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SONS OF GOD

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 13, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 41.

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SONS OF GOD.

By H. P. B.

[A Bible Study.]
“We are all sons of God,” you and many others say. Yes; Adam was the son of God.
“Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Luke 3:38, R.V.
But how long did he remain the son of God?
“And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.” Gen. 3:17–19, 23.
Had not Adam received dominion as well as sonship?
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion.” Gen. 1:28.
Like Esau, Adam sold his birthright—his heritage. Had he then anything left to bestow upon his children?
“For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” “Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands [weight] of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” Isa. 52:3, 2. Captive under sin, through disobedience.
The human family have nothing with which to redeem themselves; is there not, then, a ransom provided?
“And Thou, O Tower of the flock [the great Shepherd], the Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” Micah 4:8.
“Ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” “and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.” Heb. 12:22, 24.
Who shall inherit this city and this dominion?
The race of Adam. “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.” Rev. 21:24.
When shall this restoration take place?
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain with us until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Rom. 8:22, 23, R.V., margin.
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality,” as “flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 15:53, 50.
“And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land.” Eze. 37:13, 14.
“Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5.
Thus the mortal children of Adam, who have no estate through him, are to have the first dominion restored by the Redeemer, even to as many as believe on His name.
What are they called?
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” 1 John 3:1, 2.
Why?
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19.
“Ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6:20.
Thus we become sons and heirs of God through belief and obedience unto salvation by faith.
“And it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He [the Redeemer] shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2.
Let this hope be in you. H. P. B.
New Orleans, La.