Metaphors of the Church: Branches in Jesus the Vine

How would you communicate both that the Church is totally dependent on Christ to thrive and do good, and that it does thrive and do good? Jesus uses a metaphor, likening the Church to branches in himself, who is the vine.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5)

Our dependency on Jesus is pictured in the branches of a vine that are kept alive and thriving as they are in the vine, and affirmed in his bold statement, “apart from me you can do nothing.” But true believers, the true Church universal, remain in the vine Jesus and produce much fruit, do much good. Those who are only professing to be in Jesus but in fact produce no fruit will be shown to be ungenuine, lopped off so to speak and withered.

To this we may add the concept of Romans 11, that Gentiles are grafted in branches in the vine while Jews who believe are natural branches in the vine:

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. (Romans 11:17-21)

The Church proves itself to be Jesus’ genuine followers as it bears the fruit Jesus produces in them. Faith in Jesus Christ makes one incorporated into Jesus the life-giving Vine. Those who profess to be in Jesus but do not produce the fruit that is consistent with him, are shown to be false, not engrafted branches at all.