16. Лоза и розги

As the vine and the rod are to each other, so are Christ and Christians to each other. The rods and vines are connected. Likewise, Christians are spiritually united with Christ. The rods from the vine receive juice and produce fruit, so Christians from Christ receive the life-giving power of good morals and virtues and give birth to the fruits of good deeds. On the rods, although the fruit is seen, the vine is attributed, so, although Christians bear the fruit of virtues, they are attributed to Christ, the Son of God. The rods themselves cannot bear fruit without the vine; Likewise, Christians cannot do anything without Christ. The rods are purified by the worker so that they bear better and greater fruit. Likewise, Christians are punished by the Heavenly Father so that they may bear greater and more pleasant fruit from their virtues. The rods are ugly on the outside, but inside they contain good and pleasant juice and fruit; Likewise, Christians are ugly and despicable on the outside, but good on the inside; they speak ugly, but live beautifully. The more the rods are laden with fruit, the more they bow and sink to the ground; Likewise, Christians, the more good deeds they do, the more they humble themselves. The rods bear fruit for the labor of the worker; so Christians do good deeds according to the word of the Heavenly Father, from Whom all good comes. The rod that bears no fruit is cut off from the vine; so a Christian who does not bear good fruit is rejected from Christ. The rod, cut off from the vine, dries up; so a Christian, cut off from Christ, destroys all his spiritual life and dries up spiritually. A withered rod is not suitable for anything other than burning; so a Christian, who has been cut off from Christ and dried up, is given over to eternal fire (See John 15:4–6). From here you see, Christian: 1) How close is the union and communion of true Christians with Christ! He is the Vine, they are the rods. 2) What a great and high dignity this is! For what is more glorious than to have fellowship with Christ, the King of Heaven? It is glorious to have fellowship with an earthly king or prince, but incomparably more glorious is to have fellowship with Christ, the King of kings. 3) How great is their bliss! If Christ is with Christians, who can be against them? The whole world and all hell can do nothing against a Christian, since Christ is his Fortress and Strength. 4) Without Christ we cannot be virtuous and do good deeds, for rods cannot bear fruit without a vine. 5) From here it follows that first of all one must be planted in Christ and thus bear the fruits of good deeds - one must first of all become good and then do good. “An evil tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). 6) How disastrous is the condition of those Christians who have separated from Christ through lawless lives! For they are like withered rods. 7) Anyone who wants to be saved must turn to the Lord with a pure heart and wash himself with repentance and tears, and so cleave to Christ, the true Vine. For, apart from Christ and outside of Christ there is no salvation. Christ is Life and Light, and therefore he who has been separated from life and light will find himself in death and darkness. Reason like this, Christian, and wash away your sins with repentance and tears, so that you will be united with Life - Christ - again. You might be interested in: