God Ahnsahnghong & Heavenly Mother

Before we met God, we were sinners living as slaves to death. The Bible likens us, who have been born again into eternal life after meeting God, to the "grafted branches."

Ro 11:16-24 『If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole 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 in 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!』

In terms of botany, "grafting" means attaching part of one plant to the root or stem of another plant so that the two grow together as one. A branch that is grafted into another tree loses its original identity and becomes part of the organism to which it has been joined.

The Bible likens our relationship with God to a tree and its branches, and emphasizes that we can do nothing apart from God (Jn 15:1-5). Especially, the book of Romans portrays our organic union with God by speaking of grafting. This reminds us that we should throw off our old nature as sinners and change to resemble God's nature.

As for the same kind of species, the better quality species are described by an additional term "true," but the bad ones by "wild." It is the same with an olive tree. There are two kinds of olive trees: a true olive tree of good quality, and a wild olive tree of bad quality. We, the branches of the wild olive tree, are grafted into God, the true olive tree. Since we cannot return to the eternal kingdom of heaven with our original identity, we have been grafted into God and reborn into eternal life.

The well-grafted branches resemble the nature of the true olive tree. Supplied with sap and good nutriment from the true olive tree, the shape of the fruits becomes better and they become strong enough to defend themselves against insects and diseases.




to be continued....