Becoming a Branch Disciple

Have you ever heard the Dallas Willard quote, “Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning”?

While I’m certainly inclined to agree, I also used to lean on this as a sort of “just cause” for my constant striving to be a better follower of Jesus. It wasn’t to earn favor from God or salvation from Him, so it’s good, right? I should strive to be like Jesus!

So I did that. I worked my butt off trying to be more loving, more kind, more joyful, more at peace, more gentle, etc. And you know where I found myself?

Tired and wanting.

Tired and wanting. Anybody resonate with that one?

About 18 months ago, as a full-time Discipleship Pastor, I started to feel some tension as I worked hard to become like Christ: I agree with Willard; effort is not wrong, but this effort thing doesn’t seem to be working, only wearing me down. If anything, I was feeling less joyful, less kind, less gentle, less patient. I was going backwards! And so I did all I knew how to do… try harder! More effort! Sin is a tough enemy! If I was going to become like Jesus—which I was determined to do—I was going to have to put my back into it.

You can probably guess where that left me.

Tired and wanting. Again.

Jesus said something in Matthew 11 about an easy yoke and a light burden. But I’ll tell you what: if that’s the case, He must have been really strong because this yoke did NOT feel easy, and the burden definitely didn’t feel light.

Then, thanks to the Holy Spirit and some friends further along in the journey of discipleship, I saw my mistake: I wasn’t being a branch.

In John 15:4–5, Jesus says,

“Abide in me, as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

Paul echoes this idea in his letter to the church in Galatia:

“Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22–25 (emphasis mine)

We cannot miss this!

Several other places throughout the New Testament get at this concept:

The fruit belongs to the Lord.

To put it in Willard’s framework—grace isn’t opposed to effort, but what is the effort toward?

Is it toward bearing fruit?

Or letting the Holy Spirit do it?

Friends, the fruit has always been His. All good things come from Him. I’m sure this isn’t totally new information, but I would argue that many of us have been living a life of discipleship that reads Galatians 5 as the fruit of the disciple rather than the fruit of the Spirit.

The yoke becomes much easier, and the burden much lighter, when our effort is not toward fruit, but toward submission.

We were never meant to be the vine, just a branch. Becoming like Jesus, the goal of discipleship, happens when we remain in Christ and allow Him to do the transforming. Sanctification is the work of God, not us.

So, I encourage you this week to sit down with the Lord and pray this short, simple prayer:

Father, I repent of striving to do what only You can do. Help me to submit to You and listen to Your voice. Help me be dependent on You. I only want to do what I see You doing. Holy Spirit, come. Amen.

As you pray this prayer and abide in Him, I’d like to offer you a few other verses to encourage you. I pray that the Spirit renews you with their words…

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23

“But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13

“…and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

“who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood”

1 Peter 1:2

“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 1:6