Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

Today I want to look at one phrase in Calvin’s Quote, Engrafted in Christ, and what that means to us as believers.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.^[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

This may not seem like the most obvious choice for a main text but a close look reveals that to be in Christ one must be grafted into Christ, the AMP states: [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior].

Maybe the best example is Romans Chapter 11, most specifically in v.11-25 we see the term grafted in used by Paul repeated a number of times. Here Paul makes his concluding case regarding God’s plan for the Israelites. Many thinking God has abandoned His “Chosen People” but Paul’s argument, began in Chapter 9 shows that the remnant, that is those chosen will be engrafted into the Kingdom of Christ, not by the law, but by faith in Christ. This is something Paul affirmed to the gentiles Galatians 3:29.

Another example of engrafting in the Bible can be found in James 1:21. Here James is encouraging believers to grow in faith. Our text is a perfect example in which James implores us to put away all filthiness’ (worldly desires) and rely upon the Word of God that has been engrafted into our hearts be the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The final verse for today is from my favorite book in the Bible 1 John. With John writing in 1 John 2, let us look at v.24-29 and especially v.27. Here John is encouraging folks to remain stoic in their faith no matter the circumstance. Why, John says the anointed gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling each true believer remains permanently in us (engrafted) NO MATTER the circumstance. ah, but there is a catch, we must remain rooted (engrafted) to Him, that is faithful.

Conclusions: Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines “Ingrafted” as: INGR`AFTED, pp. Inserted into a stock for growth and propagation; introduced into a native stock; set or fixed deep. A person can only be IN or EN grafted to Christ that is fixed deep, permanently affixed into the Body of Christ, by the effectual calling of God, and Faith in Christ as both LORD and SAVIOR.