Loading…

The Youth’s Instructor

81/477

December 8, 1892

Words to the Young

EGW

“As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Those who consent to be led by the Spirit of God will be illuminated and sanctified. They will discern the hatefulness of sin and the beauty of holiness. They will esteem it a great honor to be called the sons of God, knowing that they are wholly unworthy to be associated with Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father. Christ took upon him our nature, that he might associate us with himself. He suffered in the flesh suffered like a man, suffered with humanity, that he might be fully able to become the Captain of our salvation, being made a perfect Saviour through his sufferings, that he might bring many sons and daughters to God. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” YI December 8, 1892, par. 1

Who can refuse to become sons and daughters of God? Who does not desire to become like Jesus? “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.” Jesus is the head of the race, and (in his prayer for his followers) utters the truth of the unity of all believers. He says: “Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also that shall believe on me through their word: that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” YI December 8, 1892, par. 2

“The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” This glory is the character of Christ, and through his righteousness, what a prospect is opened before the children of God! They may be one with him, as he is one with the Father; they are chosen in him, united with him in interest, and “as he is, so are we in the world.” What a privilege is ours, to be called the sons and daughters of God, to be the objects of God's special love! In the prayer of Christ the relation of the believer to Christ is plainly revealed as one most tender and abiding. Christ loves the heavenly beings that surround his throne, but what shall account for the great love wherewith he hath loved us, who have accepted him as our personal Saviour? The rainbow encircling his throne is a pledge of his covenant of love. All heavenly gifts come to us through the work redemption has wrought, and the graces of his Spirit, the pledge of his word, are but the streams of life that flow from the fountain of his love. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and [because he loved us] sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,” and “not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.” YI December 8, 1892, par. 3

Through the wonderful condescension of God in our behalf, we are entitled to peculiar dignity and honor. To what greater honor could we aspire than to be called the children of God? What greater rank could we hold, what greater inheritance could we find, than that which comes to those who are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ? “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” YI December 8, 1892, par. 4

Mrs. E. G. White