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Title: Secrets of the Vine: Breaking Through to Abundance by Bruce Wilkinson ISBN: 1-57673-975-9 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 11 April, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.47 (64 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Best kept Secret
Comment: The Secrets of the Vine shows Christians how they are to have a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ. Using the parable of the vinedresser from John 15 in the Bible, this book provides valuable insight into the ways in which we are to become more intimate with the Father. The reason for the parable is to learn how God "prunes" us in order to prepare us for bearing more spiritual fruit.
By allowing us free will, God has allowed us to make our own choices throughout life. This book shows us how to see just how close we can become to our spiritual Father in heaven. It provides valuable information for developing the relationship that we should have as opposed to the "fire insurance" of having Christ as our Savior alone. There is so much more to a relationship with Christ than just saying a prayer to accept Him into our lives. Building that relationship is exhilarating and necessary for us to live as productive Christians throughout the rest of our lives.
This book has value for Christians and non-Christians alike, allowing them to see that there is more to life than to just exist. This book is the second in the series but more than adequately provides beneficial information to be read by itself. Pick up "Secrets of the Vine" and see why this book is a crucial part of any believer's life.
Rating: 3
Summary: Good Lessons; Questionable Exegesis
Comment: I first heard the substance of this book in several video lectures by Wilkinson about seven years ago. At the time, it was very impactful for me. I was especially blessed by seeing the difference between chastening and pruning.
Wilkinson uses John 15 and the analogy of the Vine and Branches to develop three basic principles for Christian living, which he names "Secrets of the Vine." Starting with the premise that there are four levels of fruit-bearing in the lives of all Christians (barrenness, fruit, more fruit, and much fruit), coupled with the presupposition that every branch spoken of in John 15 is a true believer, Wilkinson teaches:
1. If your life consistently bears no fruit, God will intervene to DISCIPLINE you.
2. If your life bears some fruit, God will intervene to PRUNE you.
3. If your life bears a lot of fruit, God will invite you to ABIDE more deeply with him.
The book is pretty much built around these three concepts: disciplining (chastening), pruning, and abiding. There is no doubt that there is much truth here. God DOES discipline his sinning children who for a season may not bear fruit, as Hebrews 12 makes clear. (But I am not absolutely convinced that this is what John 15:2 is describing.) Again, God DOES prune (or purge) his children, as the text makes clear. And Wilkinson does well in drawing distinctions between chastening and pruning. They are not the same. It is also true that we have a command to "abide" in Christ. But I think all Christians will do this to some degree, whereas Wilkinson seems to think that many, if not most, Christians never attain to "abiding." I think he may go wrong here, not in his description of Christian experience(for it is without dispute that there can be vastly different degrees of closeness in people's relationships with the Lord), but in his interpretation of this particular passage.
There are some subtle theological beliefs which seem to be underlying this book, which I think are dangerous. Wilkinson seems to believe that it is possible to have Jesus as Savior, but not as Lord,and that perseverance in faith is not essential to eternal security (hence, the author's denial that John 15:6 refers to hell), and that there are "levels" in the Christian life (the old higher/deeper/fuller Christian life myth popularized by Keswick).
For a balance check out: D. A. Carson's Commentary on John: he gives a better interpretation of these verses. See also John MacArthur in "The Gospel According to Jesus" chapter 15. And to combat the Keswick-type deeper-life teaching, see Packer's "Keep In Step With the Spirit." I think the teaching in these books is more true to Scripture.
HOWEVER, (to be fair) I will say (though I was quite surprised to see it) that A. W. Pink takes essentially the same interpretation that Wilkinson does. But Pink's Exposition of John was written in the early portion of his ministry and may reflect a position which he eventually discarded.
Anyway, with all of that said, I enjoyed my reading of this book. It has some very good lessons for us. I just wish Wilkinson had grounded it in a more accurate exegesis of Scripture.
Rating: 4
Summary: Reader from Israel
Comment: Really an excellent book, insightful from only a point that the Holy Spirit can bring. It is to the Vine as the work by Keller/ Psalm 23 is to shepherding.
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Title: The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson ISBN: 1576737330 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 25 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $9.99 |
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Title: A Life God Rewards: Why Everything You Do Today Matters Forever (The Breakthrough Series, book 3) by Bruce Wilkinson ISBN: 1576739767 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 17 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $10.99 |
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Title: Secrets of the Vine Bible Study by Bruce Wilkinson, David Kopp ISBN: 1576739724 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 01 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: The Prayer of Jabez for Women by Darlene Marie Wilkinson, Darlene Wilkinson ISBN: 1576739627 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 01 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $9.99 |
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Title: Secrets of the Vine Devotional by Bruce Wilkinson ISBN: 1576739597 Publisher: Multnomah Publishers Inc. Pub. Date: 01 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $10.99 |
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