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United Fruit BearersThe Watchtower—1983 | August 15
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See, therefore, God’s kindness and severity. Toward those [Jews] who fell there is severity, but toward you [Gentiles] there is God’s kindness, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you also will be lopped off.” (Romans 11:21, 22) To remain in Jehovah’s kindness, Gentile Christians grafted into the Abrahamic-covenant tree had to show strong faith in the primary Seed of Abraham. They were “standing by faith,” which faith they had to prove by Christian fruitage, ‘presenting their bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service.’—Romans 11:20; 12:1.
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United Fruit BearersThe Watchtower—1983 | August 15
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To avoid being “lopped off” they would have to remain in God’s kindness by preserving their unity as “one body in union with Christ.”—Romans 11:22.
9. This contains what lesson for the “other sheep,” so what must they be careful to do?
9 Does this warning to anointed Christians contain a lesson for Christians today who are not spiritual Israelites? It most certainly does. Although they are not a part of the spiritual seed produced by the Abrahamic covenant and therefore are “not of this fold,” these “other sheep” are definitely a part of the “nations of the earth” who can bless themselves by means of the seed. (John 10:16a; Genesis 22:18) It follows that they must have faith like Abraham, whose life prospects also are earthly, and “walk orderly in the footsteps of that faith.” (Romans 4:11, 12, 16) They must show their subjection to the Fine Shepherd, Christ, the primary Seed of Abraham. They must also cooperate with the remnant of the secondary seed of Abraham, becoming with them “one flock” under “one shepherd.” (John 10:14, 16b) If anointed Christians who do not remain in God’s kindness risk being “lopped off” the Abrahamic-covenant tree, should not the “other sheep” also be very careful to do nothing that might cause them to lose Jehovah’s goodwill?—Romans 11:22.
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