VI. GOD'S GIFT OF HIS SON
`For God so loved the world, that He have
His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but
have eternal life.' -- John 3:16
`Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.'
-- 2 Cor. 9:15
Thus dear did God hold the world. How
dear? That He gave His only-begotten Son for every one in the world who will
trust in Him. And how did He give? He gave Him, in His birth as man, in order
to be for ever one with us. He gave Him, in His death on the cross as Surety,
in order to take our sin and curse upon Himself. He gave Him on the throne of
heaven, in order to arrange for our welfare, as our Representative and
Intercessor over all the powers of heaven. He gave Him in the outpouring of
the Spirit, in order to dwell in us, to be entirely and altogether our own.
(John 1:14,16; 14:23; Rom. 5:8; 8:32,34; Eph. 1:22; 3:17; Col. 2:9-10; Heb.
7:24,26; 1 John 4:9-10) Yes; that is the love of God, that He gave His Son to
us, for us, in us.
Nothing less than His Son Himself. This is the
love of God; not that He gives us something, but that He gives us some one -- a
living person -- not one or another blessing, but Him in whom is all life and
blessing -- Jesus Himself. Not simply forgiveness, or revival, or
sanctification, or glory does He give us; but Jesus, His own Son. The Lord
Jesus is the beloved, the equal, the bosom-friend, the eternal blessedness of
the Father. And it is the will of the Father that we should have Jesus as
ours, even as He has Him. (Matt. 11:27; John 17:23,25; Rom. 8:38-39; Heb.
2:11) For this end He gave Him to us. The whole of salvation consists in
this: to have, to possess, to enjoy Jesus. God has given His Son, given Him
wholly to become ours. (Ps. 73:25; 142:6; John 20:28; Heb. 3:14)
What have we, then, to do? To take Him, to
receive and to appropriate to ourselves the gift, to enjoy Jesus as our own.
This is eternal life. `He that hath the Son hath life.' (John 1:12; 2 Cor.
3:13,5; Col. 2:6; 1 John 5:12)
How I do wish, then, that all young Christians
may understand this. The one great work of God's love for us is, He gives us
His Son. In Him we have all. Hence the one great work of our heart must be to
receive this Jesus who has been given to us, to consider Him and use Him as
ours. I must begin every day anew with the thought, I have Jesus to do all for
me. (John 15:5; Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:3; 2:10; Phil. 4:13; 2 Tim.
1:12) In all weakness or darkness or danger, in the case of every desire or
need, let your first thought always be, I have Jesus to make everything right
for me, for God has given Him to me. Whether your need be forgiveness or
consolation or confirmation, whether you have fallen, or are tempted to fall,
into danger, whether you know not what the will of God is in one or another
matter, or know that you have not the courage and the strength to do this will,
let this always be your first thought, the Father has given me Jesus to care
for me.
For this purpose, reckon upon this gift of God
every day as yours. It has been presented to you in the word. Appropriate the
Son in faith on the word. Take Him anew every day. Through faith you have the
Son. (John 1:12; 1 John 5:9,13) The love of God has given the Son. Take Him,
and hold Him fast in the love of your heart. (1 John 4:4,19) It is to bring
life, eternal life, to you that God has given Jesus. Take Him up into your
life; let heart and tongue and whole walk be under the might and guidance of
Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:15; Phil 3:8) Young Christian, so weak and so sinful,
listen, pray, to that word. God has given you Jesus. He is yours. Taking is
nothing else but the fruit of faith. The gift is for me. He will do all for
you.
O my Lord Jesus, today anew, and every day, I take Thee. In all
Thy fulness, in all Thy relations, without ceasing, I take Thee for myself.
Thee, who art my Wisdom, my Light, my Leader, I take as my Prophet. Thee, who
dost perfectly reconcile me, and bring me near to God, who dost purify and
sanctify me and pray for me, I take as my Priest. Thee, who dost guide and
keep and bless me, I take as my King. Thou, Lord, art All, and Thou art wholly
mine. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Amen.
1. Ponder much the word Give.
God gives in a wonderful way: from the heart, completely for nothing, to the
unworthy. And He gives effectually. What He gives He will really make
entirely our possession, and inwardly appropriate for us. Believe this, and
you shall have the certitude that Jesus will, to the full, come into your
possession, with all that He brings.
2. Ponder much also that other word Take. To
take Jesus, and to hold Him fast and use Him when received, is our great work.
And that taking is nothing but trusting. He is mine with all that He has.
Take Jesus -- the full Jesus -- every day as yours. This is the secret of the
life of faith.
3. Then weigh well also the word Have. `He
that hath the Son hath light.' What I have is mine, for my use and service. I
can dispose of it, and can have the full enjoyment of it. `He that hath the
Son hath life.'
4. Mark especially that what God gives, and
what you take, and what you now have, is nothing less than the living Son of
God.
Do you receive this?