Quote:
Originally Posted by bearbear
In contrast, John 15 uses the metaphor of branches and emphasizes our need to "abide" in Christ to bear fruit. Jesus explicitly states, "You are the branches" (John 15:5), identifying his audience as the branches. Later, in John 15:6, He warns that branches (the audience) who do not remain in Him and do not bear fruit will be "thrown away, wither, and burned." Here, it is not the works being burned as in 1 Corinthians 3, but the branches themselves- those who fail to remain in Christ.
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Are you saying that John Chapter 15 was spoken to the general public?
No, these words were spoken to the disciples, who were already clean (v.3) and chosen by the Lord (v.16). This sobering word in v.6 can and does refer to the believers, not the unbelievers. How can an unbeliever be called a slave of Jesus (v.15) or be expected to abide in the Vine? (v.5)
To be cast into the fire and be burned (v.6) corresponds with passing thru fire. (I Cor 3.15) Once again, we should not equate all of God's "testing fires" with the final "Lake of Fire." If all your works are burned up it would appear as if you yourself are burned, but this is the fire of the Lord's discipline for how we live as Christians, and not the Lake of Fire for the judgment of sins.
Remember the old adage: "Text without Context is a Pretext for a Proof text."