1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

of the great reward, the grandest favor in the gift of God, eventhough to other eyes than God's they may seem very unworthy,because of unavoidable weaknesses and imperfections of theflesh.What a full provision is this for us: that, though you be Jew orGentile, bond or free, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, weak orstrong, the promise, the very fatness of the Abrahamic promise,is for you, if you are Christ's, and being conformed to his image.Make your calling and election sure by continuing to conform tohis image, faithfully, unto death."And we know that all things work together for good to themthat love God, to them who are the called according to hispurpose." We are not promised the luxuries of this life--ease,comfort, health, friends, etc., etc. On the contrary, we are forewarnedto expect the very opposite --enemies, persecutions, andthe loss of all things, though we are promised that these ills ofthe present time, patiently and faithfully borne for the truth'ssake, shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternalweight of glory, and that all of them shall work together for ourgood.What then shall we say to these things? If God, with all hispower, and wisdom, and love, be for us, who can be against us?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? Couldhe manifest his love in any stronger way than that? Could heshow us by any stronger evidence, how freely he will give us allthe glorious things which his exceeding great and preciouspromises lead us to hope for? If we would yet more fully assureour faith, let us remember our dear Lord's words--"Fear not,little flock, it is the Father's good pleasure to give you thekingdom;" "for the Father himself loveth you."--Luke 12:32;John 16:27.Well may we then ask, If God be for us, who can be against us?Puny indeed is the arm of flesh that is raised against the saints indefiance of the Almighty. Who shall lay anything to the chargeof God's elect? It is God himself that justifieth. The supremeJudge of the supreme court has acquitted, once forever, all thatare in Christ.Who is he that condemneth? Surely not our Lord Jesus, for healso commended his love toward us in freely giving his life forour redemption. Yea, more, he is even now at the right hand ofGod, making intercession for us,--not in the sense of pleadingwith the Father to do for us what he already planned andarranged to do, but his very presence at the right hand of poweris the constant and availing plea for our salvation, proof thatGod's law was satisfied, that the claims of justice, which wereagainst us, are fully met and forever canceled. Who, then, is hethat condemneth, and seeketh to convince us that we are still