What does John 15:6 mean?
Earlier in this passage, Jesus distinguished between branches "in" a vine and branches which "abide in" the vine. Merely being close to the source of life is not enough; neither is being intertwined with other branches. Only branches truly connected to the source of life—the vine—will bear fruit. A good vinedresser cuts out those dead, fruitless branches and destroys them. The analogy Jesus presents here is not about loss of salvation, which is impossible. Rather, His message is about those who "put on" an appearance of faith, but are disconnected from the True Vine that gives eternal life.For the purposes of this statement, that is what Jesus means by those who "abide in [Him]." Bearing true spiritual fruit is only possible through the power of Christ (John 15:4–5). That fruit, like any other good works or holiness, is always presented as evidence of salvation, never as a requirement for it.
The pruning and destruction Jesus refers to here echoes a statement made in Matthew 7:21–23. There, Jesus likewise pointed out that putting on an appearance of faith is not the same as being born again.
John 15:1–11 contains one of Jesus' most well-known metaphors: the vine and the branches. This features the seventh of seven "I Am" statements as recorded by John. Jesus lays out several nuanced ideas, touching on Christian perseverance, faith, false conversion, and spiritual effectiveness. This ends with another reference to loving obedience, which sets up the next passage of Jesus' teaching.
This passage begins with a celebrated analogy from Christ: the vine and the branches. This includes the seventh and final "I Am" statement of the gospel of John. Jesus uses this metaphor to explain how our spiritual life, as born-again believers, is drawn from His life. God's intent for our lives is to progress from barrenness to fruitfulness, to spiritual abundance. Jesus also repeats His command for believers to love each other. In this context, He goes so far as to refer to those who follow His teachings as His "friends."