I am clean (John 15:3)

 ""You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."  John 15:3The disciples have already been cleansed by the gospel of the kingdom that has come to them in the revelation of the Messiah Jesus.  They have been forgiven their sins, removed from the world. taken out of the false vine of the unbelieving culture and transplanted into the true vine, Jesus.  They are now clean in that new relationship with HIM as the vine.   This may remind them of what HE had said earlier in the evening when HE had washed their feet. "Jesus *said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.""  John 13:10So while the washing of feet is needed to maintain purity from the culture of unbelief the disciples have been radically removed from that culture of rebellion to now become citizens of King Jesus’ kingdom.   The Lord Jesus wants them to know they can bear much fruit because they have that relationship with HIM."For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."  Colossians 1:13-14Our forgiveness, purification, and spiritual cleaning comes through the power of the WORD of the gospel of the kingdom of God.  The gospel of God’s love for us by sending God the Son to become the Son of God, bring us the light of HIS life, die as the LAMB of God for our sins, and be raised from the dead to give us eternal life in joyful relationship with the Triune God has given us new birth, new life, and cleansed us of our sins. ""For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  John 3:16So the basis of our abiding in the VINE Jesus, is knowing that we are in the VINE and HIS life is flowing into us.  We are able to bear fruit because that relationship already exists.  Bearing fruit is the natural result of being in the VINE.  We just have to believe and keep on believing.  The Father must prune from us those remaining doubts, lack of trust, idols, sins, and distractions that hinder our being as fruitful as we could be “In Messiah JESUS”.   But we must not forget.  We are clean in Messiah Jesus!We are forgiven in Messiah Jesus!We belong to Messiah Jesus!We are connected to Messiah Jesus!We have life in us in Messiah Jesus!Knowing that we are clean, that we are connected to the vine, that the life of the Lord Jesus flows into us, and that we are the branches of the VINE; this gives us the joyful anticipation of bearing much fruit.  We must grow in our faith and trust in Jesus being our personal ultimate Prophet, High Priest, and absolute King of our lives.  As our faith in Messiah Jesus grows, we will bear more and more fruit. PrayerThank YOU, LORD Jesus, for making me clean.  Thank YOU for forgiving me my sins!  Thank YOU for giving me YOUR life in me.  Help me live in this reality.  Let my faith in YOU grow.  Let me see YOU more clearly, love YOU more dearly, and follow YOU more dearly, that YOU may be glorified, manifested, and revealed in me.  Amen