“I am the vine, you are the branches: He that stays in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:5-6).
The Lord Jesus told us that it is very important to establish a proper relationship with God. The Lord compared us to the branches and compared Himself to the vine. Our relationship with the Lord is like the relationship between vine branches and the vine. Away from the vine, the branches will lose the supply of life and get withered and then die. Only by constantly living before God, reading His words and having a proper relationship with Him, can we be watered and fed by the Holy Spirit and bear the fruit of life. Conversely, if we often stray far from God, cling to the world and live in the enjoyment of the flesh and material benefits, but seldom read God’s words or pray to Him, then we will have no proper relationship with Him, nor do we have the work of the Holy Spirit. It is like that branches will wither if they are away from the vine. Having no the work of the Holy Spirit, we may still perform religious ceremonies and keep rules such as attending the meetings, reading and studying the Bible and praying outwardly, but in fact all that we do bears no relation to God. It is because we still live in sin involuntarily and live under Satan’s domain, leading a life of sinning in the day and confessing in the evening, let alone give our hearts to God to have a true communion with Him. Because we don’t have a place for God in our hearts, nor do we have hearts of revering Him, we often speak and act according to our own ideas, naturalness and arrogant disposition, and it is difficult for us to act in harmony with His will. Failing to keep the Lord’s way, we have no joy and peace in our hearts. No matter how much effort we make or no matter how much we suffer, it is useless; no matter how many years we follow the Lord, we can’t gain life. It can be seen that establishing a proper relationship with God is the foundation for entering into life.