What makes you clean?
Is it possible that the pruning you think is being done by Him is actually your own effort at righteousness?
“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.” John 15:1-3
At the point that you believed in Christ Everything changed! You became “clean” – you were “reconciled” – God didn’t make salvation difficult – man did!
After that – there is still pruning – and this is where the legalist from the Grace-Full become Oh so very obvious!
The legalist never believes that they are clean! The legalist in essence calls Jesus a liar, says the cross wasn’t enough and creates a never ending effort based “religion” out of the relationship that Christ came to establish once and for all!
The relationship was broken the legalist will state – and they are 100% correct – BUT then there was Jesus, is Jesus and will always Be Jesus – Who by His One perfect sacrifice connected us once and for All to All who believe!
The Grace-Full discovers the Full meaning of the cross and accepts the Full power of what was done and Only goes under the law if they are around a weaker brother or someone that might stumble.
The Grace-Full understands that they are clean because of Christ, they are reconciled with God because of Christ, they are forever children of the Almighty God, pure as the new driven snow NOT because of their actions which change with the wind – but because of the pruning of Jesus that allowed Him to show the ultimate sacrifice of LOVE!
So with this in mind – What kind of pruning is He doing in you?
Is the pruning making you more holy by the law or more Loving, Caring and Giving through Christ?
good read
Thank you very much for the encouragement!