Pruning and Parables

3/24/2026

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2)

Everyone, everyone gets either pruned or cut off! The question is “do you bear fruit or not,” as to whether you get “cut off”—pruned. But everybody gets cut. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing. But don’t expect to be on cruise control your whole life! That’s not how it works. Saith the Lord.

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this, My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:3-8)

A weird application but important: Not all “knives out” mean anything “bad”—it’s part of growth and learning! “When you’re converted, Strengthen your brothers and sisters (Luke 22:32)!”

“No, I can’t be around Simon Peter because he’s a blasphemer and denied Jesus and hid! And I can’t read his two Books.”

Oops, he was being PRUNED! There’s much to Learn from those who are Learning!

IT’S A LITTLE LIKE TOTALLY AVOIDING ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO’S SICK WITH A COLD or flu. Paranoia is scientifically ignorant as well as faithless. I have “drunk deadly poisons and not been harmed” (Mark 16:18) twice, because of faith.

There can be BENEFIT from exposing babies and future mothers and all—to a LITTLE illness. OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS NEEEEED that. Pruning. A classic vaccine or inoculation is your immune system being TRAINED, just like pruning is for future growth, not death.

Trust me, I’m not “entirely” mixing metaphors here. The parallel is important. The “sin unto death” is not the size of the sin, but the response to the sin within the human heart, and then the pride that doubles down and ignores continual exposure and justifies it, and lashes out. That’s the death wish.

There are parables Written into the biological code of our little, green planet. Pruning, fruit, cursing the fig tree with no fruit, immune system growth, and the dangers of fear and hiding.