day no. 16,648: extending an olive branch

"The olive tree will never be chopped down, and one day she will fill the earth with her fruit." -- Douglas Wilson, Westminster Systematics

Jesus did not come to chop the olive tree down. He did remove some of the barren branches and He did graft in some barbarian ones, but the olive tree still stands. He did not come to disregard the olive tree or to plant a new one. He came to prune the existing one to be more fruitful and to husband it to produce more flavors. There are not now two olive trees. There are not now no olive trees. There are not now other trees instead of olive trees. There is THE olive tree and it is producing fruit for the glory of God and the good of those who grow upon it.

Romans 11:18-22

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.