Ephesians 1:5-6. 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.
It is well said, by an old writer, that there is no book, which is written with such brevity as the Bible; it seems to give us the condensed essence of truth in the smallest possible space. What a mass of thought there is in those few lines, which I have just read to you! We see here that we become the children of God by adoption, whatever the universal Fatherhood people may say: "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself;" and that this adoption is the result of predestination, and is not because of our own merits, but "according to the good pleasure of his will." Some systems of theology have much of logic, but little of God; but in Paul’s teaching, it is God first, and last, and midst, and over all.
"To the praise of the glory of his grace." What a wonderful expression this is,-not only "the glory of his grace," but the praise of that glory! God has done all things with a view to magnifying his grace in the hearts of the sons and daughters of men: "wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." There seems to me to be a sacred poem in these words, "accepted in the beloved." To my heart, there is more heavenly music in those four words than in any oratorio I ever heard. "Accepted in the Beloved." Oh, what honey this is in the mouth, what cheer this is in the heart! Are all of you, dear friends, "accepted in the beloved"?
Ephesians 1:5-6. 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.
It is well said, by an old writer, that there is no book, which is written with such brevity as the Bible; it seems to give us the condensed essence of truth in the smallest possible space. What a mass of thought there is in those few lines, which I have just read to you! We see here that we become the children of God by adoption, whatever the universal Fatherhood people may say: "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself;" and that this adoption is the result of predestination, and is not because of our own merits, but "according to the good pleasure of his will." Some systems of theology have much of logic, but little of God; but in Paul’s teaching, it is God first, and last, and midst, and over all.
"To the praise of the glory of his grace." What a wonderful expression this is,-not only "the glory of his grace," but the praise of that glory! God has done all things with a view to magnifying his grace in the hearts of the sons and daughters of men: "wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." There seems to me to be a sacred poem in these words, "accepted in the beloved." To my heart, there is more heavenly music in those four words than in any oratorio I ever heard. "Accepted in the Beloved." Oh, what honey this is in the mouth, what cheer this is in the heart! Are all of you, dear friends, "accepted in the beloved"?