God's plan of redemption was no afterthought with Him. It was not something which He devised to meet an emergency when sin entered the scene; it was a well-laid plan in His eternal counsels. The love of God demanded for its full satisfaction objects on which to bestow itself, and that those objects could and would value it as recipients of its boundless store. He knew that sin would spoil the Adamic earth, but long before the earth existed, His counsels of love purposed to pick up the fallen and degraded sons of Adam in love, and bring them to Himself in righteousness. We may say with the poet:
"That sinners might draw near to Him;
God planned this great, this gracious scheme,
And found the ransom too.”
"According as He hath chosen us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." Eph. 1:4, 5. "According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Eph. 3:11.
The poet G. W. Frazer beautifully expressed this truth in the following words:
"In deep, eternal counsel,
Before the world was made,
Before its deep foundations
On nothingness were laid;
God purposed us for blessing,
And chose us in His Son,
To Him to be conformed,
When here our course was run.”
The measure of the love of God has been seen in giving His beloved Son—"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:9. But there was more: God could only bring us to Himself in conformity to His own character; sin must be put away; His Son must die and suffer the forsaking of God in those three terrible hours of darkness when He the sinless One was made sin. The next verse gives the character of that love: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." v. 10.
How else could we ever have known the love that God had toward us? or how could we have known how He could save us, and yet retain His absolute holiness? The sending of His Son tells us the former, and His propitiatory death shows us the latter.
"Unfathomable wonder!
O mystery divine!”
God the Father's heart has thus been able to express itself in love in bringing poor sinners to Himself, justified from all things, and made His children. And we the redeemed children are brought near to Himself in righteousness where we can drink of the fullness of that love, and in some measure show the response of love. "We love Him, because He first loved us.”
“As many as received Him [Christ], to them gave He the right to be children of God, to those that believe on His name; who have been born, not of blood, nor of flesh's will, nor of man's will, but of God." John 1:12, 13; J.N.D. Trans.
Well did the same Apostle exclaim, "See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God." 1 John 3:1; J.N.D. Trans. Christian reader, let us ponder this truth. May we revel in the expression of the Father's heart to us, and as we thus meditate on His matchless love, may the Holy Spirit brighten in us the reciprocating affection that becomes us.
We who have been brought so near to God are also privileged to utter the same words that His beloved Son used when He was here on earth (Mark 14:36)—"Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).
" ‘Abba,' Father—thus we call Thee.
(Hallowed name!) from day to day;
'Tis Thy children's right to know Thee,
None but children `Abba' say.
This high honor we inherit,
Thy free gift, through Jesus' blood;
God the Spirit, with our spirit,
Witnesseth we're sons of God.
“Abba's purpose gave us being
When in Christ, in that vast plan,
Abba chose the saints in Jesus
Long before the world began;
O what love the Father bore us!
O how precious in His sight!
When He gave the Church to Jesus!
Jesus, His whole soul's delight!
“Though our nature's fall in Adam
Seemed to shut us out from God,
Thus it was His counsel brought us
Nearer still, through Jesus' blood:
For in Him we found redemption,
Grace and glory in the Son;
Oh the height and depth of mercy!
`Christ and we, through grace are one.”
God, having brought us into this relationship where we have the life and nature capable of enjoying Him, also acts as a father toward us. He corrects and disciplines us as His children to the end that we might be partakers of His holiness (Heb. 12:7-11, 1 Peter 1:17). He also feels for us as a father: "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him." Psa. 103:13. And He comforts as a mother would: "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." Isa. 66:13.
These meditations bring us down to the relationship of parents and children. It is in this human relationship we learn in a feeble measure something of our Father's love to us, and of the satisfaction that we derive from our children's responsive love. What a moment it is when the young father and mother see for the first time their own precious child! What a thrilling experience it is when they for the first time hold in their arms that little bundle of life—their own flesh and blood! Surges of affection hitherto unrealized rise in their hearts.
Well did the psalmist say: "Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psa. 127:3-5.
It is reprehensible when a Christian husband and wife seek to escape or to avoid the responsibilities of parenthood. It would be better to remain unmarried than to seek to thwart a chief purpose of marriage. Such ways may be countenanced in the world, but the child of God is not to look to the world for wisdom or guidance.
God in His wisdom may not give children to some couples, but this must be taken as one of His dispensations of love and wisdom, and not be treated with rebellion. There may also be physical troubles that arise that would limit the size of the family, but this is not within our province to discuss. The Word of God says the women that marry are to "bear children, guide the house," etc. 1 Tim. 5:14.
We have known some parents who had long and hard struggles financially while bringing up a family, but God was sufficient for it all, and finally the day came when the straitened circumstances were relieved. Then they had the joy and comfort of children who had come to years. How much many a parent would have lacked in their old age in the way of comfort as well as provision if it had not been for the children God gave them in their youth.
We would especially emphasize the privilege and blessing of being parents. It has its problems, difficulties, and trials, but who can have the heart of a parent who is not one? Many and varied are the lessons which our Father teaches us in the bringing up of children. It is often one of the most instructive courses in the wilderness schooling of the child of God.
"Father, Thy sovereign love has sought
Captives to sin, gone far from Thee;
The work that Thine own Son hath wrought
Has brought us back in peace and free.
“And now as sons before Thy face,
With joyful steps the path we tread,
Which leads us on to that blest place
Prepared for us by Christ our Head.
“Thou gav'st us, in eternal love,
To Him to bring us home to Thee,
Suited to Thine own thought above,
As sons like Him, with Him to be
“In Thine own house. There love divine
Fills the bright courts with cloudless joy;
But 'tis the love that made us Thine,
Fills all that house without alloy.
“O boundless grace! what fills with joy
Unmingled, all that enter there,
God's nature, love without alloy,
Our hearts are given e'en now to share.”