John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
What would you think about a vinedresser that left dead branches on the vine or when removed left an unsightly pile of dried up branches in his vineyard? Would you consider him lazy or sloppy? You certainly wouldn’t think well of him. Would you not consider it to his credit and praise that he remove them and take them to a burn pile? What else does he do with dead, dried up branches?
Why did Jesus think it was important to give this information to His disciples? It’s because the Father gave it to Him to give to them because that information is for their highest good. It also is what a responsible vinedresser does, and certainly they knew it. It is highly possible, knowing Jesus, that such a burn pile was in sight.
According to Jonathan Edwards, God glorifies Himself even in the destruction of the wicked who do not bear fruit. It is reasonable and it is the branch’s purpose to bear fruit, the fruit of His love. In fruit-bearing both the Father and the Son are glorified. However, a dead, dried up branch brings no glory to the Son, the vine. So there is only one reasonable and expected way that remains for the Father, the vinedresser, to receive glory as far as they are concerned, and that is in the destruction of those who fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The destruction of the wicked in hell is neither unjust nor unloving. Contrary to popular opinion, it is what love for the Vine and the vineyard looks like. For God, The Vinedresser, to not have a burn pile would be to fall short of the glory of God. Let us bear fruit today by living to love with Jesus.
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
