I had over posted you, and I actually should have quoted reneweddaybyday's statement where my question had come, which was through this one
John 15:2 does not indicate that those who do not bear fruit "cease to have faith".
Hi PilgrimPassingThru
I like your name or handle.
I would suggest that faith is not of us to begin with .It is the faith of God in view. The next verse informs us the washing and renewing of water by the word has already made us clean.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
I think every time we deny him in unbelief, it shows our lack of His faith working in us to
both will and
do His good pleasure.
The importance of milk and the meat working together come into play
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the
Lord is gracious. 1Pe 2:1
While the milk of the word which causes our growth reveals his will it teaches us His gracious. And we never outgrow the need for His milk grace.
The fruit of the Spirit produces the meat or the food of His will to perform it or work out the faith, by the works that are preformed is the faith of God made perfect/complete . It is not of our own selves lest any many boast falsely. By it we can be perfect even as he is complete in his own self.
This reveals we have been equipped with the armor of God .It was the kind of meat or food the disciples knew not of. The disciples were familiar with the milk of the revealed will of God but not necessary able to perform it or bear the fruit of it. .
Phi 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure.