"Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for giving us through
Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For
consider what He has done--before the foundation of the world He chose
us to become, in Christ, His holy and blameless children living within
His constant care. He planned, in His purpose of love, that we should
be adopted as His own children through Jesus
Christ--that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of with
His which has made us welcome in the everlasting love He bears toward
the Beloved. It is through Him, at the cost of His own blood, that we
are redeemed, freely forgiven through that full and generous grace which
has overflowed into our lives and opened our eyes to the truth. For God
has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this: He
purposes in His sovereign will that all human history shall be
consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in Heaven or earth
shall find its perfection and fulfillment in Him. And here is the
staggering thing--that in all that will one day belong to Him we have
been promised a share (since we were long ago destined for this by the
One who achieves His purposes by His sovereign will), so that we, as the
first to put our confidence in Christ, may bring praise to His glory!
And you too trusted Him, when you heard the message of truth, the gospel
of your salvation. And after you gave your confidence to Him you were,
so to speak, stamped with the promised Holy Spirit as a guarantee of
purchase, until the day when God completes the redemption of what He has
paid for as His own; and that will again be to the praise of His
glory."
Citizens of Heaven
Before the foundation of the world He chose us
Holy and blameless children living within His constant care
In His purpose of love adopted as His own children
Welcome in the everlasting love He bears toward the Beloved
At the cost of His own blood redeemed, freely forgiven
In all that will one day belong to Him promised a share
Stamped with the promised Holy Spirit as a guarantee of purchase
TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY!!!!
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