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The Nature and Blessedness of Sonship with God

Back to SERMONS Samuel Davies


Next Part The Nature and Blessedness of Sonship with God 2


"Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us—that we should be called the sons of God! Therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear—we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is!" 1 John 3:1-2

Though the schemes of divine Providence run on with the most consummate harmony, and will at last terminate in the wisest ends—yet, to the undiscerning eyes of mortals, confusion seems to reign through this world; and nothing appears in this infant state of things—in that light in which eternity, the state of maturity, will represent everything.

This remark is particularly exemplified in the dispensations of grace towards the heirs of heaven. Though they are not in such unmingled darkness, even in this region of ignorance and uncertainty, as to have no evidences at all of their being the objects of divine love, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit—but may, in some shining moments, at least, conclude that they are even now the sons of God; yet they can form no adequate ideas of the immensity of that love which has adopted them as the sons of God, and made them heirs of heaven—who were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

There are indeed such rays of this divine love, that make us stand and pause in delightful astonishment, exclaiming, "Behold! What manner of love is this! How great, how vast, how immense, how unaccountable, how incomprehensible—is that love which has given us—us rebellious sinners and heirs of ruin—the title of the sons of God, and the many privileges of such a wondrous relationship! Behold! What sort of unheard of, unparalleled love is this!"

Behold it with intense observation and grateful wonder!

You trifling sons of men—abstract your thoughts from the toys of earth, and here fix your attention! Look here and gaze, until you are so transported with the survey of this love, as to be engaged to the most vigorous endeavours to be partakers of it.

Our brethren in grace—who share in the same privilege, you may especially pause, behold, and wonder! Let all your admiring powers exert themselves to the utmost in the contemplation of that love which has bestowed upon you so gracious, so honourable a distinction, as that of sons of the King of heaven!

And you blessed inhabitants of heaven—who know the import of this glorious title, and the riches of the inheritance reserved for us; you angels who are happy in your Maker's goodness—but have not been distinguished with redeeming grace—look down from your celestial thrones, look down to this contemptible earth, and view the greatest exploit of divine, infinite love! For surely no achievement of almighty grace among your various orders through the limitless heavens, can equal this—that we rebellious worms, should be called the sons of God, the highest title which you can imagine. Behold, and wonder, and adore with us—and supply our defects of praise! You see farther into the secrets of this mystery of love than we in our present state, who can only pause in silent admiration, or vent our blind conjectures upon it. Behold! What manner of love is this! Therefore unloose all your contemplative powers upon a theme you can so deeply penetrate.

Farther, As the sons of God in their present state cannot comprehend that love which has conferred this title upon them; so they know not fully the glorious import of the title! They only know in general, that when He appears—they shall be like him—but they do not exactly and fully know what that likeness is! It does not yet appear, even to themselves—what they shall be. Their liveliest imagination can form no adequate ideas what glorious creatures they will before long be—they are utter strangers to their future selves. They know themselves only at present in their infancy; but when these little children of God, these babes in grace, arrive at their adult age, and grow up to the fullness of the stature of Christ—they will be prodigies to themselves, and mysterieswhich they cannot now conceive!

In this world we are accustomed to little and obscure things, and our thoughts are like their objects; we see nothing sufficiently glorious to suggest to us any proper images of the glory of the sons of God, when they come to maturity, and enter upon the inheritance to which they are born. The splendour of the meridian sun, the grandeur of kings, and the parade of nobles, are but obscure shadows of the glory and magnificence of the lowest pious beggar, of the poorest Lazarus that ever languished upon earth, and is now arrived at heaven! The difference is greater than that between Job upon the dung-hill, lying in ashes, and covered with ulcers—and Solomon in all his glory.

However, amidst all bur ignorance, we may rest confident in this: that if we are now the children of God—then we shall be conformed to him when he appears to us in all his glory, on the other side of death; and especially when he appears in the clouds in all the majesty of the universal judge, when every eye shall see him! And though we should know no more than this in general, we may rest implicitly satisfied, that we shall be inconceivably glorious and happy—since the perfection of our nature consists in conformity to God.

We may be sure that that state which the apostle here, by unerring inspiration, calls a likeness to God, the standard of all excellency, must be as perfect as our nature can bear. The apostle having said, that "when he shall appear, we shall be like him;" then adds, "for we shall see him as he is!" This vision of the blessed God in his unveiled glory may be here mentioned, either as the evidence, or, as the cause of our likeness to God, when he shall appear.

Considering it as an EVIDENCE, the meaning is, "It is evident that we shall be in some measure like God when he appears, otherwise we could not bear the full vision of his glories; we could not see him and live!" It is also evident the apostle here speaks of the vision of God as a happiness, and the blessed privilege of his sons.

Now to see God could afford no pleasure—to such as are not like to him: they would be shocked and confounded at the sight, and shrink from it! And by how much the clearer the vision—by so much the more they would hate him, because by so much the more they would discover his contrariety to them. Therefore it is a sufficient evidence of our likeness to God, that we can bear the vision of his unveiled perfections with pleasure—for none that are unlike to him can bear it.

Considering the passage in the other view, which probably was what the apostle intended, as the CAUSE of likeness to him, it means, that the full and direct views of him will be transformative, and efficacious to change the beholders into his likeness. As the light shining upon glass renders it transparent, or as the sun diffuses its lustre into a diamond, and gives it an intrinsic radiancy—so the discoveries of the divine perfections will impress their image upon the minds they illuminate.

Their views will not be superficial and speculative, nor attract an idle gaze—but they shall be vital, efficacious, and impressive; and no wonder if such views, which we now know so little of, should produce a perfection we can now so little conceive. If the sons of God are such strangers to the riches of their present title, and the dignity and glory of their future selves—no wonder that a blind world should not know them. If it does not yet appear to themselves what they shall be—much less does it appear to others, who are strangers to their heavenly Father, who know not his lineaments, and therefore cannot discern his children by their resemblance to him.

This the apostle may intimate when he says, "It does not appear," (that is, it does not appear to others,) what we shall be; and we are led to this sense by the former verse, therefore the world, the general run of mankind, who are strangers to God, know us not. That is, they do not distinguish, love, and honour us, who are children of God—because they know him not. As they are ignorant of our Father, and disregard him—so they accordingly treat us. They look upon us with contempt, and are wholly ignorant of our heavenly extraction and dignity, and thus it will be—until we shine in all the glory of the children of so illustrious a king, and possess the inheritance of the saints in light! Then, to their confusion, they shall discern the difference between the righteous and the wicked. I shall,

I. Show you what is the import of the glorious title, the sons of God.

II. Mention some instances of the present ignorance of the sons of God, with regard to their future state.

III. Show in what respects they are mistaken and unknown to the world.


I. I shall show what is the import of this glorious title, the sons of God.

It is evident that the title is used here, not in so general a sense, as elsewhere, where it signifies no more than the creatures of God, (Acts 17:28, 29,) for here it is mentioned as the peculiar privilege of true Christians, in which the world in general does not partake. In the sense of the text, it implies:
that believers are born again of God;
that they are admitted to enjoy the privileges of God's children; 
and that they are the heirs of heaven.

1. To be the sons of God, implies that they are regenerated, or born of him.

He is a son, who is begotten and born; and therefore to be a child of God, supposes that we are begotten by him. This seems to be the peculiar foundation of that sonship the apostle here has immediately in view; for it is the thought of being born of God, mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing chapter, that seems to introduce the text, and bring him to the fourth verse of this chapter, into that transported exclamation, "Behold! what manner of love is this, that we should be called the sons of God!"

This new birth you have often heard me describe, as a thorough universal change of a corrupt, rebellious sinner—into an affectionate, penitent, obedient servant of God. His views of things, and dispositions towards them, are happily altered—which in turn, produce a corresponding change in his practice. But I cannot enlarge on this, without excluding the other subjects of my discourse.

I pray God that you would seriously consider the importance of this spiritual birth, and not vainly deem yourselves as the sons of God—while you are strangers to it. You may as well become the sons of men without being generated by human parents, as the sons of God without being regenerated by supernatural grace! For the Scripture has repeatedly declared the absolute necessity of the new birth in various terms. All who become the children of God are born of him, and not of blood, or by natural generation, nor of the will of the flesh, or by any natural inclinations of theirs, nor of the will of man, or by the best endeavours of others with them. John 1:12, 13. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be-gets them again, 1 Peter 1:3; and creates them anew, Ephes. 2:10; so that old things are passed away, and behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17. And Christ himself, who best knows the terms of admission into heaven, has assured us with a "truly, truly, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3, 5. And this is the declaration of infallible inspiration, that neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; that is, a conformity to the externals of the Jewish or Christian religion—is of no avail to salvation—but the new creature. Galatians 6:15.

2. Those who are the sons of God—are admitted to enjoy the privileges of God's children; and this is implied in their title.

God here treats us with his usual condescension in expressing divine things—in the humble language of mortals; by metaphors borrowed from affairs among men, that are familiar to us. Therefore from an idea of the usual privileges which a child enjoys from a gracious and powerful father, and leave proper room for the infinitely superior perfections of our heavenly Father to those of the most excellent human parents, and you may from the analogy know something of the peculiar privileges of the children of God.

A son, you know, has liberty of access to his father, however great; he obtains his requests. He has the guardianship and compassion of his father; and is seasonably corrected by him for his good. And thus our heavenly Father deals with the children of his grace.

He gives them liberty of access to him in prayer and the institutions of the gospel. He not only allows them to attend upon his ordinances, which many do who continue strangers to him—but at times he enlarges their hearts, so that they find themselves near him; they are admitted into the presence-chamber in free audience with him, and pour out all their hearts before him, vent their complaints, beg a supply of their needs, and render their grateful acknowledgements for his mercies. This temper of mind is so suitable to their relations as the sons of God, that the Holy Spirit, as the author of it, is called the Spirit of Adoption; and the children of God are not capable of exercising this filial freedom at pleasure—but just as he enables them to draw near with humble boldness to the throne of grace. Romans 8:14,15, 26, 27; Hebrews 10:22, and 2 Corinthians 3:17. And the Holy Spirit, as a Spirit of liberty and adoption, is a privilege entailed upon the sons of God, and which they at times enjoy. Galatians 4:5,6.

Again, As the children of God have liberty to address their Father—so they have the privilege of having their petitions graciously heard and answered. A human parent is ready to give good gifts to his children—and much more is our heavenly Father. Thus Christ reasons in the most familiar and moving manner, in Matthew 7:7-11, and Luke 11:11-13; and he seems to intimate that this privilege is implied in the relation, by repeating the endearing term Father, in Matthew 6:6, 8, 9. "Pray to your Father—and your Father shall reward you; Your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him. After this manner therefore pray—Our Father," etc.

Again, the children of God are entitled to his protection and compassion. His guardian care is celebrated in Psalm 92 and Psalm 121, and his tender compassion in Psalm 103:13; Isaiah 63:9, and in numberless passages that speak of his affections of mercy, his compassion's, etc.

Another privilege of the children of God is, that they are seasonably corrected by his fatherly chastening. This indeed they are too apt to count a calamity—rather than a privilege; but since his correction is necessary for their reformation; since it proceeds from the benevolence of a Father—and not from the vengeance of an incensed judge; since it is intended for their benefit—and not for their destruction; since they are supported under it—and it has a proper measure and seasonable end; and since it will be more than compensated with future rewards—then it follows that their chastisement is one of their blessings, and as such it seemspromised rather than threatened, and mentioned as a badge of the sons of God, Psalm 89:30-34, Hebrews 12:5-11; and many of the children of God have found reason to praise him for his wholesome severity. Psalm 119:67, 68, 71. Upon this principle, James exhorts them to rejoice when they enter into divers temptations, James 1:2; and Peter tells them that they will befall them only if need be. 1 Peter 1:6.

3. The children of God are heirs of the heavenly inheritance, and their relation implies a title to it.

They are born to a crown, begotten to "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—reserved in heaven for them!" 1 Peter 1:3, 4. "If we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." Romans 8:16, 17; Galatians 4:7. And how vast their inheritance is, you may learn from Revelation 21:7, and 1 Corinthians 3:21, 22.

What advancement is this—to base, sinful, miserable creatures! Out of prison they come—to reign with Christ! They are raised from the dung-hill, and set among the princes of heaven! No wonder the apostle should exclaim, "Behold! what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us—that we should be called the sons of God!"

Thus I have briefly shown you the glorious import of your relation, the sons of God; and you see it should be the greatest concern of each of you to inquire whether you bear it. To determine this point, I need only tell you, that if you are the children of God, you have been supernaturally begotten by him, as I observed before, (James 1:18,) and you have the temper of dutiful childrentowards him, particularly you reverence and honour him; (Mal. 1:6;) you love and fear to offend him, and cheerfully do his will, and mourn over your undutifulness; you are partakers of his divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4; and bear the lineaments of his holiness.

But if it is otherwise with you, as I fear it is with many; if you are not conformed to the moral perfections of God and bear his image; if you have not the dispositions of dutiful children towards him—but the temper of the devil, and do his works—then you are of your father the devil! And though you may resent this, as the Jews did, the charge is fixed upon you. Therefore awaken all the importunity of your souls, and cry to him for regenerating grace, that you also may become the sons and daughters of the living God. But if you find in yourself these characters of the children of God which I just now mentioned, then "rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!" You are happier than princes, more great and honorable than the sons of earthly kings. You cannot now form any ideas what miracles of glory and blessedness your Father will make of such base, guilty, and wretched things as yourselves! Which introduces what I next proposed.


II. To mention some instances of the ignorance of the sons of God, with regard to their future state.

It is true indeed, and some of you, I doubt not, know it by experience, that the children of God in some shining moments enjoy foretastes of heaven; and even now, "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory," 1 Peter 1:8. Just as a child stumbles upon a manly thought: and as the first dawnings of reason may give a child some obscure hint of the masterly reasoning's of a mature genius; so from these foretastes of heaven, the sons of God may form some faint ideas of the perfection of its happiness in full enjoyment.

They find these dispositions feebly working in them now, which, when brought to perfection, will constitute their blessedness; and they now find so much real happiness in the exercise of such dispositions, though in an imperfect degree—as fully convinces them that nothing is necessary to make them completely happy, but the perfection of such exercises, and an entire freedom from contrary principles. But what this perfection is—they have not yet experienced; their highest thoughts fall short of it—and it does not yet appear to them what they shall be, in the following particulars:


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