John 15:2, 22
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.”
TL;DR: Once we know the truth of Jesus, we can’t unknow it. The power of the cross isn’t just about forgiveness—it’s about transformation. When we stop making excuses and truly abide in Him, He prunes us into something far more fruitful.
One hand in the world, one hand on God—it just doesn’t work.
I’ve tried it.
I’ve spent seasons reading God’s Word, wanting His will, while still chasing after shiny distractions that kept me from fully abiding in Him.
And then I read verses like these from John 15.
Jesus says that every branch that doesn’t bear fruit is cut off, and the ones that do bear fruit? Even those are pruned—so they’ll become even more fruitful. That means none of us avoid the cutting. We’re either being removed, or refined.
Verse 22 hits even harder:
“Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.”
That’s the part that gets me. Once you know better, you can’t pretend you don’t.
The moment we meet Jesus—truly meet Him—our lives are no longer our own.
We can’t keep walking in sin and call it ignorance. We have the Spirit now. We have conviction.
And we have a choice.
Yesterday, a friend said to me, “I’m really good at excuses.”
Aren’t we all?
But here’s the truth:
Every excuse becomes a permission slip to stay stuck.
To keep the habit. To ignore the prompting. To delay the change.
Today, I’m choosing to stop giving myself permission to continue in what I know is wrong.
Not because I’m trying to earn salvation, but because the power of the cross demands a response.
Jesus died to set me free.
So why would I use that freedom to stay in chains?
I want to abide in the Vine.
I want to bear fruit that lasts.
I want my life to be evidence of His pruning, not of my excuses.
Today, as you reflect on the power of the cross, let it move you.
Not just to gratitude—but to action.
Let it cut away what no longer serves you.
Let it bring you into the Light.
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