Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/239

 We are saved from the wretched state ot sin and alienation from God, and instead of being human sinners we are hu- man sons y and now, because we are sons, God speaks to us as such. During the Gospel age he has been calling for the "little flock" of "joint-heirs," saying, "My son, give me thine heart" that is, give yourself, all your earthly powers, your will, your talents, your all, to me, even as Jesus hath set you an example ; and I will make you a son on a higher plane than the human. I will make you a spiritual son, with a spirit body like the risen Jesus " the ex- press image of the Father's person. M If you will give up all of the earthly hopes, ambitions, aims, etc., consecrate the human nature entirely, and use it up in my service, I will give you a higher nature than the rest of your race j I will make you a "partaker of the divine nature "-an "heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, if so le that you suffer with Aim, that you may be also glorified together."

Those who rightly value this prize set before them in the gospel gladly lay aside every weight and run with patience the appointed race, that they may win it* Our works were not called for to secure our justification : our Lord Jesus did all the work that could be done to that end, and when, by faith, we accepted of his finished work, we were justified, lifted to plane N* But now, if we would go further, we cannot go without works. True, we must not lose our faith, else we will thereby lose our justification \ but being justi- fied, and continuing in faith, we are able (through tb* grace given unto us by our begetting of the Spirit) to do works, to bring forth fruit acceptable to God. And God requires

good nature has become depraved. It is then unnatural for a man to be evil, brutal, etc., and natural for him to be God-like. It Is in this, its primary sense, that we use the word nature^ above. We are Justified by Christ to a full return to all the privileges and blessings of our human nature the earthly image of God.

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