Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
The root that bears every branch is Christ, who alone gives life and support to all who are joined to Him. Gentile believers are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature into the noble olive tree of Israel, God's people and church, to share its root and richness. The natural branches are the Jews, broken off from the parent stock because of unbelief in rejecting Christ. Therefore those grafted in must not boast against the branches or despise them, for they stand only by faith and must not be highminded but fear, lest God who spared not the natural branches also cut them off if they do not continue in His goodness and fruitfulness. Those broken off can be grafted in again if they turn from unbelief and humbly receive Christ, and those now enjoying the privileges once given to Israel are responsible to labor with sympathy and wisdom for their salvation.
Olive Tree Imagery
The root that bears the branches is Christ Jesus Himself, the true stock and parent vine stock that sustains every branch. He is the foundation and chief cornerstone on which the church is built, with many members all centered in Him, and the middle wall of partition broken down so that Gentiles are admitted to the true church through the gospel. Both Jews brought back in and Gentiles already in live from Him, for when a person repents and receives Christ as Saviour, Christ engrafts him into the vine stock and invigorates his life with the life of the Eternal One. That engrafting takes place through direct labor, with workers of different nationalities laboring for their own countrymen, and it must be given all possible encouragement and help rather than bound about with many forbiddings and criticisms. It includes giving refuge and support to Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people, and Gentile believers need the example it sets of faithful use of present opportunities.
Gentile believers are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature in among the natural branches, to partake with them of the root and fatness and richness of the olive tree. That tree into which they are grafted is the noble, old, and tame olive tree of the faithful remnant of Israel, God's people and church, even a new Israel into which they are brought. They stand only by faith after some branches were broken off through unbelief, sharing the privileges once given to ancient Israel. Christ sought during His earthly life to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness by direct work outside acknowledged Israel, and then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles, with whole communities receiving the gospel gladly and glorifying God for the light of an intelligent faith, though synagogues were closed against the apostles and private houses and public buildings of the Gentiles were opened for preaching.
The grafted branch does not bear the root but the root bears the branch; they do not support the root, the root supports them. Believers therefore have no life or support of themselves, and one branch does not draw sustenance from another. This leaves no ground for pride but calls for fear, humility, and continuance in God's goodness in order not to be cut off. It forbids disparaging or undermining the agencies God has placed in the church, and warns the church and its leaders who stand by faith not to become proud, since if God spared not the natural branches He will not spare the boastful graft, with severity on them which fell and goodness only upon continuance.
Branches Broken Off and Grafted
The natural branches are the Jews, God's own chosen people and ancient Israel, cut off and broken off from the parent stock because of unbelief and disobedience. They were broken off because as a nation they rejected Christ and refused His offers of mercy, refused to receive Him notwithstanding His miracles, failed to discern the divinity of His mission, ascribed His power to cast out devils to the chief of devils, and thus disconnected themselves from the True Vine. Gentile believers grafted in as wild branches to share the root with Israel therefore have no ground to boast against the branches broken off through unbelief, for they do not bear the root but the root bears them.
The breaking off took place when Jesus looked for the last time upon the interior of the temple and declared the house desolate, when as the Son of God passed out from those walls God's presence was withdrawn forever from the temple built to His glory. Then its ceremonies became meaningless and its services a mockery, for Israel as a nation had divorced herself from God. It was seen again at Antioch in Pisidia, when the Jews through unbelief, malice, bigotry, blindness of mind and hardness of heart rejected the word and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life, while whole Gentile communities gladly received the gospel and glorified God for the light of an intelligent faith, rejoicing that Christ recognized them as children of God. Their unbelief did not turn aside God's purpose, and though the synagogues were closed against the apostles the work continued in private houses opened for their use and in public buildings of the Gentiles used to preach the word of God.
Believing Gentiles grafted in become a new Israel grafted into the old olive tree of God's church, joined to God's people and not forming a separate tree nor replacing the root that bears them, bearing nothing of themselves. Their gathering fulfills the promise that those once called not my people would be called God's people. Because believing Gentiles are thus grafted in and become the Israel of God, even the Sabbath given as a perpetual sign between God and Israel belongs to them, to be kept by them throughout their generations forever as a memorial of God's work in creating heaven and earth in six days and resting on the seventh day. Christ sought during His earthly life to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness by direct work outside acknowledged Israel, as with the centurion and the Syrophoenician woman, and then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles.
The branches broken off can be grafted in again into the true stock, which is Christ Jesus, if they do not continue in unbelief but in humility stand on the right platform and receive Christ as Saviour. Israel, once the chosen nation cut away from the true vine through impenitence when Christ was revealed in human likeness, is again given the privilege of being engrafted into the vine stock, which is Christ and His church, by receiving the truth and believing in Christ. There is power in the gospel message to graft them in again, for they are children of the heavenly birth, and belief in Christ works transformation of character in every man so that Jews and Gentiles together become sons and daughters of God, members of the royal family. Transformed by His Spirit they become partakers of the divine nature in disposition, words, and works, manifesting the riches of grace and the kindness, mercy, and tenderness of Christ, dwelling in peace, love, and unity through oneness with Christ with peace with God and a sanctified conscience, and bearing fruit to the glory of God in good works.
Warning Against Prideful Boasting
The prohibition is addressed to Gentile believers who as branches of a wild olive tree have been grafted in among the natural branches to share the root and fatness of the olive, and it forbids them to boast against the branches or to despise the Jews. The root that bears them is Christ Jesus, the true stock, so the grafted branch does not bear the root but the root bears the branch, leaving no ground for pride and calling instead for active respect and work to restore Israel. Some of the natural branches were broken off because of unbelief, while the Gentile stands only by faith, so the command is to be not highminded but fear, lest boasting lead to his own being broken off. That fear includes hope for the Jews, for among them are mighty men who will come to the light, accept the truth, and proclaim it with power. The same warning reaches all who now share the privileges once given to ancient Israel, lest failing to bring forth fruit they also be cut off.
Goodness toward the grafted continues only if they continue in His goodness, and toward them which fell there is severity. If God spared not the natural branches, He will not spare the boastful graft, but they also shall be cut off. Continuance means confessing and forsaking sin and bringing forth fruit, for Christ has a church in every age where obedience to the commandments gives right to its privileges and perfect obedience is the evidence of love to God, while those who break the terms of their election lose it. Even though tares are among the wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers, the church is therefore not to be disparaged but purified until it becomes a bright light.
The warning applies to the church and its leaders, who stand by faith and must not become proud, since God may also reject those who fail to heed it as He rejected the branches broken off through unbelief. It speaks to God's rising people never to boast or grow careless and never to fall again, for branches can be cut off and others raised up in their stead to bear fruit and work to the glory of God. Those in the faith who become stubborn and rebellious, who do not partake of the spirit of Jesus, have not vital godliness, and do not have their hearts sanctified by the truth they profess, will be purged out of the camp of Israel, while others who had not heard and rejected the truth will embrace it and take their places. To rise never to fall again they must rise daily and keep the ascendancy above the powers of darkness by keeping close to Jesus, pressing petitions to the throne and holding on by living faith, with fasting and prayer where victory is lacking.
Work to Restore Jews
Romans 11:18 belongs to a chapter that lays out a work for the Jews which must not be ignored but must be treated with special wisdom and righteousness. That work is to clear the King's highway and to give the Jews every opportunity of coming to the light. It calls for divine wisdom received and exercised in all wisdom and righteousness.
Gentiles grafted in after the Jewish nation was broken off for rejecting Christ and refusing His offers of mercy do not bear the root but the root bears them, and they must not boast against the branches or despise the Jews. Because they stand only by faith and the natural branches were broken off through unbelief, they must be not highminded but fear, and show active respect by being interested in the salvation of those belonging to the nation broken off. They are responsible to make special efforts and do direct labor to proclaim the gospel to the Jewish race as children of the heavenly birth, for Jews still have the privilege of becoming partakers with the Gentiles of the salvation of God. That labor advances through the Lord working by men of different nationalities to reach their own countrymen, with Jewish workers and fellow laborers grafting many of the seed of Israel into the true stock, Christ Jesus, and Gentile believers need the example it sets of faithful use of present opportunities. If Jews receive Christ as Saviour, belief in Him works transformation of character and there is power in the gospel message to graft them in again.
The chapter calls for a great work to be done for the Jewish people so that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted into Christ again, and this means full sympathy and practical help rather than hindering that work. It includes offerings for a refuge and home for Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people, where they are sheltered, supported, and taught to work for their own people, with no hindering influence turning hearts from giving. The work in behalf of the Jewish people must be given all possible encouragement and help and must not be bound about by many forbiddings and criticisms. Gentiles must continue in God's goodness and help the grafting work instead of being high-minded.
Among the Jews the Lord has mighty men who will come to the light, accept the truth, and proclaim it with power. They will accept the truth as children of the heavenly birth. Contempt toward the Jews is therefore forbidden, for dependence on the sustaining root leaves no ground for boasting against the branches.
Unity Within the Church
Those grafted in as wild olive branches must not boast against the branches that were broken off, for they do not support the root but the root supports them, and this forbids disparaging the agencies placed in the church and calls for humility about dependence. If the root is holy so are the branches, and the one grafted in partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree while being borne by it. The natural branches were broken off because of unbelief, and the one grafted stands only by faith and must not be high-minded but fear, for if the natural branches were not spared boasting will not be spared either. Toward those who fell is severity and toward the believer is goodness if he continues in goodness by remaining humble and faithful, otherwise he also shall be cut off. Therefore even though there are tares among the wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers, the church is not to be demerited, undermined, or disparaged but humbly purified until it becomes a bright light.
Ministers in word and doctrine and the people who claim to believe the truth are branches grafted into the same parent stock and borne by the root, with no life or standing as independent branches apart from each other. One branch does not draw its sustenance from another but from the living source, and union with that source brings forth like fruit and is preserved through its power joined with continual effort, leaving no independent source of life and no ground for one branch to boast against another. They must not work away from the light imparted for these last days but gather up its precious rays on health reform, place themselves on the right side of the question, and go forth to give to others the light received, each doing his needed work in every line. If they heed that light and prepare the way the work will prosper, but if they stand apart and counterwork those appointed to a certain work they work against unity, and even the light they already have will become darkness. The same root-and-branches dependence exposes improper grafting of borrowed ideas, as in the claim involving Fannie Bolton grafting ideas given to another into her own work.
The one stock teaches unity without sameness, for all are as individuals to be grafted into the one parent stock. A life consecrated to service is developed and beautified in its individuality, and no person can sink his individuality in that of another. There is to be unity in diversity with abundant room for all in harmonious diversity to act the part assigned them, retaining distinct characters and gifts while belonging to one source. The Master Artist has not made two leaves of the same tree precisely alike, and creative power does not give to all minds the same likeness, for they are created to live through ceaseless ages in complete unity with mind blending with mind yet no two of the same mold. Therefore no one should belittle others whose work or character differs.
Those grafted in must not boast against the branches with envy, evil speaking, and self-exalting words, for they bear not the root but the root bears them, so they must not be high-minded but fear. They are to remain humble, strengthened, established and settled, anchored in the atonement and guided by the Word, with tongues speaking not of self but of matchless love and the all-essential work for this time. Those who hold the truth are branches grafted into the olive tree and live only by partaking of nourishment from the parent stock, and they must hold the truth in righteousness and reveal in words and actions what it is doing for them. They give constant evidence that they draw life from the stock by bearing fruit exactly like the stock, which is the Spirit shown in a sanctified, gentle character that wins souls instead of harsh speeches, careless words and acts, and a masterful spirit that provokes wrath. Being grafted into the living vine means putting away harshness and coarse behavior and bearing fruit like His in goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and lovingkindness, for only then does the branch truly represent the vine.
Union With Christ Bearing Fruit
Being joined to Christ by faith as branch to vine and root brings life, strength and fruitfulness, for believers have no life or support of themselves and draw life and strength from Christ alone. The Jewish nation is a fruitless branch separated from Christ, while Gentiles grafted in share the life that nourishes the vine, and the sinner in union with Christ receives life from Him and bears the fruit He bore. That union must be preserved through continued effort while Christ supplies the power to guard it, and one branch does not get its sustenance from another but from the living source to bring forth Christlike fruit. Because life comes wholly from the root, branches have no independent source of life and no ground for pride or boasting.
A branch depends on the stock into which it is grafted and bears the same kind of fruit as that stock, for the branches do not support the root but the root supports them. Receiving the seed of the Word without a changed nature produces only wild fruit, as the wild olive bears bitter, unpalatable fruit unlike the fruit of branches that abide in the vine. That bitter fruit is selfish, unkind, unjust, hard, unsympathetic and dictatorial conduct in the family, as when a husband fails to bear the burden of household expenses for food and raiment, lives like a stranger or boarder, demands his privileges and his own way, criticizes and is overbearing while leaving planning and providing to a frail wife and causing her suffering, and bearing such fruit brings bitterness back upon the bearer himself. A wild branch grafted in with false ideas has borne wild fruit bringing centuries of darkness and ignorance, contrasting the Word of God as the tree of life with human theories likened to the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, whose acceptance disorders the imagination.
Merely accepting and fluently talking the truth does not make a person a living branch, for a true graft joins the person to the living root so that the root bears and sustains the branch. Grafting the truth into the natural vine reverses the order and leaves the person a wild vine, with unrenewed heart, natural temperament, passions, self and hereditary tendencies still supreme. The cause is lack of faith that works by love and purifies the soul, so self-indulgence, self-deception and falsehood mark the course and reason is dethroned. Such professors are dead while seeming alive, bear fruit unto death, kindle strange fire of their own making instead of receiving sacred fire from heaven, and remain objects of compassion and labor who need constant work done for them.
By nature a person is a wild olive tree, and God grafts him into a good olive tree when he determines to climb upward instead of descending to sin and degradation, refusing to repeat the sins of a wicked father and grandfather despite temptations, wicked surroundings and lack of godly counsel. That grafting is made possible by a course of obedience in choosing the right way and pressing on in the upward path, and it gives grace to do that which is right in the Lord's sight, making the person a chosen vessel who honors God and walks uprightly without turning aside to the right hand or to the left. God's individual, personal Israel are those He has led out step by step from the world onto the platform of Bible truth and grafted into the tame olive tree, borne by the root to bear fruit of the genuine tree which is Christ Jesus. They are kept by His continual watchcare with His providence embracing all their ways, becoming like Him by looking unto Jesus and learning intelligent faith in the good and perfect government of God rather than trusting in man's wisdom or charging God foolishly.
Understanding this grafting belongs to the knowledge of God's will that is a great privilege to understand, calling believers to increase in faith and righteousness and to grow up in Christ the living Head. Every church member has his own fitted work blending into a complete whole, in the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and ways.
The root that bears every branch is Christ, who alone gives life and support to all who are joined to Him. Gentile believers are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature into the noble olive tree of Israel, God's people and church, to share its root and richness. The natural branches are the Jews, broken off from the parent stock because of unbelief in rejecting Christ. Therefore those grafted in must not boast against the branches or despise them, for they stand only by faith and must not be highminded but fear, lest God who spared not the natural branches also cut them off if they do not continue in His goodness and fruitfulness. Those broken off can be grafted in again if they turn from unbelief and humbly receive Christ, and those now enjoying the privileges once given to Israel are responsible to labor with sympathy and wisdom for their salvation.
Olive Tree Imagery
The root that bears the branches is Christ Jesus Himself, the true stock and parent vine stock that sustains every branch. He is the foundation and chief cornerstone on which the church is built, with many members all centered in Him, and the middle wall of partition broken down so that Gentiles are admitted to the true church through the gospel. Both Jews brought back in and Gentiles already in live from Him, for when a person repents and receives Christ as Saviour, Christ engrafts him into the vine stock and invigorates his life with the life of the Eternal One. That engrafting takes place through direct labor, with workers of different nationalities laboring for their own countrymen, and it must be given all possible encouragement and help rather than bound about with many forbiddings and criticisms. It includes giving refuge and support to Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people, and Gentile believers need the example it sets of faithful use of present opportunities.
Gentile believers are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature in among the natural branches, to partake with them of the root and fatness and richness of the olive tree. That tree into which they are grafted is the noble, old, and tame olive tree of the faithful remnant of Israel, God's people and church, even a new Israel into which they are brought. They stand only by faith after some branches were broken off through unbelief, sharing the privileges once given to ancient Israel. Christ sought during His earthly life to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness by direct work outside acknowledged Israel, and then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles, with whole communities receiving the gospel gladly and glorifying God for the light of an intelligent faith, though synagogues were closed against the apostles and private houses and public buildings of the Gentiles were opened for preaching.
The grafted branch does not bear the root but the root bears the branch; they do not support the root, the root supports them. Believers therefore have no life or support of themselves, and one branch does not draw sustenance from another. This leaves no ground for pride but calls for fear, humility, and continuance in God's goodness in order not to be cut off. It forbids disparaging or undermining the agencies God has placed in the church, and warns the church and its leaders who stand by faith not to become proud, since if God spared not the natural branches He will not spare the boastful graft, with severity on them which fell and goodness only upon continuance.
Branches Broken Off and Grafted
The natural branches are the Jews, God's own chosen people and ancient Israel, cut off and broken off from the parent stock because of unbelief and disobedience. They were broken off because as a nation they rejected Christ and refused His offers of mercy, refused to receive Him notwithstanding His miracles, failed to discern the divinity of His mission, ascribed His power to cast out devils to the chief of devils, and thus disconnected themselves from the True Vine. Gentile believers grafted in as wild branches to share the root with Israel therefore have no ground to boast against the branches broken off through unbelief, for they do not bear the root but the root bears them.
The breaking off took place when Jesus looked for the last time upon the interior of the temple and declared the house desolate, when as the Son of God passed out from those walls God's presence was withdrawn forever from the temple built to His glory. Then its ceremonies became meaningless and its services a mockery, for Israel as a nation had divorced herself from God. It was seen again at Antioch in Pisidia, when the Jews through unbelief, malice, bigotry, blindness of mind and hardness of heart rejected the word and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life, while whole Gentile communities gladly received the gospel and glorified God for the light of an intelligent faith, rejoicing that Christ recognized them as children of God. Their unbelief did not turn aside God's purpose, and though the synagogues were closed against the apostles the work continued in private houses opened for their use and in public buildings of the Gentiles used to preach the word of God.
Believing Gentiles grafted in become a new Israel grafted into the old olive tree of God's church, joined to God's people and not forming a separate tree nor replacing the root that bears them, bearing nothing of themselves. Their gathering fulfills the promise that those once called not my people would be called God's people. Because believing Gentiles are thus grafted in and become the Israel of God, even the Sabbath given as a perpetual sign between God and Israel belongs to them, to be kept by them throughout their generations forever as a memorial of God's work in creating heaven and earth in six days and resting on the seventh day. Christ sought during His earthly life to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness by direct work outside acknowledged Israel, as with the centurion and the Syrophoenician woman, and then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles.
The branches broken off can be grafted in again into the true stock, which is Christ Jesus, if they do not continue in unbelief but in humility stand on the right platform and receive Christ as Saviour. Israel, once the chosen nation cut away from the true vine through impenitence when Christ was revealed in human likeness, is again given the privilege of being engrafted into the vine stock, which is Christ and His church, by receiving the truth and believing in Christ. There is power in the gospel message to graft them in again, for they are children of the heavenly birth, and belief in Christ works transformation of character in every man so that Jews and Gentiles together become sons and daughters of God, members of the royal family. Transformed by His Spirit they become partakers of the divine nature in disposition, words, and works, manifesting the riches of grace and the kindness, mercy, and tenderness of Christ, dwelling in peace, love, and unity through oneness with Christ with peace with God and a sanctified conscience, and bearing fruit to the glory of God in good works.
Warning Against Prideful Boasting
The prohibition is addressed to Gentile believers who as branches of a wild olive tree have been grafted in among the natural branches to share the root and fatness of the olive, and it forbids them to boast against the branches or to despise the Jews. The root that bears them is Christ Jesus, the true stock, so the grafted branch does not bear the root but the root bears the branch, leaving no ground for pride and calling instead for active respect and work to restore Israel. Some of the natural branches were broken off because of unbelief, while the Gentile stands only by faith, so the command is to be not highminded but fear, lest boasting lead to his own being broken off. That fear includes hope for the Jews, for among them are mighty men who will come to the light, accept the truth, and proclaim it with power. The same warning reaches all who now share the privileges once given to ancient Israel, lest failing to bring forth fruit they also be cut off.
Goodness toward the grafted continues only if they continue in His goodness, and toward them which fell there is severity. If God spared not the natural branches, He will not spare the boastful graft, but they also shall be cut off. Continuance means confessing and forsaking sin and bringing forth fruit, for Christ has a church in every age where obedience to the commandments gives right to its privileges and perfect obedience is the evidence of love to God, while those who break the terms of their election lose it. Even though tares are among the wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers, the church is therefore not to be disparaged but purified until it becomes a bright light.
The warning applies to the church and its leaders, who stand by faith and must not become proud, since God may also reject those who fail to heed it as He rejected the branches broken off through unbelief. It speaks to God's rising people never to boast or grow careless and never to fall again, for branches can be cut off and others raised up in their stead to bear fruit and work to the glory of God. Those in the faith who become stubborn and rebellious, who do not partake of the spirit of Jesus, have not vital godliness, and do not have their hearts sanctified by the truth they profess, will be purged out of the camp of Israel, while others who had not heard and rejected the truth will embrace it and take their places. To rise never to fall again they must rise daily and keep the ascendancy above the powers of darkness by keeping close to Jesus, pressing petitions to the throne and holding on by living faith, with fasting and prayer where victory is lacking.
Work to Restore Jews
Romans 11:18 belongs to a chapter that lays out a work for the Jews which must not be ignored but must be treated with special wisdom and righteousness. That work is to clear the King's highway and to give the Jews every opportunity of coming to the light. It calls for divine wisdom received and exercised in all wisdom and righteousness.
Gentiles grafted in after the Jewish nation was broken off for rejecting Christ and refusing His offers of mercy do not bear the root but the root bears them, and they must not boast against the branches or despise the Jews. Because they stand only by faith and the natural branches were broken off through unbelief, they must be not highminded but fear, and show active respect by being interested in the salvation of those belonging to the nation broken off. They are responsible to make special efforts and do direct labor to proclaim the gospel to the Jewish race as children of the heavenly birth, for Jews still have the privilege of becoming partakers with the Gentiles of the salvation of God. That labor advances through the Lord working by men of different nationalities to reach their own countrymen, with Jewish workers and fellow laborers grafting many of the seed of Israel into the true stock, Christ Jesus, and Gentile believers need the example it sets of faithful use of present opportunities. If Jews receive Christ as Saviour, belief in Him works transformation of character and there is power in the gospel message to graft them in again.
The chapter calls for a great work to be done for the Jewish people so that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted into Christ again, and this means full sympathy and practical help rather than hindering that work. It includes offerings for a refuge and home for Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people, where they are sheltered, supported, and taught to work for their own people, with no hindering influence turning hearts from giving. The work in behalf of the Jewish people must be given all possible encouragement and help and must not be bound about by many forbiddings and criticisms. Gentiles must continue in God's goodness and help the grafting work instead of being high-minded.
Among the Jews the Lord has mighty men who will come to the light, accept the truth, and proclaim it with power. They will accept the truth as children of the heavenly birth. Contempt toward the Jews is therefore forbidden, for dependence on the sustaining root leaves no ground for boasting against the branches.
Unity Within the Church
Those grafted in as wild olive branches must not boast against the branches that were broken off, for they do not support the root but the root supports them, and this forbids disparaging the agencies placed in the church and calls for humility about dependence. If the root is holy so are the branches, and the one grafted in partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree while being borne by it. The natural branches were broken off because of unbelief, and the one grafted stands only by faith and must not be high-minded but fear, for if the natural branches were not spared boasting will not be spared either. Toward those who fell is severity and toward the believer is goodness if he continues in goodness by remaining humble and faithful, otherwise he also shall be cut off. Therefore even though there are tares among the wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers, the church is not to be demerited, undermined, or disparaged but humbly purified until it becomes a bright light.
Ministers in word and doctrine and the people who claim to believe the truth are branches grafted into the same parent stock and borne by the root, with no life or standing as independent branches apart from each other. One branch does not draw its sustenance from another but from the living source, and union with that source brings forth like fruit and is preserved through its power joined with continual effort, leaving no independent source of life and no ground for one branch to boast against another. They must not work away from the light imparted for these last days but gather up its precious rays on health reform, place themselves on the right side of the question, and go forth to give to others the light received, each doing his needed work in every line. If they heed that light and prepare the way the work will prosper, but if they stand apart and counterwork those appointed to a certain work they work against unity, and even the light they already have will become darkness. The same root-and-branches dependence exposes improper grafting of borrowed ideas, as in the claim involving Fannie Bolton grafting ideas given to another into her own work.
The one stock teaches unity without sameness, for all are as individuals to be grafted into the one parent stock. A life consecrated to service is developed and beautified in its individuality, and no person can sink his individuality in that of another. There is to be unity in diversity with abundant room for all in harmonious diversity to act the part assigned them, retaining distinct characters and gifts while belonging to one source. The Master Artist has not made two leaves of the same tree precisely alike, and creative power does not give to all minds the same likeness, for they are created to live through ceaseless ages in complete unity with mind blending with mind yet no two of the same mold. Therefore no one should belittle others whose work or character differs.
Those grafted in must not boast against the branches with envy, evil speaking, and self-exalting words, for they bear not the root but the root bears them, so they must not be high-minded but fear. They are to remain humble, strengthened, established and settled, anchored in the atonement and guided by the Word, with tongues speaking not of self but of matchless love and the all-essential work for this time. Those who hold the truth are branches grafted into the olive tree and live only by partaking of nourishment from the parent stock, and they must hold the truth in righteousness and reveal in words and actions what it is doing for them. They give constant evidence that they draw life from the stock by bearing fruit exactly like the stock, which is the Spirit shown in a sanctified, gentle character that wins souls instead of harsh speeches, careless words and acts, and a masterful spirit that provokes wrath. Being grafted into the living vine means putting away harshness and coarse behavior and bearing fruit like His in goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and lovingkindness, for only then does the branch truly represent the vine.
Union With Christ Bearing Fruit
Being joined to Christ by faith as branch to vine and root brings life, strength and fruitfulness, for believers have no life or support of themselves and draw life and strength from Christ alone. The Jewish nation is a fruitless branch separated from Christ, while Gentiles grafted in share the life that nourishes the vine, and the sinner in union with Christ receives life from Him and bears the fruit He bore. That union must be preserved through continued effort while Christ supplies the power to guard it, and one branch does not get its sustenance from another but from the living source to bring forth Christlike fruit. Because life comes wholly from the root, branches have no independent source of life and no ground for pride or boasting.
A branch depends on the stock into which it is grafted and bears the same kind of fruit as that stock, for the branches do not support the root but the root supports them. Receiving the seed of the Word without a changed nature produces only wild fruit, as the wild olive bears bitter, unpalatable fruit unlike the fruit of branches that abide in the vine. That bitter fruit is selfish, unkind, unjust, hard, unsympathetic and dictatorial conduct in the family, as when a husband fails to bear the burden of household expenses for food and raiment, lives like a stranger or boarder, demands his privileges and his own way, criticizes and is overbearing while leaving planning and providing to a frail wife and causing her suffering, and bearing such fruit brings bitterness back upon the bearer himself. A wild branch grafted in with false ideas has borne wild fruit bringing centuries of darkness and ignorance, contrasting the Word of God as the tree of life with human theories likened to the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, whose acceptance disorders the imagination.
Merely accepting and fluently talking the truth does not make a person a living branch, for a true graft joins the person to the living root so that the root bears and sustains the branch. Grafting the truth into the natural vine reverses the order and leaves the person a wild vine, with unrenewed heart, natural temperament, passions, self and hereditary tendencies still supreme. The cause is lack of faith that works by love and purifies the soul, so self-indulgence, self-deception and falsehood mark the course and reason is dethroned. Such professors are dead while seeming alive, bear fruit unto death, kindle strange fire of their own making instead of receiving sacred fire from heaven, and remain objects of compassion and labor who need constant work done for them.
By nature a person is a wild olive tree, and God grafts him into a good olive tree when he determines to climb upward instead of descending to sin and degradation, refusing to repeat the sins of a wicked father and grandfather despite temptations, wicked surroundings and lack of godly counsel. That grafting is made possible by a course of obedience in choosing the right way and pressing on in the upward path, and it gives grace to do that which is right in the Lord's sight, making the person a chosen vessel who honors God and walks uprightly without turning aside to the right hand or to the left. God's individual, personal Israel are those He has led out step by step from the world onto the platform of Bible truth and grafted into the tame olive tree, borne by the root to bear fruit of the genuine tree which is Christ Jesus. They are kept by His continual watchcare with His providence embracing all their ways, becoming like Him by looking unto Jesus and learning intelligent faith in the good and perfect government of God rather than trusting in man's wisdom or charging God foolishly.
Understanding this grafting belongs to the knowledge of God's will that is a great privilege to understand, calling believers to increase in faith and righteousness and to grow up in Christ the living Head. Every church member has his own fitted work blending into a complete whole, in the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and ways.