Apart from me, you can do nothing.

Right after Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, He shares an analogy describing Himself as the “True Vine,” and as He was teaching this He said:

“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.”- John 15:5 ESV

This is a common verse we have heard a lot, but when reading this verse, we can be tempted to think (or our actions and motives show) that we actually can do a lot of things without Him. We rejoice in certain “fruits” in the church that, when closely examined, are not the fruits of abiding in Him.

We see this often when we strive to be like the churches with high numbers when they actually just hired marketers and teams and their pastors are more of motivational speakers than heralds and shepherds of the truth (2 Timothy 4:3-4). We see it when people aim to gain an influencer status and/or all of their dream possessions and we chase after this and praise the places of these people more than those that give all they have (James 1:27) (Mark 12:41-44). We march forth with our own effort to have as many people get saved as possible and we praise the church and ministry event statistics that appear with this multitude of “salvations.”

The truth is, statistically, most of those people were emotionally manipulated, ignorant of what the gospel requires after salvation, and there is no one willing to disciple them after they decide to be “saved” (Hosea 4:6). We can evangelize without Him because of our expansive theological knowledge that lacks love (1 John 4:7-8), and we can worship without Him because it’s easy to sing and raise your hands when everyone else is and the music sounds good (Isaiah 29:13).

We can, technically, do everything without Him. Isn’t that what everyone else is doing?

“You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” - Leviticus 20:26 ESV

Apart from Him, what we do can and never will be Holy (set apart). All things under the sun are of no value unless done for the glory of God (Ecclesiastes 1:14) (1 Corinthians 10:31). All of our works are like filthy rags, unless done in and through Him and by His Spirit (Isaiah 64:6) (Matthew 5:8). Apart from Him, you have no faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and therefore it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6) or for your prayers to be of worth and righteous (1 Peter 3:12).

We can do nothing good apart from Him, because nothing good occurs without Him, because he is goodness (James 1:17). Without Him, everything that we do, no matter what it is, is covered and tainted with our humanity and brokenness, without His mercy, grace, blessing, and direction, everything dies.

Doing things apart from Him is doing things independent of Him. In other words, doing things without depending on Him, no matter your experience or opinion on whether or not you need Him. Our goal should be to be dependent on God, regardless of how we think or feel. We all have weaknesses; and what opportunity do we have for strength in our brokenness and our weaknesses apart from Him? (2 Corinthians 12:9) (Romans 3:23)

“If dependency is the goal, weakness is the advantage” – Jonathan Pokluda

“As fruitful as we might be in whatever mission we find ourselves commissioned to, the growth belongs to someone transcendent of us. We need Him to live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) – Jackie Hill Perry

We can do so many meaningless and fruitless things apart from God and these things are authored by confusion, ignorance, and pride. Let us never be so filled with pride, fear of man, false knowledge, or ignorance that we choose this way, may we be like the deer that pants for the water (Psalm 42:1).

For He is the author of growth and peace and wisdom and creation.

Running His kingdom and work apart from Him is like scattering seeds day and night and rejoicing in the weeds that come up because, in our ignorance, we rejoice in that growth. However, weeds only hinder real growth and steal nutrients from plants. We pay no mind to this because, apart from Him, we know not what we’ve planted. Therefore, we do not know what the fruit and harvest should be. We rejoice in the wrong things because we know not what beauty could’ve been with Him at the center and with His direction.

“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 2:11 ESV

Apart from Him, we deny the very garden of life He intended for us to plant – a real garden takes patience and work before a harvest comes, and then you must plant again. We are emptied to be filled and filled to be emptied. Weeds hinder and steal nutrients like vain works steal our energy and resources and amount to nothing, we must know the difference.

Without God, what we yield is nothing. Let us always depend on Him fully.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive His wages according to His labor.”- 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 ESV