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The One Vast Gift of God, January 7
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians 2:15
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Those who receive Christ by faith will be looked upon by Heaven
as precious pearls for which the merchantman has paid an infinite price,
and the human agents who find Christ will realize that they have found a
heavenly treasure. They will be anxious to sell all that they have in order
to buy the field which contains this treasure. As they contemplate the love
of God, as the plan of salvation opens to their view, as the mystery of
Christ’s condescension becomes plainer to them, as they see the sacrifice
that He made for them, they count nothing too dear to give up for His
sake. The more they dwell upon the wonderful love of God, the vaster
becomes its proportion, and the brightness of the glory of God becomes
too glorious for mortal vision.
The Lord God of heaven collected all the riches of the universe, and
laid them down in order to purchase the pearl of lost humanity. The Father
gave all His divine resources into the hands of Christ in order that the
richest blessings of heaven might be poured out upon a fallen race. God
could not express greater love than He has expressed in giving the Son of
His bosom to this world. This gift was given to man to convince him that
God had left nothing undone that He could do, that there is nothing held
in reserve, but that all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift. The
present and eternal happiness of man consists in receiving God’s love,
and in keeping God’s commandments.
Christ is our redeemer. He is the Word that became flesh and dwelt
among us. He is the fountain in which we may be washed and cleansed
from all impurity. He is the costly sacrifice that has been given for the
reconciliation of man. The universe of heaven, the worlds unfallen, the
fallen world, and the confederacy of evil cannot say that God could do
more for the salvation of man than He has done. Never can His gift be
surpassed, never can He display a richer depth of love. Calvary represents
His crowning work.... The Lord would have His followers enraptured
with God through the knowledge of His paternal character.
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