A Free Gift by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 5, 1906

A Free Gift

By Editor

Editorial

A Free Gift

In one infinite, unmeasured, and immeasurable gift, all gifts, unnumbered and innumerable, were bestowed upon us. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.” “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” The daily blessings which come so constantly that they are called common, are the gifts of heaven provided in the one gift of Jesus for the salvation of humanity. The air which we breathe, the one thing upon which man has been unable to demand toll in some way, the water which we drink, and the food which we eat, are all gifts of God, even though we co-operate with him in the divine method of bestowing them. The forgiveness of sin, the righteousness of heaven, that life which measures with the life of God—all spiritual blessings are bound up in the one free gift of Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” “O, let us contemplate the amazing sacrifice that has been made for us! Let us try to appreciate the labor and energy that heaven is expending to reclaim the lost and bring them back to the Father’s house. Motives stronger, and agencies more powerful, could never be brought into operation,—the exceeding rewards of right-doing, the enjoyment of heaven, the society of the angels, the communion and love of God and his Son, the elevation and extension of all our powers throughout eternal ages,—are not these mighty incentives and encouragements to urge us to give the heart’s loving service to our Creator and Redeemer?” “My son, give me thine heart.”

“Lord, I give myself to thee, O take me as I am!”

The Divine Uplift

The same God who created man in his image in the beginning is seeking to restore that image in him. All the incentives to a higher life which infinite wisdom has devised, and all the power for such a life which heaven can provide, are employed to lift us up to higher ground and to prepare us for companionship, face to face, with the heavenly family. What a mistake it is to turn from these possibilities, and to devote all our time and strength to the sordid purpose of acquiring those possessions which at best we can retain but a short time. To be is better than to own. Likeness to Jesus is better than conformity to this world. “As we discern the perfection of our Saviour’s character, we shall desire to become wholly transformed, and renewed in the image of his purity. The more we know of God, the higher will be our ideal of character, and the more earnest will be our longing to reflect his likeness. A divine element combines with the human when the soul reaches out after God, and the longing heart can say, ‘My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.’” Listen to the call to be like Jesus, and receive the power for the divine uplift.