" I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." ( John 15:51 ).
Here's what I see when I read this, Barry:
Jesus is the vine, in the spiritual sense.
He that abides ( lives ) in Him, has life because of Him ( John 17:2-3 ) and has been "quickened" ( made alive, Psalms 80:18, Psalms 119:25, Psalms 119:37, Psalms 119:40, Ephesians 2:5 ) by Him, are the same as those who have been chosen "in Him" from the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4 ).
Jesus lives, or abides, in them ( Romans 8:9-10, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20 ).
Because of this, they bring forth true spiritual fruit ( Matthew 13:18-23, Galatians 5:22-23 ) pleasing to the Father.
Without, or "outside" the body of Christ and without the power of the Holy Spirit, they can do
nothing...
Not even believe His words.
I see this plainly when I read passages such as this:
To the perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness...
But to us which
are saved, it is the power of God ( 1 Corinthians 1:18 ).
In addition, those who are not of God, do not "hear" His words ( John 8:43-47 ).
While those who
are "of God", can and do.
They are the ones who have been given "ears to hear".
Therefore, there is no implication...
Scripture shedding light on other Scriptures,
I plainly see that, straightforwardly, without ( or "outside of" ) Christ in the spiritual sense ( a spirit to Spirit relationship ), we as believers can do
nothing towards God.
Except to persist both in our rebellion towards Him and in our rejection of His words.