November 27

The sons of God. - 1 John 3:2.

WE have here to consider a distinguished privilege. It consists in our relation to God. “We are the sons of God.” By this the apostle means much more than our relation to him as our Maker and Benefactor, “in whom we live and move and have our being.” It is very true that we have some claim upon God as being his creatures, for surely he will have “respect to the work of his hands.” But as far as we are sinners we are not the work of his hands,-we are not his children, but the children of the wicked one. But the Christian has experienced a change. He not only feels that there is a relative change accomplished by adoption, but also a personal change accomplished by regeneration; for, as he is adopted, so he is born of God,-new-born,- “born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Therefore, with the name he has the nature, and with the rank he has the heart, of a child. Now, what a privilege does this relation constitute! We know how the Jews prided themselves in having Abraham for their father, and with what pleasure David spake of being son-in-law to the king. Yet all the lines of human nobility are found to originate in one first pair, where all are upon a perfect level. But Christians can go much higher: they are the children of God; and this distinction confers true and real honour, compared with which all human grandeur vanishes into insignificance.

Oh, let us then consider that his wisdom, his power, his greatness, and his love are towards all that stand in this relation to him; and while they gaze upon his works in the earth and in the starry heavens, and reflect upon their number, they can say, My Father made them all, governs them all, upholds them all. Yea, “He doeth according to his pleasure in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth;” and “he doeth all things well!” An earthly parent may be unable to afford relief and tenderness to a child in distress and danger, “but nothing is too hard for the Lord.” This relation gives us free access to God: at all times, under all circumstances, we can enter his presence and spread before him what we are perhaps unwilling to communicate to the dearest fellow-creature upon earth. We ought indeed at all times to entertain the most reverential thoughts of God; nor can we sufficiently adore him; but oh, how blessed it is to feel that he is our Father, and that we are embosomed in his love!

Then as to the tuition of these sons of God: he will not have his children brought up in ignorance, nor will he trust their education to another; the promise is, “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children.” And, moreover, their heavenly Father has secured for them a sufficiency of temporal supplies. He has engaged to feed and clothe them. If, as the Saviour says, “He feeds the fowls of the air and clothes the grass of the field, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?” And, besides all this, Christians have an inheritance reserved in heaven for them.