Christian Blogs, Millpond Ink Musing
Millpond Ink Musing, 2015 – Of Pruning and Grafting
Many, who suffer affliction or consequence for their actions, will ‘spiritualize’ their suffering. They do so by referring to it as God’s ‘pruning them.’ And, yes God chastens those whom He loves. Of course, our pruning or chastening is true if we are born again; and if Gentile, we are grafted into the root of the patriarchs.
Bluntly, I must tell you that we must be of this tree and root stock; abiding in Christ the true vi…ne. For even as the patriarchs looked forward to Jesus Christ the Messiah; and were made righteous by faith alone, even so we are made righteous by faith alone as we look back and repent of our sins.
As for the depth of the earth and the riches that our Patriarchal root has sunk, it is without measure for it is the righteousness of God’s Law. We were grafted in to first see in the Law the depth of our sin, resulting in our humiliation and contrition. Afterward, in God’s mercy, we were empowered to keep it; which results in our pruning.
Consider the depths of sin that the Apostle Paul found in himself after confronting his imprimis (initial, convicting) sin when he was shown Whom he persecuted, Jesus! What initially draws a man to Christ as a matter of repentance, only starts the journey and our pruning.
Indeed, no man who merely places himself under the law; as driven by the natural light of conscience, can attach himself to that hallowed tree; even the cross…a dead staff that budded upon His resurrection and broke ground for all men!
Yes, pruning is an ongoing work, but the question is, ‘who holds the shears? Is Christ in your life the true Shepherd? The Vine?’ Or are you attempting to spruce yourself up in the hope you might attract His divine favor?
