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THE FRUITLESS BRANCHES OF JOHN 15 ARE NOT GOD’S ELECT BUT PROFESSING NOMINAL CHRISTIANS

compiled by Michael Jeshurun

“Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away!” [John 15:2]

This verse has been one of the historical battlegrounds of doctrinal interpretation only second to Hebrews 6. Not only has this text provided the field for forgetting those things which are behind many battles between the two schools of theology – Arminian and Calvinist, but even among Calvinists themselves there has been disagreement as to the interpretation of this passage. Though there are other important problems in the parable of John 15:1-8, the most significant question concerns THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE UNFRUITFUL BRANCHES mentioned in the parable.

Arminians have generally understood the unfruitful branches as representative of true believers who, because they become unfruitful, lose their salvation and consequently are ultimately cast into the fires of hell.

But that…