According to John 15:1-8, our interpretation of the sanctifying work that God accomplishes in our lives—

especially during times of trial—is directly related to our understanding of pruning. This, in turn, affects
our response to personal suffering and to others in their time of trial. If we view pruning as punitive,
rather than restorative, we lose sight of God’s undying love toward us and we become like Job’s anti-
gospel counselors who immediately assume God is punishing our fellow Christians and, therefore, we
are now free to cast judgment and harsh treatment upon them.

Jesus Was Already Punished in Our Place

Now, do you and I deserve punishment? Do we deserve judgment from God? No question about it! We
deserve 10,000 lifetimes of grief and pain and turmoil—plus eternal punishment in hell. But that is not
what we get if we truly trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Why do we not receive eternal
punishment? Because Christ already endured the punishment for our sin on His bloody cross. Why do
we not receive punishment in our lives as Christians? Because Christ already endured the punishment
for our sin on His bloody cross. If we forget this gospel truth then we become Pharisees filled with an
imaginary sense of our own self-righteousness and, as a result, begin to conclude that the sins of others
are far worse than our own and worthy of condemnation. Remembering the sufficiency of the Cross of
Christ is foundational to living for Him in this fallen world, while we remain in fallen bodies.

Training, Not Punishment

When God chastens believers, He trains us in righteousness—and He does so motivated by love and
familial commitment (Hebrews 12:6). Sometimes this includes enduring painful consequences of our
sinful words and deeds; which He ultimately has wisdom to discern. However, He only does this for
those who truly belong to Him (false believers are not disciplined because they are illegitimate children).
And, when doing so, He does not make us do penance, or cast us away in anger. We are no longer the
enemies of God who receive punishment, but His adopted and blood-bought children. We are His
branches and, as such, are tended by the Gardener, which includes the intentional pain of pruning.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he
takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you
are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am
the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for
apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and
withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (Jn 15:1-8)

Like the tree that is oddly shaped, has suckers growing out of the base of the trunk, or has dead
branches here and there; we are in need of pruning. There are character deficiencies which God wants
us to become aware of, serious heart sins (the root behind all behavioral sins), and sinful habits that
need to be repented of. In short, we need to be pruned. But what are God’s purposes in pruning?

Why Does God Prune Us, His Branches?

Jesus gives five reasons God prunes His children.

God prunes us so that we will bear more fruit. God does not prune us because He is angry at us, nor
does He prune us because Jesus’ sacrifice was not enough (perish the thought!). God prunes us, His
branches, so “that [we] may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). In other words, God looks at our Christian lives
and concludes that we are not bearing as much fruit as we could. We are out of balance, have dead
branches, and the suckers of sin are draining away our spiritual vitality.

God prunes us so that we will become more dependent. God does not prune us in order to discourage
us; He prunes us so that we will learn to abide in Christ—the true source of life. To abide in Christ means
to live in obedient dependence upon His ongoing, minute-by-minute, supply of grace—grace which is
Himself! Too often we become proud and independent, functioning as practical atheists. This will never
lead to greater fruitfulness. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it
abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me (v. 4). Therefore, God loves us enough to
prune us so that we will learn to abide, to rest, in Christ. Our Father, the vinedresser, trains us to learn—
in practice, not only precept—that we truly “can do nothing” apart from Christ (v. 5).

God prunes us in order to assure us that we are truly saved. God does not prune unbelievers in order
that they may become more fruitful, for their fruits would simply consist of more dead works (James
2:17; Hebrews 9:14). Instead, He eventually throws them “into the fire, and they are burned” (John
15:6). Painful pruning (and it is painful) does not undermine the Spirit’s work of assurance; it
strengthens it. It is the true child of God who is chastened by the heavenly Father, not the illegitimate
child (Hebrews 12:7-8). By our fruitfulness we “prove to be” true disciples of Christ (John 15:8b).

God prunes us so that He is free to answer more of our prayers. Divine pruning results in learning to
abide in Christ, which in turn results in the freedom to ask God “whatever you wish, and it shall be done
for you” (v. 7). The “obedience connection” in our prayer lives is designed by God to continually
motivate us in our walk of faith. It is one of the if/then relationships in the Christian life.
God prunes us so that we will glorify Him. Jesus is crystal clear: “By this is My father glorified, that you
bear much fruit” (v. 8a). To glorify means to magnify, to enlarge, and to draw attention. As believers in
Christ, we do not live to draw attention to ourselves, but to our glorious God and Savior. Our
redemption brings God glory in order that the world may know that the gospel is real (see, for example,
1 Thessalonians 1:2-8).

So, is it punishment or pruning? Punishment is reserved for the unbeliever, but God prunes those whom
He loves–those who truly belong to Him. The heavenly vinedresser cuts here and there, wherever it’s
needed, to shape us into the image of the true Vine, Jesus Christ. This only happens when we learn to
abide in Him. Remember the words of Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me,
and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

How much fruit do you want your Christian life to bear? If your heart’s deepest longing is “much more
fruit” then be prepared for the pruning that will lead you there. It will be painful, but it will be worth it in
the end.

By the way, I’ve written on the application of this theology of discipline in three of my books:

In Brass Heavens, regarding prayer.

In Counseling One Another, regarding discipleship.

And in HELP! My Toddler Rules the House, regarding parenting.

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trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to
encourage growth.

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Sanctification