Romans 11:22-24, "Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
Consider the goodness and severity of God: Paul stresses the need to continue in His goodness; not in the sense of a salvation by works, but continuing in God's grace and goodness to us - a relationship of continual abiding.
The idea of a continual abiding in the "tree" is also expressed in John 15:1-8.
God is able to graft them in again: And, if Israel has been "cut off" because of their unbelief, they can be grafted in again if they do not continue in unbelief.
How much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? If the Gentiles seemed to "graft" into God's "tree" easily, we know it won't be hard for God to graft the natural branches back into the tree. We can also assume that the natural branches will have the potential to bear much fruit.
Dear God, who can know your Holy plans for drawing all people to you? Your mysteries are wonderful!!
No comments:
Post a Comment