them are a work and both will produce works. Walking in the Spirit is devotion. It is the devotion that comes from our love of God. If we love Him we will be devoted to Him and we will do His works. Given to us by the guidance of the Holy Spirit who urges us to do good work and to repent of sin. A complete lack of repentance and works means a complete lack of faith and love for God. That is why the goats were condemned. Not necessarily for not believing but for not having faith, not abiding, and not loving God. I would like to leave you with two questions. Please answer them. Who was Jesus talking to in John 15 and why did He tell them to abide in Him?
