It is well for us to acquaint ourselves with the many deep and wondrous interests we have in God — as, for instance, in His affections, His counsels, and His doings. These things are taught and illustrated in Scripture.
Divine affections, Divine counsels, Divine doings, make us their object. God’s eternity that is past took knowledge of us, having been then chosen, predestinated and written in the Book of Life. Time, in God’s hand, in all its stages or successions, has concerned itself with us. God’s eternity that is to come will owe much of its joy and glory to our history, to that which has been done, in abounding grace, for the redemption of us sinners.
Having chosen us before the world was, He has been training us in the wisdom of His ways in all the ages of the world; and when the world is rolled up like a scroll, we shall still be an object. Heaven acquaints itself with our history — angels gather fresh light and joy from it; and the result of it will be the revelation and full display of the glory of God in all His manifold and infinite perfections forever. What interests in God are these! His righteousness is ours — as His love is ours. We are made “the righteousness of God,” and with the love wherewith Christ is loved, we are loved.
People speak of their large and varied interests, their properties here and there; and they range in thought over these wealthy places, marking them well, and pleasing themselves with the clearness and sureness of their title to them. But do we survey in like delight, our possessions in God, in His affections; His counsels; His eternity, whether past or to come; in time as now under His hand and ordering; in His righteousness; in His works for us and His operations within us through His Son and by His Spirit; in the sufferings He has accomplished, and the glories He has won? What riches! What a blessed truth this is for the soul to seize upon!
The epistles to the Romans and to the Ephesians, among others, show us largely our interests in Divine counsels; John’s epistle shows us our interests in Divine affections. All Scripture tells us how God has been ministering to us in all His arrangements in the successive journeys that time has run, and the place we have already had, or shall have, in His eternity. And the gospel preaches to us our interests in His sufferings, His glories, His righteousness, and the operations of His Spirit.
The saints will be rich in circumstances by-and-by, as now they are rich in God Himself. The kingdom will be established, “the world to come” will shine in its glories, and the saints shall be there. And the saints ought now to be rich towards God, as they are rich in Him, laying out their energies and their advantages, their talents, whatever such be, in His service — as Luke 12:2121So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21) speaks.
Adapted from J. G. Bellett