I came upon this scripture in Romans that stood out to me lately and I've been really trying to see what Paul means in this scripture and how to apply it to my life. When I first read it I had never even heard of the word grafted. In reading this we need to know the definition and meaning behind it so we can understand the scripture. When I googled it, I found out that it's actually a really cool process. When you graft something (most of the time they use this process on fruit bearing trees) they cut off a bud from one tree, then in a different tree they cut a T like shape with flaps and insert the bud from the previous tree into it. They tie string around the bud after the close the flaps. Usually within 30 days you can take the twin off and the bud will start to grow off new roots. I never new that, and though that was pretty awesome!! So lets read the scripture now...
Romans 11:11-24
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue to his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Okay so that is a lot to read and grasp, but knowing the back round and definitions help us understand. What Paul is saying is that the Jews were cut off for their unbelief and lack of faith. And the Gentiles were grafted in to the family of God because they chose to believe. I want to be grafted into the tree of life. I want my dead branches and sin to break off of me and God to plant me on His tree of life. If God is our foundation He holds us to and is strong supporting us. One thing that is cool about this illustration he uses is that they usually graft fruit trees. As christians we are supposed to produce fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control) We cannot do this in on our own. It takes the power of our creator to work in and through us and to be the source of our life for this to be possible.
It is awesome if you have grown up in a christian family, going to church and such. But just because those are your roots doesn't mean you are necessarily saved. We must each individually decide to put our life in Jesus' hands and believe that he died for us to have eternal life. I don't want to be broken off because of my unbelief, but I want to chose to have a relationship with Jesus and dedicate my life to that.
I encourage you to read this verse several times, and study it and see what God is showing you. Are you grafted into Him. Are you saved because of your belief! I want everyone who reads this to have security that they will spend eternity with their creator.
prayer:
Jesus, thank you for who you are. I am so grateful for what you do in my life. You are so awesome that when we believe you attach us to you so we can grow and produce the fruits you want us to have in our lives. We praise you forever.
Amen.
