man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4: 24)? "The new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Col. 3: 10).

CHILDREN OF GOD MADE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD.

THE Scriptures tell us that the children of God are born again, are created anew, and also, made alive from the dead. No stronger language can be used to show that the work of redemption is entirely, from beginning to end, of God. No child has ever caused its own birth; no creature has created itself; no dead thing has ever brought itself to life. In Ezekiel we have a vivid description of the state of the natural man, and of the church at times. He saw a valley full of bones and they were very dry. And He was commanded to say unto them, "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, "behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.” ***"And ye shall know that I am the Lord." He prophesied accordingly, and, "behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone." * "The sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them." He was commanded to prophecy again, and he did so, "and the breath came into them and they lived." (Ezek. 37: 1-14). "Wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and

**

Christ shall give thee light." (Eph. 5: 14). Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5: 24). "He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3: 36). Believers in Christ Jesus are told, "You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2: 1).

THE CHILDREN OF GOD CHOSEN BY HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION

OF THE WORLD.

We have seen that the children of God, are born again; created anew; raised from the dead; and that this is not by their own will, nor by the will of others, but of God. The children of God are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; not because they were holy; or because of good works, "lest they should boast," but they "were created in Christ Jesus unto good works," and that they "should be holy." Paul writes, to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1: 1-12). Paul then tells them, of the

"exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. * * * But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 1: 19; 2: 1, 4, 8). To the "beloved of God, called saints," in Rome, the same truth is taught. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,

*