AMAZING GRACE

      When New Covenant people try to keep any part of the Law Covenant, they thereby join themselves to the Law Covenant, which, in turn, obligates them to keep every jot and tittle of the Law Covenant by the energies of the flesh.
      This mixing of the two covenants has further inevitable and disastrous results, as we shall point out. In more recent times, the elders have also grossly departed from the faith once for all delivered to the saints by overlooking the completely obvious covenant relationship of this particular context and of the whole Bible. The entire Bible as a covenant Book, and we are accountable to God to test and ferret out these obvious facts.

      "And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the WHOLE Law," Ga 5:3.

      "For as many as are of the works of the Law (Covenant) are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is not continuing in ALL things written in the book of the Law (Covenant), to do them." Ga 3:10.

      "For whoever keeps the whole Law (Covenant) and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of ALL," Ja 2:10.

      These verses were written to New Covenant people, and are applicable to anyone who undertakes to keep any part of the Law Covenant. The Law Covenant holds its adherents fast under the entire enumeration given above.
      Receiving circumcision according to the Law Covenant obligated the person or people involved to keep every jot and tittle of the Law Covenant. Inspiration leaves absolutely no way to get around this inevitable result.

      "But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners (by trying to keep the Law), is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed (If I try to keep the Law, which I say has been done away), I prove myself to be a transgressor, For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God," Ga 2:17-19.

      Look at verse 19 first. Paul said, "For by means of the Law Covenant, I died to the Law Covenant," See also Ro 7:4-6; 10:4; Ga 3:13; 4:4; Co 2:11-17.
      Paul and all others in true local churches are metaphorically reckoned or counted as being members of Christ therefore are joined to Christ by virtue of being members of a true local church which is likewise counted to be the physical body of Christ.
      Being thus counted as members of the physical body of Christ, we are further counted as having been crucified together with Christ, to have died together with Christ, and to have been buried, raised, and glorified together with Christ.
      Therefore, as Christ in His life and death fulfilled the Law Covenant and set it aside as a governing economy, so also, as the body of Christ, we have fulfilled the Law Covenant and set it aside.
      Now look at Gal 2:17-18 again. If Paul had put himself back under the Law Covenant by any endeavor to keep any part of that covenant, he would have been making himself a sinner according to the Law Covenant.
      This would have brought the curse, condemnation, death, etc., of the Law Covenant down upon Paul (and also upon Christ, which latter thing God will not permit). Paul addresses this inevitable result in Gal 5 as we will see shortly.
      Any effort to obey the Law Covenant would and did bring the Galatian churches (and any other saved or lost people) under the bondage, curse, condemnation, death sentence, etc., of the Law Covenant.
      According to the Scriptures, anyone can even now put himself under the Law Covenant, Ga 2:17-21; 3:1-5.10-12; 4:8-31; 5:1-11,18. And to put oneself under the Law Covenant means that the curse, condemnation, death, slavery, and the other two dozen plus undesirable and contrary features of the Law Covenant with full force will come down on that person. A part of those two dozen plus features are here being enumerated and discussed briefly, Gal 5:3; 3:10; James 2:10.
      Again we emphasize that the Scriptures throughout discuss three groups of people: FIRST, the unsaved who will end up in the lake of fire; SECOND, the unfaithful saved who will constitute the "nations" on the new earth; THIRD, the faithful saved who will dwell in the New Jerusalem. There is a vast difference between each one of these three groups.

      "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law (Covenant), then Christ died in vain," Ga 2:21. NKJV.

      "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the Law (Covenant), then Christ died to no purpose," Ga 2:21. RSV.

      "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the Law (Covenant), then Christ died for nothing," Ga 2:20. NRS.

      "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law (Covenant), then Christ died needlessly," Ga 2:21. NAS.

      "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the Law (Covenant), Christ died for nothing," Ga 2:21. NIV.

      To join oneself to the Law Covenant in any way whatever, as we have already shown, will put one back under the Law Covenant in a "works of the flesh" requirement. The Law Covenant required (and still requires) "the works of the flesh;" that is, one must keep the Law Covenant perfectly apart from grace through faith or he is cursed, condemned, enslaved to sin, under death, and a host of other things. This is an inescapable requirement of the Law Covenant, Ro 7:4-24; Ga 3:2-3; 5:11-26; 6:12-13; Co 2:11-23.
      There was and still is absolutely no way for Law-keepers to circumvent "the works of the flesh" requirement and its dire results: the Law Covenant required perfection by the flesh. The slightest infraction of the Law Covenant immediately and inescapably brought the curse, condemnation, death, bondage, etc., of that covenant.
      "The works of the flesh" requirement of the Law Covenant immediately nullified and canceled out (atheto) the grace of God, Ga 2:21. Atheteo means to displace, to set aside, to abrogate, to annul, nullify, make void, etc.
      This is precisely what must happen and unavoidably will happen every time anyone in a true church persistently tries to obey the Law Covenant. We need to get acquainted with Galatians, Romans, and Hebrews.

      "Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God," Ro 5:2.

      "However, the Law is NOT of faith; on the contrary, 'He who practices them shall live by them," Ga 3:12.

      The New Covenant is a "grace through faith" covenant, while the Law Covenant "is NOT OF FAITH." The Law Covenant was therefore "Not by GRACE," since grace and faith always go together, Rom 4:16; 5:2; 1:5; 12:3,6; Eph 2:8.
      Therefore, since the Law Covenant was NOT OF FAITH, to join oneself to the Law Covenant completely canceled out the New Covenant. "The Law is not of faith" -- this factor of the Law Covenant nullified and canceled out the "by grace through faith" factor of the New Covenant, thereby canceling out the entire New Covenant.
      This left the person or persons under the Law Covenant with absolutely no remedy for the curse, condemnation, death, etc., of the Law Covenant. The result of this was an accursement from all the covenants. It left one locked into a saved but non-covenant Gentile position.
      Remember, the first application of the Law Covenant was NOT OF FAITH (Ga 2:12), and resulted in condemnation, death, and accursement from the covenants, II Cor 3:7-9; Gal 3:10.
      The second application of the Law Covenant, however, led to faith, and was expressed in the offering of the sacrifices, Ro 10:4-8; Ga 3:22-25.
      The condemnation, death, and curse of the Law Covenant was NOT in view of (to, into) hell, but was an accursement (separation) FROM the covenants, FROM the covenant people, and FROM all the covenant benefits and promises.
      There are unfaithful saved people as well as faithful saved people. The unfaithful saved will make up the nations on the new earth, while the faithful saved are God's faithful covenant people (a special people) who will dwell in the New Jerusalem on the new earth, Dan 7:13-14,26-27; Rev 21:23-26; Gen 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 18:17-19; 22:15-18; 25:2-5; Ex 19:3-6; Lev 20:22-26; Deu 7:6-11; 26:16-19; I Pet 2:5,9; Titus 2:14; Rom 11:11-22; Gal 3:6-9,14,27-29; Rev 2:26-27.
      The Bible is a covenant Book and we must interpret the Bible from or within its covenant perspective. That is, the covenants were made NOT with lost people but with saved people. Beginning with Adam the covenant was general and required only faith-obedience to God, Ge 4:1-4; 6; 7; 8; He 11:4-7. Also see scriptures in above paragraph.
      Beginning with Abraham, however, God restricted the covenants to Abraham and his faith descendants: that is, through Israel and the church, See scriptures in above two paragraphs.
      God has always provided a way in which we must worship and obey Him in order to be His covenant people and receive the covenant promises, as indicated by Cain and Abel, Ge 4:4; He 11:4.
      God's way is a "grace through faith" way. It is the way of the "blood." It is "His" way, not "our" way. It is a "whole lifetime" of grace through faith obedience way, not a "one act of faith" way.

      "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death," Prov 14:12; 16:25; 21:2.

      "And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You! Then God said: 'No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac," Gen 17:18-21; 25:1-6; 26:1-5; 27:27-29,37; 28:1-22; Ex 2:23-25; 19:3-6; Lev 20:22-26; Deut 7:6-11; 26:16-19; I Pet 2:5-9; Heb 12:15-17.

      The firstborn status is of major importance throughout the Scriptures. Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Manasseh and Ephraim were cases where God with emphasis made exceptions and gave the birthright to the younger brother rather than the older.
      The destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the saving of the firstborn of Israel very greatly emphasize the status of the firstborn in God's eternal purpose. Israel and the church, as God's covenant people, will share together in Christ's firstborn sonship (Ex 4:22-23, Heb 12:23) as the firstfruits of God's creatures, James 1:18; Rev 14:1-5.
      The firstborn of both man and beasts, the "firstlings" (firstborn ones) of the flocks, and the "firstfruits" or "firstripe" of the harvests are greatly emphasized in the Law Covenant. These things have their New Covenant application, and we do not have to look far to discover what that application is.
      Most importantly, Christ is God's Firstborn (Col 1:15,18; Heb 1:6; Rev 1:5), and we are given the opportunity to qualify for adoption into the firstborn sonship of Christ and share His birthright as God's Firstborn Son, Mt 5:9,43-45; 12:49-50; Lk 6:35; Rom 8:23-25,28-29; 9:4; II Cor 6:14-18; Gal 4:21-31; Heb 12:1-17,23; Rev 21:7; Eph 1:22-23; 3:19; 4:13; Col 1:19; 2:9-17; Jn 10:30-36; 14:8-11,20; 17:21-23.
      The firstborn sonship includes a birthright which gave the firstborn numerous authorities (privileges, rights) over the other sons. The benefits (rights) of the birthright are precisely the same as the promises of the covenants. Below are given five groups of passages which will aid in the study of this matter.
      The FIRST FOUR groups of passages concern the birthright, the firstborn, the firstlings (firstborn) of the flocks, and the firstfruits or firstripe of the harvests. These expressions were greatly emphasized under the Law Covenant and have their application to the covenant people in all the covenants.
      The FIFTH group of passages below concerns the covenants, with emphasis on who the covenant people are. The whole Bible is a covenant Book, which explicitly marks off the covenant people as a faithful, God-seeking, and holy people -- a people who are to be separated from the world and whatever God pronounces as unclean.
      From the time of Abraham the covenant people have been restricted to Israel and the church. The covenant people do NOT include all saved people.

      Again, these passages show that the covenants belong to Israel and the church, that the firstborn sonship of Christ is offered to us through the covenants, and that we are being tested in this lifetime in order to qualify through the covenants to jointly share in the firstborn sonship of Christ.
      The Galatian churches were warned not to return to the Law Covenant, which requires the works of the flesh and immediately subjects one to the curse and condemnation of the Law Covenant. To return to the Law Covenant would unavoidably result in their being servant sons as Ishmael was rather than free sons as Isaac was, Ga 4:21--5:4.

      "And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east," Gen 25:5-6.

      Though Ishmael was Abraham's firstborn, God appointed that the birthright be given to Isaac, according to the allegory in Gal 4:21-31. Therefore, though Ishmael was Abraham's son, even his firstborn, yet because of other predetermined and governing circumstances Ishmael could not receive nor share the birthright inheritance with Isaac.

      "But what does the Scripture say? 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.' So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman." Gal 4:30

      "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery," Gal 4:30--5:1. See also Gen 25:5-6; Rom 4:13,16; 8:17,32; I Cor 3:21-23.

      Again, God had and has predetermined the rules that govern who will qualify for, receive, and share the firstborn status and birthright of Christ. This firstborn status and the birthright are the same as the covenants and the promises. Please compare them and prove the matter firsthand.
      The above verses (Gal 4:30--5:1) were written to the saved and scripturally baptized church members of the churches of Galatia. These saved people are warned against going back to the beggarly elements of the world. The Law Covenant represents the slavery of the physical world to the ABC, elemental, or rudimentary forces (physical laws) of the universe, Gal 4:3,9; Col 2:8,20.
      Hagar represents the Law Covenant and its bondage, while Ishmael represents saved people who choose to walk and live in the slavery of the flesh, that is, of the physical world. God specifically rejected Ishmael for both the covenants and the birthright of the firstborn. Again, God specifically and explicitly gave both to Isaac, Gen 17:18-21; 21:9-12.
      Sarah represents the New Covenant and the freedom of Christ, (the new man, the spirit world, the celestial, I Cor 15:44-50) while Isaac represents saved covenant people who walk and live in the Spirit. Isaac represents firstborn sons who have the birthright.
      In this life the covenant people are being chastened (disciplined, trained) and tested in order to qualify for the firstborn sonship of Christ. But most saved people do not make it into the covenant position, which is the only place God has appointed for one to qualify for this special relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
      Paul warned the Galatians (Gal 5:1-4) NOT to return to the Law Covenant for to do so would sever this special relationship for which we are being disciplined and into which the covenant promises are leading us.
      While the Law Covenant was legally in force, the covenant people were to qualify under that covenant. But now we are to qualify under the New Covenant, which, though promising the same things, is a very different covenant in many aspects. See the opposing contrasts on pages 2 and 3 above.
      To persist in returning to the Law Covenant only or to mix the Law Covenant with the New Covenant disqualifies one completely from all the covenants. That person has lost his covenant position, though still saved from hell. Such saved people will be in the nations on the new earth as the other sons.
      THE MIDNIGHT CRY has presented a tremendous amount of information on the Law Covenant versus New Covenant subject, and will gladly and certainly do so again and again as the expedient use of time, space, and subject matter indicates.
      The contrast between the two covenants is God's own specific design and purpose, and the study of this contrast is inexpressibly rich in vital instructions, as is evidenced in this inspired allegory in Gal 4.
      The allegory was taken from the predetermined plan and working of God two thousand years earlier in the lives of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac -- see especially Genesis chapters 15-17; 21; and 25-28.

      "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, DO YE NOT HEAR THE LAW?" Gal 4:21.

      These words were written many years after the Law Covenant had been fulfilled and set aside as a governing economy. To those who would return to the Law Covenant, it still had and has the same cursing, condemning, enslaving power it had while in full force before the cross of Christ.
      The Law Covenant still has many inexpressibly important things to say to us today, things of an eternal consequence, things we urgently need to know. We had better listen as the Galatians were exhorted to do. Our unbelief will not change the Word of God nor make it less applicable to us.
      We are in no way under the Law Covenant now, yet God designed that covenant so that it continues to speak to us. Though we are not under the Law Covenant now, we are still in the flesh and the end result is precisely the same if we are unfaithful.
      Both Isaac and Ishmael represent saved people. Ishmael represents saved people outside the covenants, while Isaac represents saved people within the New Covenant. Ishmael may represent saved people under the Law covenant as well as saved people with no covenant, Compare Gen 17:18-21 with Gal 4:21-31.
      The context of this allegory and the context before and after it in Galatians 4 and 5 make it applicable to the saved and scripturally baptized people in the churches of Galatia. No amount of twisting of the Scripture will change this fact.

      "Stand fast THEREFORE in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage," Gal 5:1.

      This is not a mere hypothesis. It is not a hypothetical case, and these words were not written to lost people of any kind. An allegory, like a parable, makes things clearer to those to whom it is given by God to see, hear, and understand, Mt 13:11-17.
      The saved and scripturally baptized church members in "the churches of Galatia" were to heed this warning with the utmost urgency, as well as the warnings that immediately follow.
      The immediate warning was that if these saved and scripturally baptized church members of the churches of Galatia go back under the Law Covenant, they would forfeit the covenant inheritance, which includes ALL the covenant promises, Gal 4:30--5:1.
      "Cast out the bondwoman and her son" meant and still means "do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage," or else you will become sons of the bondwoman -- still saved, but servant sons.
      "The son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." This meant (and still means) if these saved and scripturally baptized church members went back to the Law Covenant, they would lose the promised covenant inheritance.
      The curse (Ga 3:10) and condemnation or death sentence (II Cor 3:7-9) of the Law Covenant meant and still means being accursed and condemned FROM the covenants -- from ALL the covenants, as we read throughout the Scriptures, Ex 12:15,19; Lev 20; Num 19:13,20; Rom 11:11-12; I Cor 10:1-12; Heb 3:6-19; 6:4-6; 10:25-31; et al.
      Let it be emphasized that the curse and condemnation of the Law Covenant required the removal of gross and persistent covenant violators FROM the covenants -- from ALL the covenants.
      In other words, the curse and condemnation of the Law Covenant meant exclusion from all covenant relationships with God as the covenant people. One could NOT go back under the Law Covenant and remain one of God's covenant people or a true covenant (faith) seed of Abraham.
      Such a person would still be saved from hell: God's eternal purpose from before the foundation of the world includes a provision for non-covenant saved people, which the syrophenician woman properly recognized as "crumbs" by comparison, Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30.
      All the covenant promises are guaranteed to "ALL THE SEED" -- all the faith (the faithful) seed of Abraham, i.e., all who walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, Rom 4:12-16; Ga 3:6-9,14,29.

      "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness--an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed...."
"Isaac answered Esau, 'I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?" Gen 27:28-29,37.

      These verses generally tell us what the birthright was all about, what the covenants are all about, and what the whole Bible is all about.
      From eternity, as the heart of His purpose, God has been working to prepare a very special people, a special nation, over and above many other nations of saved people, to share the firstborn sonship of Christ, Gen 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 18:17-19; 22:15-18; 26:1-5; 28:13-15; Ex 193-6; Lev 20:22-26; Deu 7:6-11; 26:16-19; 32:7-9; Ps 2:8; 82:8; Isa 54:3; 61:6; Dan 7:13-14,26-27; Mal 3:16-18; I Pet 2:5,9; Titus 2:14; Rom 9:4; Eph 2:11-22; 3:6; Heb 8:8-10; 10:16-36; 11; Rev 2:26-27; 21:23-26; 22:1-5.

      "Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth," Mt 25:28-30 See also, II Jn 8; Mt 13:11-17; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; 19:24-26; Rev 3:11; 22:18-19; I Cor 3:15; Eze 3:20-21; 18:21-24; 33:12-13; Heb 3:11-14; I Cor 9:23-27; 10:1-12; et al.

      The UNFAITHFUL SAVED will not reign together with Christ. They will not be set in positions of rulership, but will be ruled over. They will not share in the firstborn sonship of Christ as firstborn sons, and therefore will have no share in the birthright or in the covenant promises.
      God has not told us how faithful one must be to be counted faithful in His sight, but has given us a "mark" (Phil 3:14; Heb 12:2) to fix our eyes upon and earnestly strive to attain. To come short of that "mark" is to fail to obtain the covenant promises, Phil 3:7-14,21; Heb 6:11-20; 10:34-35; 2:1-3; 3:6-14; II Pet 1:3-4; Rom 8:23-30; II Tim 2:10-13; et al.
      The covenant promises cover every aspect of life and godliness for now and eternity, and are entrusted to every one of the covenant people as a stewardship. Those who are unfaithful will have everything entrusted to them taken from them, their works will be burned, their righteousness which they wrought will NOT be remembered, and their lives will not be saved, but lost, II Jn 8; Mt 13:11-17; 25:28-30 (14-30); Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; 19:24-26 (11-26); Rev 3:11; 22:18-19; I Cor 3:15; Eze 3:20-21; 18:21-24; 33:12-13; Heb 3:11-14; I Cor 9:23-27; 10:1-12; Mk 8:34-38 (Mt 17:24-27; Lk 9:23-26); Gal 6:7-9; et al.

      "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, CHRIST WILL PROFIT YOU NOTHING. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law, YOU HAVE BECOME ESTRANGED FROM CHRIST, you who attempt to be justified by law; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith," Gal 5:1-5.

      "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord," II Cor 3:17-8; 3:3-8; Ph 2:12-13; I Cor 15:10; Mt 10:19-20.

      The above scriptures and related passages show that when New Covenant people also undertake to keep the Law Covenant (mix the two covenants), and persist in doing so, they separate themselves from Christ -- Christ becomes of no covenant effect, benefit, or profit to them as covenant people.
      This further necessitates their separation from the New Covenant which is a grace covenant and from the Holy Spirit Who is the Administrator of the New Covenant and the agent of God's grace. Obedience to the Law Covenant nullifies the grace covenant work of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, as far as the Law-keeper is concerned.

"Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.....You have become estranged (ineffective, severed, destroyed) FROM Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace," Ga 5:2,4.

      Any persistent attempt to circumvent what is said in these verses and context is futile and dishonest. These verses and the whole Bible deal primarily with covenant salvation (salvation of the life), not salvation from hell.
      Christ will profit such saved people nothing as covenant people (5:2) and will become ineffective to them (5:4) as covenant people for they will have forfeited their covenant standing. The Law Covenant repeatedly states that such covenant people will be "cut off" from Israel or from his or their people.
      These people are still saved, but will revert back to the Ishmael or servant son status without the birthright -- sons other than firstborn sons.

      "Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. You have become estranged (ineffective, severed, destroyed) FROM Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace," Ga 5:2,4. See also Rom 11:11-22; 8:6,13; Jn 15:1-11; I Cor 9:24-27 10:1-12; Heb 2:3; 3:6-14; 6:4-6; 10:25-31,39; 12:15-17,25-29; Rev 3:16; et al.

      Being "in Christ" is a special covenant standing, a very special covenant relationship prepared only for those who are faithful, which standing and faithfulness can be maintained only by walking in the Spirit by grace through faith.
      Christ is the vine and we, in the Lord's church, are the branches, Jn 15:1-11. The branches are "in" the vine, that is, "in Christ." They are in the right place, a good place, the proper place. This is an "IN CHRIST" union and relationship.
      They are not commanded get out of the vine, repent, be saved, etc., but rather to STAY (continue, remain -- Gr., meno) precisely where they are. This is of major significance: these branches are already right where they ought to be, right where they must be, the only place to be.
      Jesus is talking to His disciples. He is talking to saved people. He is talking to saved and properly baptized church members. Let us apply the rule of interpretation: Jesus is speaking, He is speaking to His disciples, He is speaking to them about bearing fruit right where they are -- because being cut off (disjoined, disunited, separated) from Him, they can do nothing such as bearing fruit.
      Those who teach that fruitless branches are lost people also teach that when a person is saved he is then joined to Christ in the "in Christ" position. But these branches are already "in Christ". They are already in the best possible place to be. There will be absolutely no change of location unless they do not bear fruit, then they will be cut off out of Christ.
      Besides, they are already made clean by the Word of Christ (of God), as in Ep 5:26. In no way could these disciples (apostles) be lost people. Observe, it was first directly to them that Jesus said all these words and gave this urgent warning: that they and all branches as they were would be "taken away," cut off, disunited, separated FROM Him and would no longer be "in Him" -- in vital union with Him if they did not bear fruit.
      To say that this does not happen to saved and scripturally baptized but unfruitful members of true churches is to mock and make light of Jesus and His words as spoken in this passage.
      Observe further in Rom 2:13-29; 8:4; and 9:30-33 how Gentiles in the church keep the Law Covenant "by grace through FAITH while the Jews failed because they pursued the Law of righteousness by flesh works. See also in Deut 30:11-14; Rom 10:1-11; and Lk 1:5-6 that the Jews could have done the same if they had pursued the Law of righteousness by FAITH.