less, this is the goal to which the whole course of our lives must be directed, even though we cannot reach it till we have finished our course. Let us grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying with Paul: . . neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I-might finish my course with joy” (Acts 20:24). And let us praise God that we have been chosen to be a part of the completed structure. "WHAT SHALL I GIVE?" What can I give to men whose empty eyes Trouble my thinking at this Christ- mastide? Lord, make me humble, loving, strong, and wise, That I may give them Christ, the crucified. . Let me not choose the lesser gifts of earth. That pass in dust and are futility: Lord, at this sacred season of Thy birth, Lead me from giving things to giving Thee! What can I give to Thee, O God above? (There is so little that our God could need). And yet, in all my dreams, Thy heart of love Is wounded still: I see it break and bleed With naught to staunch the flow — except I bring Some ransomed soul, called home from wandering! Helen Frazee-Bower ' a perfect Church throughout all eter nity. When God designed His Church in eternity past He “predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleas ure of His will” (1:5). The American Standard Version makes it clear that the verb translated “predestinated” is “foreordained.” It means to appoint, or to determine beforehand. To what have we been predestinated? Neither this verse nor any other verse in the Bible teaches that God decrees
that some men are foreordained to ever lasting life while others are foreor dained to everlasting death. Christ “gave Himself a ransom for all (I Tim. 2:6), and “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:3, 4). Smith states, “We have been fore ordained unto adoption as sons. The word “adoption” is used only by Paul. To understand its meaning, you must lay aside the idea of the word as used today when, by a legal act, an adult person takes a minor, not his own, into the relation as his child. The adoption of the believer is still future, being a divine act whereby God sets a goal for the believer. Paul states clearly that our adoption is something for which the believer is “waiting” (Rom. 8:23), hav ing been foreordained “unto” adoption. Although we do have here and now the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15), His Presence in us is merely the seal, or guarantee of a future act of son-plac ing. Adoption does not mean son-mak ing, for in .eternity we shall be sons no more, than we are now but, rather, at that time, we shall be properly placed in God’s showcase and displayed as sons. God has predestinated us unto the adoption — it is future. Therefore, His sovereign act of adoption can have nothing whatever to do with His choice of us.” In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul explains how Jesus Christ secured our adoption for us by His death at Cal vary in order that “we might receive” it (Gal. 4:5). Our present standing is that of sons; for, “beloved, now are we the sons of God.” And how wonderful this is! But, adds the Apostle John: “It doth not yet appear what we shall be” (I John 3:2). The fact of our present son -making and our future son -placing were all “according to the good pleas ure of His will.” Our future position, which was God’s choice, was not only His will but His enjoyment. The might iest angel in heaven will not share in the glory of the believer’s future position. 35
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