1. Foreknown!
AS the morning sheds its light once more over our land of Christian liberty, let us sit and meditate upon the wonderful ways of God. We lay our hand upon our heart as we whisper― “Foreknown” Just as I am—foreknown. Once an enemy to God by wicked works, guilty before God—yes, all true; nevertheless, as such foreknown. Now IN Christ, forgiven, and for me, no condemnation―no separation. All foreknown by my God.
2. Predestinated
A destiny, yet not of earthly glory, or honor. Higher by far, beyond and above all such elevations. And what is my destiny―my end? “Predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son” ―to be assimilated to the image of the glorious Christ of God. How wonderful! The very crown and robe of heaven will be but the natural accompaniments, as it were, of the majesty and excellence of the eternal glory which is my destiny.
3. Called!
We are saints by the calling of God. We were not born saints, we did not become saints by our works; but God called us when in our sins, and we heard His voice, and He has made us what we are in Christ. The call was a personal one. “I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto Me and rest.” The word of God came to our individual hearts in His sovereign goodness and grace, and thus we are His.
4. Justified!
Justified by God―once unjust, now justified. Once unrighteous, now the righteousness of God in Christ. And justified in this lifetime. We are not waiting for this. It is our present portion. And since God is our Justifier, who shall lay anything to our charge?
5. Glorified!
The great foundation of every spiritual blessing of which we boast is God. “Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. . . . them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Past, present, and future are here all before us, and the future is regarded as present― “He also glorified.” Such is the Gospel of God. “What shall we then say to these things?”