How To Live or Die
6 MINUTE READ
Stephanie Chizoba Odili
September 6, 2024
Share :
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
John 5:24 (NIV)
In my faith, God, the One true God, is also known as the True Vine. The vine gives life to the branch; just as God gives us life.
John 15:1-5 (NIV)
“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.”
From this passage, here are some of the key terms to note.
- Gardener- God the Father
- True Vine- Jesus Christ
- Branch- Humans
- Fruit- Manifestation of the likeness/glory of God through the extraordinary actions and deeds of humans.
Now, with this information, let me “rewrite” the passage.
“I am God the Son, and my Father is God the Father. He cuts off every human in me that bears no likeness to, or manifests the glory of God through extraordinary actions and deeds; while every human that does manifest the glory of God through extraordinary actions and deeds he trains and teaches them so that it will be even more manifestable…Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No human can do the above by themself; they must remain in Jesus. Neither can you do the above unless you remain in me…If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear many manifestations of the glory of God through extraordinary actions and deeds; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Wow! Firstly, you start to see that:
- You have to, as a matter of priority, be and believe in Christ
- You recognise that you were made (not happened upon) and given a purpose- to bear fruit
- You have to live a life of light and display, depicting how awesome God is. You must show results.
- You understand that humans cannot come to the fullness of their glory if not with the vine.
- It dawns on you that you were made to remain, never detach.
- You perceive by the Spirit that the emphasis of a “true” vine means there are false vines who could also falsely mirror the real fruit/results. Hence “by their fruits you shall know them”. (Matthew 7:16)
- Apart from the vine, you die.
Essentially, if you are connected to Jesus the Vine, you will be a surviving branch. You will live, today, tomorrow and forever, whether physically with us or with Him. So, what happens when one as a branch is cut from the vine? Below is the breakdown of how life is lost and death begins.
Ante Mortem
The patient, though aware that the vine is the lifegiver to their branch, is being buffeted by life’s winds. At this point, the gardener prunes or cuts.
1. If you are pruned, congratulations! Essentially, the gardener saw your fruits coming forth and is now refining and shaping you to grow in character, faith, and fruitfulness. The pruning process covers the challenges or discipline we face that ultimately make our lives as God intended. This patient will be restored to good health.
2. If you are cut, sigh. The idea of being cut off is experiencing the natural consequences of unfruitfulness. When we persistently live apart from God’s guidance and ways, we often face the consequences of living disconnected from His life-giving power and grace. Or, it could reflect a separation from God's intimate presence, and in some cases, it could mean exclusion from the faith/life due to ongoing, unrepentant sin. This patient’s health will begin to deteriorate and eventually, they’ll die.
In Mortem
The patient is spiritually dead.
Someone call it in.
Post Mortem
1. Corneal opacity. This is the "clouding" of the deceased’s eyes and mind. They turn blue, and will now be totally oblivious to all truth.
2. Pallor mortis. This is the paleness which happens in the first 15–120 minutes after death. The deceased’s eyes (of revelation and understanding) and skin (covering) are dull. The blood that flows to sustain you is fading.
3. Livor mortis, or dependent lividity. At this stage, there is a settling of the blood in the lower (dependent) portion of the body. All the word of God had been buried like one would a painful or past wound. You forget everything, maybe even deliberately. It’s reprobacy.
4. Algor mortis. Here, the others will notice a reduction in the deceased’s body (composure and appearance) temperature following death. This is generally a steady decline. You’re cold to the things of God. You’re now playing for the devil.
5. Rigor mortis. The limbs of the deceased become stiff (Latin rigor) and difficult to move or manipulate. Too stiff in heart and ways. You are your own god now.
6. Putrefaction. The final stage; the beginning signs of decomposition. You’re gone and smelling. Alive looking but dead. Refusing the very elements of life.
Dear branch, life will be hard. Will you through the winds, bear fruit and be pruned, or will you give in and get cut off?