uting ▁the ▁early ▁Church , ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁appeared ▁to ▁him ▁and ▁said : ▁Why ▁do ▁you ▁per sec ute ▁me ? ▁ ▁The ▁passage ▁from ▁the ▁Act s ▁of ▁the ▁Apost les ▁is ▁related ▁to ▁: ▁ ▁" I ▁am ▁the ▁v ine , ▁you ▁are ▁the ▁branches . ▁Who ever ▁remains ▁in ▁me ▁and ▁I ▁in ▁him ▁will ▁bear ▁much ▁fruit , ▁because ▁without ▁me ▁you ▁can ▁do ▁nothing . ▁Anyone ▁who ▁does ▁not ▁remain ▁in ▁me ▁will ▁be ▁thrown ▁out ▁like ▁a ▁branch ▁and ▁with er ; ▁people ▁will ▁gather ▁them ▁and ▁throw ▁them ▁into ▁a ▁fire ▁and ▁they ▁will ▁be ▁burn ed . ▁If ▁you ▁remain ▁in ▁me ▁and ▁my ▁words ▁remain ▁in ▁you , ▁ask ▁for ▁whatever ▁you ▁want ▁and ▁it ▁will ▁be ▁done ▁for ▁you . ▁By ▁this ▁is ▁my ▁Father ▁gl or ified , ▁that ▁you ▁bear ▁much ▁fruit ▁and ▁become ▁my ▁dis ci ples ." ▁( ital ics ▁added ) ▁ ▁This ▁passage ▁shows ▁the ▁double - mov ement ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁two ▁possible ▁att itudes ▁towards ▁Christ : ▁who ever ▁is ▁un ited ▁to ▁Christ ▁in ▁hol iness ▁will ▁rise ▁and ▁bear ▁fruit , ▁while ▁those ▁who ▁are ▁dis un ited ▁to ▁Christ ▁will ▁fall ▁down ▁and ▁with er . ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁Church ▁and ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁Christians , ▁regarded ▁as ▁forming ▁a ▁per n icious ▁sect ▁by ▁several ▁authorities ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire , ▁are ▁also ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁contradiction . ▁Early ▁Christians ▁were ▁called ▁can n ib