ALL FOR US by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 30, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 47.

ALL FOR US.

By H. A. St. John

BY H. A. ST. JOHN.

FOR unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Isa. 9:6. Our loving heavenly Father has given to us Christ Jesus the Lord; the best, brightest, and most beautiful Gift at His command. How precious the words of the prophet above quoted, and how thrilling the following record of fulfilment, made by the angel to the shepherds of Bethlehem: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10, 11.

Christ is the invaluable, unspeakable Gift of God to the whole world, both for time and eternity,—a Gift that will never be taken back. Gracious for time, and glorious for eternity, will it be with us if we accept this inestimable Gift. By acceptance we at once become heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, whom the loving Father hath made heir of all things. By accepting Christ we receive and share with Him in all things that the Father has given, or shall hereafter give Him. Let us briefly consider some of the all things given to Jesus, that He will share, and share alike, with all His children.

1. The kingdom. “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me.” Luke 22:29. The little flock of the Good Shepherd will be given a kingdom. He will say to them each and all, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” They were heirs before; then they will inherit. They will take the kingdom and possess it, from one end of heaven to the other, and that, too, forever and ever.

2. The crown. The saints have suffered with Christ, hence they will reign with Him. To each will be given a crown of life, of glory, of immortality. Hence, like Jesus they will ever be kings, reigning conjointly with Christ in the kingdom of glory. Glorious reign! Wonderful exaltation! Who does not want to sit with Jesus on His throne? Then hold fast to Him who is the life, the truth, and the way, and let no man take thy crown.

3. The paradise. To Jesus will be given the restored paradise, enlarged, and re-beautified. So greatly increased in size will it be, that it will easily accommodate all the glorified children of the second Adam, the Lord Jesus. So beautiful will it be that it is designated by the Lord Himself, as “the perfection of beauty.” The followers of Jesus will share with Him in the possession of this incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading paradise.

4. The throne. The highest place of honor and exaltation in any kingdom is the throne. When Jesus, the King of kings, the King of glory, the King in His beauty, shall receive His own kingdom, and sit upon the throne of His glory, the redeemed of the Lord shall sit with Him in His throne. This honor and exaltation awaits all who are joint-heirs with Him of all things embraced in the inheritance of the saints in light.

“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?” Rom. 8:32. And truly the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us, and which will ever surround us, when we shall receive all that He is preparing for us.