Magasine of Christian Literature, with Special Beference to the MARCH 1, 1868. "ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED." "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted [or hath bestowed his favour upon us] in the Beloved."-Ephes. i. 6. AT the time the epistle from which these words are taken was ad dressed to "the saints at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus," they were in such a spiritual condition, and so blameless in their outward character, that the Spirit of God, by the apostle, not having to rebuke, could give himself to the more blessed work of unfolding to them their eternal portion in Christ. This is indeed the Spirit's promised work, even as our Lord Jesus said, "He shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you." Judgment is God's "strange work, but He delighteth in mercy; even so may it be said that rebuke is the Holy Spirit's strange work, and that his delight is in taking of the things of Christ, and showing them to us who believe, unfolding to our hearts" the mercies of God," in Christ. And the children of God may learn a lesson of great practical value from this fact, for there is an intimate connexion between our daily walk with God, and enjoyment of his truth. It rests with ourselves whether we, as believers, shall know the Spirit of God as a rebuker or a comforter. In the first epistle to the Church at Corinth how much rebuke do we find, when they might have had such teaching as we find in this epistle to the saints at Ephesus. (1 Cor. iii. 1, 2, 3.) There are three leading thoughts we shall seek to follow out as arising naturally out of the text at the head of this paper. Our (I.) Our salvation is to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. (II.) The fulness of that glory is shown by the standing of acceptance God has given to us who believe. March 1, 1868. III.) Our acceptance in "the Beloved " is complete the moment we believe in Him, and distinct from the question of attainment or growth in the new life. (I.) Our salvation is to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. It is not to creation we are to look for the manifestation of grace. However beneficent the great Creator may be, and however much He may fill all parts of his creation with proofs of his loving kindness and goodness, yet this may all be without any manifestation of grace. We cannot be too frequently reminded of the meaning of this oft-repeated word. Grace means undeserved favour. There is no word so difficult of comprehension to our selfish and contracted hearts. It Our The words of our text are words of intense fulness of meaning. is not alone grace that is here spoken of, but the glory of grace. salvation is said to be to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. Now, that any act of kindness may possess the character of an act of grace it is needful that the object of it should be wholly unworthy. It is seldom that man is found wholly undeserving of kindness from his fellow-man, for man worships and serves the creature more than the Creator. But let man be judged in relation to God, and let his condition be fully brought to light, and it will soon be seen what opportunity that condition presents to "the God of all grace" to manifest undeserved favour. That perfectly lost and ruined condition of alienation from God, yea, even of enmity against God, which was needed for the manifestation of grace, shall be seen to exist in fallen man. Man's state toward God affords the moral scene for the display of God's grace. And as it is said concerning "the faith or faithfulness of God" in Rom. iii. that through the "lie" or falsehood of man the truth of God hath more abounded to his glory, even so may it be said of man's sin generally that it has afforded the opportunity for the greatest manifestation of the glory of the God of all grace. The objection, too, which might be raised to this as though we said "Let us continue in sin that grace may abound," is the very objection the apostle meets in his argument in that part of the Epistle to the Romans to which I have referred. And how does he there meet this objection? He meets this objection just as he meets that other objection which in chapter ix. of the same epistle he supposes would be raised against his statement of the sovereignty of the grace of God. The objection considered in Rom. iii. is thus stated: "But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?" And the objection raised against the sovereign clection of grace in Chapter ix. is thus stated and replied March 1, 1868. to—" Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?" Such is the way in which the Scripture meets all such unbelieving objections to God's ways of grace. The apostle does not come down to reason with such objectors, but rebukes them as disqualifying God to be, what all acknowledge He is, the judge of the world, and replying against Him. In Rom. iii. the apostle regards "the unbelief," and "unrighteousness," and "lie" of man as the basis of that setting forth of the faithfulness and truth of God, by way of contrast, which we do find in the Gospel. Even so with regard to the grace of God in man's salvation. Had man not been perfectly lost, and not only an enemy but "enmity" itself against the blessed God, there would not have been the opportunity for the showing forth of grace on the part of God. These two stand or fall together-man's totally ruined condition, and salvation by grace. "And if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace." And again it is written, "Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die, but God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." This is our salvation to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. (II.) The fulness of that glory is shown by the standing of acceptance God has given us who believe. We find, from the close of this first chapter of Ephesians, that it was after Christ had ascended up far above all principality and power, and every name that is named, &c., that God gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church. The second chapter of the same epistle shows us our union with Him out of death, for we are said to be "quickened together with Him, and raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." In the text we are considering this is all involved, and included, for there we are told that God hath made us accepted or bestowed his favour upon us in the Beloved. The close of the first chapter, and the opening of the second, reveal the wondrous way by which we have reached that standing in the Beloved. Now, the fulness of the glory of this free favour of God appears in his having given to sinners such a standing. Mark, also, how the Holy Ghost would have us realize the perfect favour in which we stand by the title which He here gives the Lord Jesus. "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved," are his words. Could anything surpass such a standing as this? It takes us quite out of ourselves. We are to fix and centre our thoughts upon Him who is "the Beloved" of the Father, and on the authority of this word believe, despite all our frames and feelings, March 1, 1868. that we are accepted in Him. We are to believe that God at all times sees every believer perfect in his perfection, beautiful in his beauty, and glorious in his glory. He, in his exaltation, "far above every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come," is the glorious Head, and the feeblest believer is a member, and is accepted in Him. There are, before God, but two great Heads of the human race-the first Adam, and the last Adam, who is "the Lord from Heaven." In one or other of these two Heads God views every man. All, except those who have been quickened together with Christ, He sees in the first fallen Head; and all who have been quickened by the Holy Ghost He sees risen, and ascended, and accepted in the second or last Head. Jesus is the last Adam. There will never be another Head of the human family. If we are not accepted in Him we must remain unaccepted for ever. (III.) Our acceptance in "the Beloved" is complete the moment we believe in Him, and is distinct from the question of attainment or growth in the new life. In order to the peace of our souls and the strength of our hearts in the daily conflicts of the Christian life, it is of the greatest moment that we should be clear in our apprehension of this fact. Failure here will weaken us everywhere. The man who fails to enjoy his acceptance in the Beloved will, however sincere he may be, go without the realized sunshine of God's countenance of love, which ever beholds the face of his Beloved with infinite complacency and delight. Such a man will walk in darkness, knowing not whither he goeth. He who fails to enjoy this glorious holy standing which belongs to every child of God-even the weakest and most unworthy-shall be found ever analysing his own corrupt heart, and seeking there in vain for some ground of confidence toward God. O, my brethren, let us beware of failing, through unbelief, to enjoy what God has so freely given, and thus robbing Him of his glory, even the praise due unto his name, and ourselves of our present inheritance of peace and strength. The subject of growth in grace, and spirituality is a very important subject in its own place, but it is a very distinct branch of truth from that upon which we are now dwelling. It is the result or effect of which the truth of our union to Christ, and our acceptance in Him is, when rightly held and enjoyed, the never-failing cause. And as the knowledge of our acceptance in the Beloved is the beginning, so also is it the end, or sustaining power to the end. Only in Him can the soul, often wearied with self and many conflicts, find rest. Let us, then, rejoice in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh. Nothing will so promote our growth in the new life as our rejoicing in Him. March 1, 1868. He is 66 our life," and when we grow we "grow up into Him in all things." And this standing is as perfect for the babe in Christ, born but yesterday, as for the most advanced believer. The acceptance we have in Him we have by virtue of what He is, and has accomplished in our stead. The more we enjoy Christ and our acceptance in Him, "the Beloved," the more fruitful shall we be found in every good word and work. The joy of the Lord is our strength. The Lord Himself has said "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for severed from me ye can do nothing." And are we abiding in Him if we are without the enjoyment of our acceptance in Him? If not, how, then, can we be fruitful branches of the true vine? Let us, then, beloved in Christ, awake to the importance of the realization, by faith, of our acceptance in the Beloved. Our own peace, and joy, and strength depend upon it, and our fruitfulness to the glory of God no less depends upon it. Let us abide in Him. Let us rejoice in Him in whom as risen, ascended, and glorified we are accepted and adopted. Let us also cherish the thought that in our salvation our God, who is the God of all grace, has found his chief delight and joy, as the parable of the prodigal, and the whole testimony of his word may show us. In connection with us men, and our salvation is the brightest manifestation of his character to be seen. In the face or person of Jesus Christ is the true moral glory of God revealed. We who believe in Him are destined to show, as 66 the vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory," the exceeding riches of his grace in the ages to come. As it is written after our exaltation and blessing in Christ are described-" that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Here we find God's great object in connection with his own glory declared; and what must that kindness be which will be sufficient to show out the exceeding riches of the grace of God? How immeasurably beyond our comprehension now! And are we verily the objects of this grace in Christ Jesus? If so, shall we not live to Him, giving up ourselves to his service? He is indeed deserving of our best affections and energies. Shall we ever feel that we have loved our Lord too much, or served him too well? Is there not likewise a reward connected with the service of the Lord Jesus which no other service can pretend to hold out? Yes, my brethren, a present and an everlasting reward. In conclusion, I would say a word to those who, being unbelievers, are, in their present state, abiding under the wrath of God. To you, O my fellow-sinners, I |