Chapter 46—Adopted Sons and Daughters
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved.
Ephesians 1:5, 6
.
Before the foundations of the earth were laid the covenant was made that
all who were obedient, all who should through the abundant grace provided
become holy in character and without blame before God by appropriating
that grace, should be children of God.
We owe everything to grace, free grace, sovereign grace. Grace in
the covenant ordained our adoption. Grace in the Saviour effected our
redemption, our regeneration, and our adoption to heirship with Christ.
As we fully believe that we are His by adoption, we may have a foretaste
of heaven.... We have a nearness to Him, and can hold sweet communion
with Him. We obtain distinct views of His tenderness and compassion, and
our hearts are broken and melted with contemplation of the love that is given
to us. We feel indeed an abiding Christ in the soul. We abide in Him, and
feel at home with Jesus.... We have a realizing sense of the love of God, and
we rest in His love. No language can describe it, it is beyond knowledge. We
are one with Christ, our life is hid with Christ in God. We have the assurance
that when He who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with
Him in glory. With strong confidence we can call God our Father.
All who have been born into the heavenly family are in a special sense
the brethren of our Lord. The love of Christ binds together the members of
His family, and wherever that love is manifest there the divine relationship is
revealed....
Love to man is the earthward manifestation of the love of God. It was
to implant this love, to make us children of one family, that the King of
glory became one with us. And when His parting words are fulfilled, “Love
one another, as I have loved you” (
John 15:12
); when we love the world as
He has loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for
heaven; for we have heaven in our hearts.
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