Despite what some may have us to think, as one reads the Holy Bible with an open mind they will see that God offers life to those that want it.

Before His victorious death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples about the necessity of abiding (dwelling) in Him. As recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John He referred to Himself as the True Vine, and its branches were those who were truly committed to Him, fully trusting Him. He tells them in verse three, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you." Indeed the Word of God has life-giving cleansing effect. One really does not know what they have been missing until they cross the line and make that commitment to Christ.

But there is one thing that many miss about the true Christian walk. They willingly have to stay in Christ. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide in Me." -- verse 4. We can see examples of this in daily life. If you cut a rose from its bush and place it in water it lasts for a time, but not as long as it would have been had it remained with the bush. Unlike a flower, we have our own will and we can decide if we will stay in Christ or not.

If we stay in Christ, He causes us to produce eternal fruit -- (verse 5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing." We will increase with good qualities and talents. However, we must be very careful to give Him the credit lest pride creeps into our heart.

The Lord also gave a warning in this passage. If we choose not to abide in Him we face judgment (verse 6): "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." Yes indeed, there is a hell to flee. Don't be fooled by those who like proclaim the love and mercy of God above His holiness. No sinner (and we are all sinners) inherits eternal life. We must come to Christ, committing our lives to Him. In so doing, our sins goes, His life comes into us and grows!

Christ then made this statement: "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Sometimes people like to focus in on the last part of that verse thinking that God is going to grant their every wish.

However, the contingency is that we must abide in Him. If we are abiding in Him, He will be living through us. We will act and think like He does. We desire the same things that He does.

When this occurs, one will find they will not be desiring the materialistic transient things of earth, but the golden eternal purposes of God that last forever.

This is the vital life that God offers through His Son to all -- if they trust Him completely.