The complete putting away of sin will not be complete till the new heavens and the new earth, but the work is finished absolutely in virtue of which that result is produced. It is in John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) the sin of the world, not of believers; but these know that the work is done. You must not confound this with the bearing of our sins, so that believers know they are all put away and themselves perfected forever as to their conscience. You will find these things distinguished in Heb. 9
John 15 is clearly not union with Christ, as understood of Christians united by the Holy Ghost to a glorified Christ. For Christ was not glorified, was not the Head of the body, and the Holy Ghost had not yet come, nor could till He was glorified. "Now ye are clean" should be "ye are already clean," and the unfruitful branches were to be broken off. Our church union with Christ is in heavenly places, and could not exist till Christ was there; the teaching of Eph. 1 makes this definitely certain, and "he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." So that true union with Christ could not be before Christ was glorified: redemption was not yet accomplished. The disciples were united to Christ as a teacher and as disciples (Judas was), and those who in John 6 left Him. But this has nothing to do with real union. He who thinks it has, does not yet know what true christian union is. We cannot be members of His body till He has the place of Head. Furthermore, His express testimony is, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone." John 15 refers to the vine brought out of Egypt, which was not the true one -Christ on earth was, but branches fruit-bearing. Pruning has nothing to do with membership of His body in heavenly places. If they mean such a union—more than connection in discipleship which might go further, as in the eleven in whom Christ knew life was (not the Holy Ghost)—I repeat, they do not know what christian union is.
London,
September 26th.