For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
The natural branches are the Jewish people as the once-chosen nation, broken off because of unbelief, and believing Gentiles are grafted in among the remaining branches to partake of the root and fatness of the good olive tree. If God did not spare those natural branches, He will also not spare those grafted in if they do not continue in His goodness, for they stand only by faith and must fear and not boast or be high-minded. Continuing in His goodness means abiding in Christ and bearing His fruit in obedience to the commandments, while great light and privilege alone save no one but increase responsibility. The Jews are not left cast off, for if they do not remain in unbelief God is able to graft them back into their own olive tree, and their receiving will be as life from the dead when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
Olive Tree Imagery
The natural branches are the Jewish people, ancient Israel as the once-chosen nation, and the wild branches grafted in among the remaining branches are believing Gentiles who partake of the root and fatness of the good olive tree. Some branches were broken off because of unbelief, and Gentile believers as a wild olive tree were grafted in among them to stand only by faith. Israel as a nation lost her connection with God through unbelief and rejection of Heaven's purpose, while those grafted in share the nourishment of the noble tree.
The root of the tree is holy, and those grafted in do not bear the root but the root bears them, so they remain dependent on God and must not boast against the branches, be high-minded, or despise the Jews, but fear. Being grafted into the one stock allows unity without making all alike, yet the union can be preserved only by heeding the warning and continuing in faith. Toward those who fell there was severity, and toward those grafted in is goodness only as they continue in His goodness.
Christ Jesus is the true stock, the parent vine stock, into which both the seed of Israel and believing Gentiles may be grafted by repentance, belief, and receiving Him as Saviour. He is the foundation and chief cornerstone of the church, not Peter, and all branches center in Him, for the church is composed of all believers thus grafted and not of ministers only. God's individual personal Israel is those who have become grafted into the tame olive tree, which is Christ Jesus, and who will bear fruit of that genuine tree under His continual watchcare and providence.
By that grafting, believing Gentiles become a new Israel into the old olive tree, and Jew and Gentile are now made one with no middle wall of partition. The cutting off of unbelieving Jews did not turn aside God's purpose but went forward to gather the Gentiles, and the Sabbath given as a sign to Israel belongs to those thus joined forever as a memorial of creation. The passage belongs to the olive-tree teaching of Romans 11:17-24 and to the wider teaching of Romans 11-12, presenting the mystery of the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles. It is part of the deep things of God that finite minds comprehend little, requiring deep thought, yet growing clearer as the progressive Bible is opened to the understanding, giving privilege to understand God's will, increase in faith and righteousness, and grow up in Christ the living Head.
Why Branches Were Broken
The natural branches were broken off and cut away because of unbelief, disobedience, impenitence, and turning from God, and Israel as a nation lost her connection with God. God did not spare the natural branches when they fell through unbelief, showing His severity toward those who fell.
That unbelief took the form of rejecting Heaven's purpose for Israel and rejecting the offers of mercy and God's word, as the Jewish leaders rejected Christ. Though Christ worked miracles among them, His own chosen people refused to receive Him, could not discern the divinity of His mission, failed to fulfill His purpose, and disconnected themselves from the True Vine until they were cut off altogether. They rejected clear shining light until their minds were blinded, and through self-sufficiency, self-importance, and spiritual pride they separated themselves from God, despised the good offered in Christ, and had the things for their peace hidden from their eyes. Their unbelief also appeared as bigotry, exclusiveness, blindness of mind and hardness of heart, malice, fruitlessness, despising the vine God had planted, and even saying His power to cast out devils came from the chief of devils.
Toward those who fell there was severity, for He spared them not, hid His face from them, and let judgment and desolation follow from their own refusal. When the nation turned from Him Israel was broken off and God's presence was withdrawn from the temple, so its ceremonies and services became meaningless. The vine was removed from their reach after disobedience despite great privileges.
The cutting off of unbelieving Jews did not turn aside God's purpose but went forward and opened the way for believing Gentiles to be grafted in as a new Israel into the old olive tree. Christ had prepared for this during His life by seeking to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness through direct work outside acknowledged Israel, as with the centurion and the Syrophoenician woman. Then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles, who received the gospel gladly and glorified God for intelligent faith, so that when the synagogues were closed against the apostles private houses were opened for their use and Gentile public buildings were also used to preach the word.
Warning to Grafted Believers
Those grafted in as wild olive branches stand only by faith, partaking of the root and fatness of the good tree while bearing not the root but being borne by it, and must not boast against the broken-off natural branches, be high-minded, despise the Jews, or presume themselves secure, but must fear and take heed. The natural branches, Israel as a nation, were broken off and lost connection with God through unbelief and rejection of Heaven's purpose, and the same holy-rooted tree now carries believing Gentiles grafted in among those that remain. The warning belongs to the church and its leaders today with Israel's result before them, since believers grafted as a wild tree partake of the root only by faith.
If God did not spare the natural branches when they fell through unbelief, He will also not spare grafted believers, but with the same severity toward those who fell will cut them off if they do not continue in His goodness. His goodness rests on them only as they continue in it, and toward them is goodness while toward those who fell is severity. His grace is not withdrawn from others until they are convicted of truth and reject the evidence given.
Continuing in His goodness means abiding in Christ the living vine and bearing fruit, remaining joined to Him by faith and sharing His life rather than turning from Him. It means keeping the terms of election by perfect obedience to the commandments as evidence of love for God, and confessing and forsaking sin instead of covering sin or hardening the heart. Those who disobey and turn away may be broken off as the natural branches were when they proved fruitless and were separated.
The warning applies to all who now share the privileges once given to Israel and to the church today, for the people of God now have the same character and prospects as the Jews and face the same danger of being cut off. If the church passes warnings by unheeded, leaves opportunities for service unimproved, and lets the world's scorn, the pride of reason, and conformity to human customs and traditions hold it from service to Christ, God who spared not Israel will also not spare it. Branches that fail to remain close to Jesus may be cut off while others who bear fruit are raised up in their place to work for God's glory. The Jews were not spared because of unbelief, self-sufficiency, self-importance, and spiritual pride that separated them from God, despised the good offered in Christ, and blinded minds after rejected light, and present believers must receive the clear shining light of truth lest God who hid His face from the Jews and let the things for their peace be hidden from their eyes also refuse to spare them.
Great light and special advantages do not save anyone or place anyone in a safer position, but only commend God and increase responsibility unless prized, wisely improved, and used to advance His glory. God did not spare His own people whom He loved when they refused to walk in the light and abused great privileges, and He cannot spare those now blessed with heavenly light and the most exalted truth ever entrusted to men if they refuse to walk in it. The Jewish nation was cut off because it rejected Christ and refused His appeals, and its desolation and judgment followed from its own refusal, which warns all who reject Christ as their only help and hope. Falling from an exalted height reached by God's goodness and mercy measures a deeper ruin.
Restoration of Israel Prophesied
The cutting off of the Jews is not final, for if they do not remain in unbelief God is able to graft the natural branches back again into their own olive tree. They are still given privilege to connect again with the vine and the parent stock by repentance, by receiving Christ as Saviour, by believing the gospel, and by standing in humility on the right platform. That return comes after blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. Then all Israel shall be saved, when the Deliverer out of Zion takes away ungodliness from Jacob and takes away sins under covenant, for as touching election they are beloved for the fathers' sakes and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and their receiving will be as life from the dead.
Among the Jews the Lord has mighty men who will proclaim the truth with power. Many of the seed of Israel will be converted and will proclaim God's truth. Those who repent and receive Christ as Saviour are engrafted by His power into the vine stock and into the living vine stock, and their life is invigorated with the life of the Eternal One. They are given peace with God and a sanctified conscience, and Jew and Gentile dwell together in peace and love and unity through oneness with Christ. They are transformed in character and made partakers of the divine nature, and are made to bear fruit in good works to the glory of God.
Mission to Jewish People
Romans 11 outlines a great work to be done for the Jewish people. That chapter belongs to this work and must be studied carefully and must not be ignored. It is to be treated with special wisdom and righteousness, and in all wisdom and righteousness the King's highway is to be cleared and the Jews are to be given every opportunity of coming to the light.
Grafted-in Gentiles bear responsibility for the salvation of the Jews. They are called to humble, patient labor for them, with no slackness in caring for both the broken branches and the grafted branches. Special efforts are to be made in the last days for the Jewish race, to gather the cut-away branches out of the world and engraft them once more into the true vine, into their own olive tree, into Christ Jesus the true stock. There is power in the gospel message to graft them in again when they receive Christ as Saviour and believe in Him, for they are children of the heavenly birth, and their receiving will be as life from the dead. Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people should be given a place of refuge where they are sheltered, taught, and trained to work for their own people, so that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted in and many may be saved.
That regrafting comes through direct work in their behalf by men of their own nationality together with their fellow laborers, working through men of different nationalities to reach their own countrymen by seizing opportunities as they come, as seen through Brother Gilbert and his fellow laborers. Such labor for the Jews must be given all possible encouragement and help and must not be bound about by many forbiddings and criticisms. Its faithful example also helps Gentile believers themselves, lest by hindering the cause of truth they also be not spared.
Fruitful Faithful Church Life
A branch grafted into the stock shares its nourishment and bears the same kind of fruit as the stock, and those joined to Christ must show Christlike character in words, conduct, and character. That fruit is God's goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and lovingkindness, and it is the opposite of wild olives, wild grapes, and bitter unpalatable fruit. Such bitter fruit includes errors and human theories opposed to God's Word, complaint, suspicion, harshness and coarseness, a selfish overbearing home life that shifts burdens onto others while exacting privilege and criticizing, and an unrenewed temper with natural tendencies prevailing where faith working by love does not purify the soul. Those who hold the truth yet talk and act like sinners give others occasion to conclude they are not Christians, and claims to hold advanced truth mislead when character and actions disagree with it. Being grafted into God's people does not by itself guarantee good fruit, for when the seed of the Word is grafted onto the wild olive without renewal it still bears only wild olives unto death.
Such fruit requires holding the truth in righteousness and revealing in words and actions what the truth is doing within. Those grafted remain under continual watchcare and providence embracing all their ways, and by looking unto Jesus and learning of Him they become like Him with intelligent faith in the good and perfect government of God. This means dwelling on truth, making it the theme of conversation, and speaking of the matchless love of Jesus and the all-essential work for this time, instead of opening mind and heart to envy, evil speaking, and self. It requires the Spirit of Christ with careful words and acts and no masterful spirit.
The grafted union is utter dependence, entered by self-renunciation, faith and obedience in which self is crucified so that Christ lives in the heart, and after it is formed it can be preserved only by continual earnest painstaking effort. Christ exercises power to preserve and guard the bond, while the dependent believer acts with untiring energy, resists sin, stands guard over every avenue of the soul, prays for divine help, and resolutely resists every inclination to sin with courage, faith, and persevering toil. Life must be drawn directly from the parent vine by daily hourly communion rather than borrowed from another branch, with the believer abiding in Christ and Christ in him so that the fruit Christ bore is borne as the fruits of the Holy Spirit and believers become one in Christ as Christ is one with the Father. Remaining in place means keeping close to Jesus, not letting go of His arm, daily rising and keeping ascendancy above the powers of darkness, pressing petitions to the throne and holding on by living faith, glorifying God with childlike simplicity, and fasting and praying to get victory when victory is not yet gained, following Elijah whose faith endured trial through earnest repeated prayer.
If that watchfulness fails, Satan by cruel cunning power will separate the branch from Christ, and branches that fail may be cut off and purged out while others are raised up in their stead who will bear fruit and work to God's glory. Those in the faith who become stubborn and rebellious, wound God's people, and act as a dead weight will be purged out of the camp and disfellowshipped. The same cutting off awaits professed believers unless they partake of the spirit of Jesus and have hearts sanctified by the truth they profess with vital godliness. God takes away the first and establishes the second, so that others who had not heard and rejected Adventist doctrine will embrace the truth and take their places.
Grafted believers stand only by faith and must not boast against the branches, be high-minded, or disparage the branches and agencies God has placed in the church, but must fear, respect them, and continue in His goodness even though tares are among wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers. All are to be grafted as individuals into one parent stock in unity in diversity, with no one sinking individuality in another, for consecrated life is developed and beautified in its own individuality. God gives different minds and characters, making no two alike, yet joins them in complete unity with mind blending with mind to act each distinct part and reflect the fragrance of Christ's character under the molding of the Holy Spirit. No minister, teacher, president, or people are to stand apart as independent branches.
That united advance requires gathering up the precious rays of light God has given on health reform, placing themselves on its right side, and going forth in every line to give to others the light received and prepare the way for the Lord. Ministers and members who stand apart from one another, counterwork the men God has appointed to do a certain work, or work against that light will find the light already possessed become darkness to them. The same warning measures claims to advanced truth when harshness and coarseness and other actions contrary to the life of a true branch disagree with it.
The verse stands in teaching that gives privilege to understand and know God's will and to increase in faith and righteousness while growing up in Christ the living Head. With Romans 12 it sets religious duty for the whole church to study, where every member has fitted work blending into a complete whole, leading to praise of the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and past-finding-out ways. That path calls for presenting the body a living sacrifice, being transformed by renewing of the mind and not conformed to the world in order to prove God's good and acceptable and perfect will, and thinking soberly and not too highly of self according to the measure of faith. A person by nature a wild branch on the low level of sin and degradation, as shown in Josiah born of wicked parents amid temptation and wickedness, can by warning himself from others' errors, determining to climb upward and walk in the right way without turning aside to the right or left, be grafted by God from the wild olive into the good tree, given grace to do right in the Lord's sight, and made a chosen vessel honoring God.
The natural branches are the Jewish people as the once-chosen nation, broken off because of unbelief, and believing Gentiles are grafted in among the remaining branches to partake of the root and fatness of the good olive tree. If God did not spare those natural branches, He will also not spare those grafted in if they do not continue in His goodness, for they stand only by faith and must fear and not boast or be high-minded. Continuing in His goodness means abiding in Christ and bearing His fruit in obedience to the commandments, while great light and privilege alone save no one but increase responsibility. The Jews are not left cast off, for if they do not remain in unbelief God is able to graft them back into their own olive tree, and their receiving will be as life from the dead when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
Olive Tree Imagery
The natural branches are the Jewish people, ancient Israel as the once-chosen nation, and the wild branches grafted in among the remaining branches are believing Gentiles who partake of the root and fatness of the good olive tree. Some branches were broken off because of unbelief, and Gentile believers as a wild olive tree were grafted in among them to stand only by faith. Israel as a nation lost her connection with God through unbelief and rejection of Heaven's purpose, while those grafted in share the nourishment of the noble tree.
The root of the tree is holy, and those grafted in do not bear the root but the root bears them, so they remain dependent on God and must not boast against the branches, be high-minded, or despise the Jews, but fear. Being grafted into the one stock allows unity without making all alike, yet the union can be preserved only by heeding the warning and continuing in faith. Toward those who fell there was severity, and toward those grafted in is goodness only as they continue in His goodness.
Christ Jesus is the true stock, the parent vine stock, into which both the seed of Israel and believing Gentiles may be grafted by repentance, belief, and receiving Him as Saviour. He is the foundation and chief cornerstone of the church, not Peter, and all branches center in Him, for the church is composed of all believers thus grafted and not of ministers only. God's individual personal Israel is those who have become grafted into the tame olive tree, which is Christ Jesus, and who will bear fruit of that genuine tree under His continual watchcare and providence.
By that grafting, believing Gentiles become a new Israel into the old olive tree, and Jew and Gentile are now made one with no middle wall of partition. The cutting off of unbelieving Jews did not turn aside God's purpose but went forward to gather the Gentiles, and the Sabbath given as a sign to Israel belongs to those thus joined forever as a memorial of creation. The passage belongs to the olive-tree teaching of Romans 11:17-24 and to the wider teaching of Romans 11-12, presenting the mystery of the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles. It is part of the deep things of God that finite minds comprehend little, requiring deep thought, yet growing clearer as the progressive Bible is opened to the understanding, giving privilege to understand God's will, increase in faith and righteousness, and grow up in Christ the living Head.
Why Branches Were Broken
The natural branches were broken off and cut away because of unbelief, disobedience, impenitence, and turning from God, and Israel as a nation lost her connection with God. God did not spare the natural branches when they fell through unbelief, showing His severity toward those who fell.
That unbelief took the form of rejecting Heaven's purpose for Israel and rejecting the offers of mercy and God's word, as the Jewish leaders rejected Christ. Though Christ worked miracles among them, His own chosen people refused to receive Him, could not discern the divinity of His mission, failed to fulfill His purpose, and disconnected themselves from the True Vine until they were cut off altogether. They rejected clear shining light until their minds were blinded, and through self-sufficiency, self-importance, and spiritual pride they separated themselves from God, despised the good offered in Christ, and had the things for their peace hidden from their eyes. Their unbelief also appeared as bigotry, exclusiveness, blindness of mind and hardness of heart, malice, fruitlessness, despising the vine God had planted, and even saying His power to cast out devils came from the chief of devils.
Toward those who fell there was severity, for He spared them not, hid His face from them, and let judgment and desolation follow from their own refusal. When the nation turned from Him Israel was broken off and God's presence was withdrawn from the temple, so its ceremonies and services became meaningless. The vine was removed from their reach after disobedience despite great privileges.
The cutting off of unbelieving Jews did not turn aside God's purpose but went forward and opened the way for believing Gentiles to be grafted in as a new Israel into the old olive tree. Christ had prepared for this during His life by seeking to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness through direct work outside acknowledged Israel, as with the centurion and the Syrophoenician woman. Then the time came for active and continued work among the Gentiles, who received the gospel gladly and glorified God for intelligent faith, so that when the synagogues were closed against the apostles private houses were opened for their use and Gentile public buildings were also used to preach the word.
Warning to Grafted Believers
Those grafted in as wild olive branches stand only by faith, partaking of the root and fatness of the good tree while bearing not the root but being borne by it, and must not boast against the broken-off natural branches, be high-minded, despise the Jews, or presume themselves secure, but must fear and take heed. The natural branches, Israel as a nation, were broken off and lost connection with God through unbelief and rejection of Heaven's purpose, and the same holy-rooted tree now carries believing Gentiles grafted in among those that remain. The warning belongs to the church and its leaders today with Israel's result before them, since believers grafted as a wild tree partake of the root only by faith.
If God did not spare the natural branches when they fell through unbelief, He will also not spare grafted believers, but with the same severity toward those who fell will cut them off if they do not continue in His goodness. His goodness rests on them only as they continue in it, and toward them is goodness while toward those who fell is severity. His grace is not withdrawn from others until they are convicted of truth and reject the evidence given.
Continuing in His goodness means abiding in Christ the living vine and bearing fruit, remaining joined to Him by faith and sharing His life rather than turning from Him. It means keeping the terms of election by perfect obedience to the commandments as evidence of love for God, and confessing and forsaking sin instead of covering sin or hardening the heart. Those who disobey and turn away may be broken off as the natural branches were when they proved fruitless and were separated.
The warning applies to all who now share the privileges once given to Israel and to the church today, for the people of God now have the same character and prospects as the Jews and face the same danger of being cut off. If the church passes warnings by unheeded, leaves opportunities for service unimproved, and lets the world's scorn, the pride of reason, and conformity to human customs and traditions hold it from service to Christ, God who spared not Israel will also not spare it. Branches that fail to remain close to Jesus may be cut off while others who bear fruit are raised up in their place to work for God's glory. The Jews were not spared because of unbelief, self-sufficiency, self-importance, and spiritual pride that separated them from God, despised the good offered in Christ, and blinded minds after rejected light, and present believers must receive the clear shining light of truth lest God who hid His face from the Jews and let the things for their peace be hidden from their eyes also refuse to spare them.
Great light and special advantages do not save anyone or place anyone in a safer position, but only commend God and increase responsibility unless prized, wisely improved, and used to advance His glory. God did not spare His own people whom He loved when they refused to walk in the light and abused great privileges, and He cannot spare those now blessed with heavenly light and the most exalted truth ever entrusted to men if they refuse to walk in it. The Jewish nation was cut off because it rejected Christ and refused His appeals, and its desolation and judgment followed from its own refusal, which warns all who reject Christ as their only help and hope. Falling from an exalted height reached by God's goodness and mercy measures a deeper ruin.
Restoration of Israel Prophesied
The cutting off of the Jews is not final, for if they do not remain in unbelief God is able to graft the natural branches back again into their own olive tree. They are still given privilege to connect again with the vine and the parent stock by repentance, by receiving Christ as Saviour, by believing the gospel, and by standing in humility on the right platform. That return comes after blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. Then all Israel shall be saved, when the Deliverer out of Zion takes away ungodliness from Jacob and takes away sins under covenant, for as touching election they are beloved for the fathers' sakes and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and their receiving will be as life from the dead.
Among the Jews the Lord has mighty men who will proclaim the truth with power. Many of the seed of Israel will be converted and will proclaim God's truth. Those who repent and receive Christ as Saviour are engrafted by His power into the vine stock and into the living vine stock, and their life is invigorated with the life of the Eternal One. They are given peace with God and a sanctified conscience, and Jew and Gentile dwell together in peace and love and unity through oneness with Christ. They are transformed in character and made partakers of the divine nature, and are made to bear fruit in good works to the glory of God.
Mission to Jewish People
Romans 11 outlines a great work to be done for the Jewish people. That chapter belongs to this work and must be studied carefully and must not be ignored. It is to be treated with special wisdom and righteousness, and in all wisdom and righteousness the King's highway is to be cleared and the Jews are to be given every opportunity of coming to the light.
Grafted-in Gentiles bear responsibility for the salvation of the Jews. They are called to humble, patient labor for them, with no slackness in caring for both the broken branches and the grafted branches. Special efforts are to be made in the last days for the Jewish race, to gather the cut-away branches out of the world and engraft them once more into the true vine, into their own olive tree, into Christ Jesus the true stock. There is power in the gospel message to graft them in again when they receive Christ as Saviour and believe in Him, for they are children of the heavenly birth, and their receiving will be as life from the dead. Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people should be given a place of refuge where they are sheltered, taught, and trained to work for their own people, so that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted in and many may be saved.
That regrafting comes through direct work in their behalf by men of their own nationality together with their fellow laborers, working through men of different nationalities to reach their own countrymen by seizing opportunities as they come, as seen through Brother Gilbert and his fellow laborers. Such labor for the Jews must be given all possible encouragement and help and must not be bound about by many forbiddings and criticisms. Its faithful example also helps Gentile believers themselves, lest by hindering the cause of truth they also be not spared.
Fruitful Faithful Church Life
A branch grafted into the stock shares its nourishment and bears the same kind of fruit as the stock, and those joined to Christ must show Christlike character in words, conduct, and character. That fruit is God's goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness, and lovingkindness, and it is the opposite of wild olives, wild grapes, and bitter unpalatable fruit. Such bitter fruit includes errors and human theories opposed to God's Word, complaint, suspicion, harshness and coarseness, a selfish overbearing home life that shifts burdens onto others while exacting privilege and criticizing, and an unrenewed temper with natural tendencies prevailing where faith working by love does not purify the soul. Those who hold the truth yet talk and act like sinners give others occasion to conclude they are not Christians, and claims to hold advanced truth mislead when character and actions disagree with it. Being grafted into God's people does not by itself guarantee good fruit, for when the seed of the Word is grafted onto the wild olive without renewal it still bears only wild olives unto death.
Such fruit requires holding the truth in righteousness and revealing in words and actions what the truth is doing within. Those grafted remain under continual watchcare and providence embracing all their ways, and by looking unto Jesus and learning of Him they become like Him with intelligent faith in the good and perfect government of God. This means dwelling on truth, making it the theme of conversation, and speaking of the matchless love of Jesus and the all-essential work for this time, instead of opening mind and heart to envy, evil speaking, and self. It requires the Spirit of Christ with careful words and acts and no masterful spirit.
The grafted union is utter dependence, entered by self-renunciation, faith and obedience in which self is crucified so that Christ lives in the heart, and after it is formed it can be preserved only by continual earnest painstaking effort. Christ exercises power to preserve and guard the bond, while the dependent believer acts with untiring energy, resists sin, stands guard over every avenue of the soul, prays for divine help, and resolutely resists every inclination to sin with courage, faith, and persevering toil. Life must be drawn directly from the parent vine by daily hourly communion rather than borrowed from another branch, with the believer abiding in Christ and Christ in him so that the fruit Christ bore is borne as the fruits of the Holy Spirit and believers become one in Christ as Christ is one with the Father. Remaining in place means keeping close to Jesus, not letting go of His arm, daily rising and keeping ascendancy above the powers of darkness, pressing petitions to the throne and holding on by living faith, glorifying God with childlike simplicity, and fasting and praying to get victory when victory is not yet gained, following Elijah whose faith endured trial through earnest repeated prayer.
If that watchfulness fails, Satan by cruel cunning power will separate the branch from Christ, and branches that fail may be cut off and purged out while others are raised up in their stead who will bear fruit and work to God's glory. Those in the faith who become stubborn and rebellious, wound God's people, and act as a dead weight will be purged out of the camp and disfellowshipped. The same cutting off awaits professed believers unless they partake of the spirit of Jesus and have hearts sanctified by the truth they profess with vital godliness. God takes away the first and establishes the second, so that others who had not heard and rejected Adventist doctrine will embrace the truth and take their places.
Grafted believers stand only by faith and must not boast against the branches, be high-minded, or disparage the branches and agencies God has placed in the church, but must fear, respect them, and continue in His goodness even though tares are among wheat and evils are seen among Sabbath-keepers. All are to be grafted as individuals into one parent stock in unity in diversity, with no one sinking individuality in another, for consecrated life is developed and beautified in its own individuality. God gives different minds and characters, making no two alike, yet joins them in complete unity with mind blending with mind to act each distinct part and reflect the fragrance of Christ's character under the molding of the Holy Spirit. No minister, teacher, president, or people are to stand apart as independent branches.
That united advance requires gathering up the precious rays of light God has given on health reform, placing themselves on its right side, and going forth in every line to give to others the light received and prepare the way for the Lord. Ministers and members who stand apart from one another, counterwork the men God has appointed to do a certain work, or work against that light will find the light already possessed become darkness to them. The same warning measures claims to advanced truth when harshness and coarseness and other actions contrary to the life of a true branch disagree with it.
The verse stands in teaching that gives privilege to understand and know God's will and to increase in faith and righteousness while growing up in Christ the living Head. With Romans 12 it sets religious duty for the whole church to study, where every member has fitted work blending into a complete whole, leading to praise of the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and past-finding-out ways. That path calls for presenting the body a living sacrifice, being transformed by renewing of the mind and not conformed to the world in order to prove God's good and acceptable and perfect will, and thinking soberly and not too highly of self according to the measure of faith. A person by nature a wild branch on the low level of sin and degradation, as shown in Josiah born of wicked parents amid temptation and wickedness, can by warning himself from others' errors, determining to climb upward and walk in the right way without turning aside to the right or left, be grafted by God from the wild olive into the good tree, given grace to do right in the Lord's sight, and made a chosen vessel honoring God.