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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
its nourishment through the branch. Such is the true believer’s relation
to Christ. He abides in Christ and draws his nourishment from Him.
This spiritual relation can be established only by the exercise of
personal faith. This faith must express on our part supreme preference,
perfect reliance, entire consecration. Our will must be wholly yielded
to the divine will, our feelings, desires, interests, and honor identified
with the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom and the honor of His cause, we
constantly receiving grace from Him, and Christ accepting gratitude
from us.
When this intimacy of connection and communion is formed, our
sins are laid upon Christ; His righteousness is imputed to us. He was
made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in
Him. We have access to God through Him; we are accepted in the
Beloved. Whoever by word of deed injures a believer thereby wounds
Jesus. Whoever gives a cup of cold water to a disciple because he is a
child of God will be regarded by Christ as giving to Him.
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It was when Christ was about to take leave of His disciples that
He gave them the beautiful emblem of His relation to believers. He
had been presenting before them the close union with Himself by
which they could maintain spiritual life when His visible presence was
withdrawn. To impress it upon their minds He gave them the vine as
its most striking and appropriate symbol.
The Jews had always regarded the vine as the most noble of plants
and a type of all that was powerful, excellent, and fruitful. “The vine,”
our Lord would seem to say, “which you prize so highly, is a symbol.
I am the reality: I am the True Vine. As a nation you prize the vine;
as sinners you should prize Me above all things earthly. The branch
cannot live separated from the vine; no more can you live unless you
are abiding in Me.”
All Christ’s followers have as deep an interest in this lesson as had
the disciples who listened to His words. In the apostasy, man alienated
himself from God. The separation is wide and fearful; but Christ has
made provision again to connect us with Himself. The power of evil is
so identified with human nature that no man can overcome except by
union with Christ. Through this union we receive moral and spiritual
power. If we have the spirit of Christ we shall bring forth the fruit of
righteousness, fruit that will honor and bless men, and glorify God.