Read John 15:1-8: In Israel grape vines and branches grow on the ground not on trellises. Once a pastor went on a tour in Israel and was taken to a vineyard and was taught that the interpretation on John 15:2 of God cutting of branches that are connected to him is incorrect because in Israel if you have a branch attached to the vine that is also touching the ground it will try to put down its own roots. So a gardener will pick up the branch and cut it off from the ground and put a rock under it so that it gets what it needs from the true vine instead of its own little roots.
A perfectly good branch that is connected to the vine and fully capable of producing fruit but isn’t means there is an issue. In Israel the gardener would not cut it off from the vine, he would lift it up to cut it off from the ground and cut off the new roots that the branch has put down that are hindering its fruit production. Thus in this parable I believe Jesus is saying that God cuts off branches that are connected to the vine from the ground not that He cuts them off from the vine.
Jesus states at the beginning of this passage that he is the TRUE VINE. Anything connected to the true vine gets all of its nutrients from that vine. The life giving sap, representing God the Holy Spirit, comes from the vine and feeds the branches, Christians, which then produce fruit. If a branch connected to Jesus is not producing fruit and it seems healthy it has put down roots somewhere else. By doing so the branch is essentially trying to become a pretend vine and not fully relying on the true vine for its sap. God cuts off the pretend vine from the ground and makes it so the branch is getting what they need from the true vine instead of the pretend vine. By getting what they need from the true vine the branch can bear fruit.
Jesus then essentially says that if you remain in him you will bear fruit for God’s glory but otherwise, if you do not remain in him, you will burn.
This begs the question “Do you see fruit in your life for God?” If you do praise God. If you do not then are you connected to the vine? Do you believe in Jesus? If you believe in Jesus but see no fruit take time to ask God “What am I connected to that I need to allow you to cut off so I can bear fruit for you?”
