I Am The Vine and Ye Are The Branches

A truth, because it is the word of God (D&C 84:45) is that we cannot bring forth fruits of ourselves because we are merely the branches. But unfortunately we often teach just the opposite--that it is through our works, efforts, strivings, behaviors, and successes that we receive eternal life. 

This teaching persists notwithstanding the mountain of evidence in the scriptures to the contrary. When Alma, for example, talks about 'fruit meet for repentance' (Alma 12:15; 13:15), he is teaching us that even these fruits come from Christ. When Christ says that He is the vine and we are the branches and that the branches cannot bring forth fruit of themselves (John 15), He is teaching us that the fruits of repentance are a result of Him beginning and continuing to change us, as long as we are repentant, put our faith in Him and rely totally upon His merits. As the Lord said unto Alma: "Marvel not that all mankind,..., must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures..." (Mosiah 27:25-26 emphases added). So as we turn to Him (repent), the fruits of our repentance come because of His changing us, not as a result of us changing ourselves and our behaviors.

God also teaches us that we do not bear good fruit when we take strength unto ourselves (Jacob 5:46). It is because of people taking strength unto themselves that the fruit of the vineyard becomes corrupted. "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. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit,..." (John 15:6-8 emphasis added).

Numerous fruits of repentance are found in scripture, and perhaps nowhere as clearly enumerated as in Mosiah 4 where King Benjamin gives an extensive list of some of the fruits of repentance. We can find many listed, but can we recognize these fruits in ourselves? King Benjamin had just spoken some of the words that had been delivered to him by an angel. These words had caused the people to view themselves in their lost and fallen state, and they had fallen to the earth and cried for mercy and that the atoning blood of Christ be applied to them so that they might receive forgiveness of their sins, and that their hearts might be purified, i.e., that they might also enjoy the fruits of their repentance.

King Benjamin then asked the people to hear the remainder of his words, and then asked if the knowledge of the goodness of God had awakened them to a sense of their nothingness, and their worthless and fallen state? He then gives us the formula for both faith and repentance--comparing our nothingness to His goodness, and reminding us that salvation comes to those who put their trust in the Lord, are diligent in keeping His commandments* and continue in the faith (in Christ) even unto the end of his life.

 

*Note: Alma tells us that he gave to Adam and Eve a second set of commandments after they failed to obey the one commandment He had given them in the Garden of Eden. He tells us as, does Enoch (quoting from Adam) what these commandments are. They are faith, repentance and baptism. See Alma 12:24;30-34;37 and Moses 6:50-52;56-60.

After telling his people "believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you" King Benjamin says that after they have tasted of his love, to always retain in remembrance the greatness of God, and their own nothingness. He then says "I say unto you that if ye do this" you will enjoy the following fruits of your repentance. (Mosiah 4:12-21):

1.    "you shall always rejoice"

2.    "be filled with the love of God"

3.    "always retain a remission of your sins"

4.    "grow in the knowledge of him that created you"

5.    "will not have a mind to injure one another"

6.    "will live peaceably"

7.    "render to every man according to that which is his due"

8.    "will not suffer your children that they go hungry"

9.    "neither will suffer that they transgress the laws of God"

10.    "will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness"

11.    "will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another"

12.    "will succor those that stand in need of your succor"

13.    "will administer of your substance to him that standeth in need"

14.    "will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain"

15.    "His Spirit shall be poured out upon you"

16.    "He has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy"

At first glance it may appear that He is commanding us to do these things, but He is actually showing us what He does for us when we "believe that (we) must repent of (our) sins and forsake them (give them to Him), and humble (ourselves before Him) then these fruits follow.

King Benjamin then adds to this long list of fruits, by recording what the people answered when he asked them if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them. "And they all cried with one voice, saying:  

17. we believe all the words which thou has spoken unto us; and also, 

18. we know of their surety and truth, 

19. the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that 

20. we have no more disposition to do evil, but to 

21. do good continually." 

They further tell King Benjamin that this is not all, but that 

22. they have great views of that which is to come..." (Mosiah 5:1-3).

The Lord defines corruption as taking strength unto ourselves (Jacob 5:46). In fact when we take strength unto ourselves we corrupt His vineyard and bring forth wild fruit which is good for nothing but to be cast into the fire.