Then he becomes his own master. He can
inherit and possess property of his own after that. And from that
time forth the law does not bind him to obey his father; if he obeys
him it is of his own free will, because he loves, and trusts, and
reverences his father.
Now, St. Paul says, this is the case with us. When we were infants,
we were in bondage under the elements of the world; kept straight, as
children are, by rules which they cannot understand, by the fear of
punishment which they cannot escape, with no more power to resist
their father than slaves have to resist their master. But when the
fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,
born under a law, that He might redeem those who were under a law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.
As much as to say: You were God's CHILDREN all along: but now you
are more; you are God's sons. You have arrived at man's estate; you
are men in body and in mind; you are to be men in spirit, men in
life. You are to look up to the great God who made heaven and earth,
and know, glorious thought! that He is as truly your Father as the
men whose earthly sons you call yourselves. And if you do this, He
will give you the Spirit of adoption, and you shall be able to call
Him Father with your hearts, as well as with your lips; you shall
know and feel that He is your Father; that He has been loving,
watching, educating, leading you home to Him all the while that you
were wandering in ignorance of Him, in childish self-will, and
greediness after pleasure and amusement.
Pages:
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505