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of adoption, and then secondly, 
the benefits of adoption. Notice the basis of adoption. 
First, we see the recipients, so all those that are justified. So again, this chapter doesn't 
occur in a vacuum. It is rather situated in what 
we call the order of salvation. So the confession moves in a 
particular trajectory. Basically, you have first principles, 
which are chapters 1 to 6, then the covenant, chapters 7 to 20, 
then God-centered living in chapters 21 to 30, and then the world 
to come in chapters 31 and 32. So in this section on the covenant 
in chapters 7 to 20, you have the covenant defined, chapter 
7, the covenant servant, Christ the mediator in chapter 8, the 
covenantal setting, man in a state of sin, chapter 9, And then the 
covenant blessings, God's acts in chapters 10 to 13. So we've 
seen effectual calling, we've seen justification, we'll see 
adoption this morning and then next time sanctification. And 
then we move to covenant graces, rather man's response by God's 
grace in chapters 14 to 18. So faith, repentance, good works, 
perseverance, and assurance. So adoption is for those who 
are justified freely by God's grace. So again, look with me 
at Acts chapter 17 for just a moment to see something that the Bible 
does acknowledge, but it doesn't overwork it the way that liberalism 
did in the 20th century. I don't mean political liberalism, 
I mean theological liberalism. The Apostle Paul is preaching 
in Athens at what we call the Areopagus, or Mars Hill. It was 
a place where philosophers gathered together to discuss things. And 
they saw the Apostle Paul. They saw that he seemed to be 
a seed peddler, a guy that basically collected bits and pieces of 
philosophy and then sort of put it all together. So they want 
Paul to preach, or they want Paul to teach about this God 
that he is proclaiming. Notice in chapter 17, specifically 
at verse 18. Then certain Epicurean and Stoic 
philosophers encountered him, and some said, what does this 
babbler want to say? Others said he seems to be a 
proclaimer of foreign gods, because he preached to them Jesus and 
the resurrection. So they bring him to the Areopagus, 
and as Paul is wont to do, he proclaims the truth. And one 
of the things that he indicates, or he makes an appeal to these 
pagans to something that they would have known. Notice in verse 
26, and he has made from one all things, and he has made from, 
I'm sorry, he has made from one blood every nation of men to 
dwell on the face of the earth and has determined their pre-appointed 
times and the boundaries of their dwellings so that they should 
seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope for him and 
find him. Though he is not far from each one of us, For in him 
we live and move and have our being. As also some of your own 
poets have said, for we are also his offspring." So Paul was a 
rabbi trained according to the Jewish tradition in terms of 
a handler of the Torah, but he was also conversant with pagan 
philosophy. He was conversant with pagan 
literature. So when he says this, for we 
are also his offspring, he goes on to say, therefore, since we 
are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divine 
nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by 
art and man's devising." Their problem was idolatry, so Paul 
wants to bring them to that place where they acknowledge that there 
is a true and living God, but we don't worship that true and 
living God with the idols of men. But in that, as I said, 
he appeals to their own poets, and in that he acknowledges that 
at least in terms of creation, we can ascribe fatherhood to 
God. Now, as I said, that was overworked 
in the 20th century under theological liberalism, where they basically 
said there's this universal fatherhood of God in a redemptive sense. In other words, it was built 
upon a universalism which taught that everybody would ultimately 
end in heaven. That's not what our confession is doing. On the 
one hand, we acknowledge that man as creature is the offspring 
of God. In other words, God made man. So in the realm of creation, 
we can speak of a universal fatherhood, but we need to qualify that to 
make sure that we don't import the notion of adoption into that. So this is a categorical statement, 
placing it in redemptive category. So all those that are justified. So again, he's not addressing 
some nebulous concept of the universal fatherhood of God. 
It is rather addressing the reality that man, apart from Christ, 
is of his father the devil, according to John 8, 44. And in order for 
him to move from that place of state, a child of the devil, 
he must be a recipient of the grace of God Most High. So the 
ones that are justified are adopted. And again, you see this in Romans 
chapter 8, verses 29 to 30, and Ephesians 1, 4, and 5. You can 
turn to Romans 8 for just a moment. I think that Robert Raymond does 
a good thing when he speaks of this as being a skeletal framework 
of the Ordo Salutis. Skeletal means that there's other 
things that you can sort of put on that skeleton. But in terms 
of the basic framework, the apostle highlights in the order of salvation, 
justification, I'm sorry, let's just read the text. Verse 28, 
we know that all things work together for good to those who 
love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. 
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to 
the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among 
many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, 
these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also 
glorified." We have predestination, we have this calling, a factual, 
We have justification and glorification. Of course, again, we can locate 
sanctification in there. We can locate adoption in there. The Ordo Salutis has more components 
than what we find only here in Romans 8. Chapter 8, verses 29 
and 30. So this is redemptive category. And it's the glorious truth that 
God, notice, vouchsafed. And that simply means, which 
means to give or grant, reveal or disclose. So He adopts us, 
those who are justified. He conveys this upon us, but 
then notice, in and for the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ. 
Notice the exclusion of our virtue, the exclusion of our free will, 
the exclusion of our good works. It's not predicated. God doesn't 
look upon us and say, wow, he's doing a really good job. I'm 
going to adopt him into my family. He's made good decisions. I'm 
going to adopt him into my family. We do good things and we make 
good decisions because God's grace is at work in us, both 
to will and to do according to his good pleasure. So God doesn't 
look upon sinners and say, well, you know, they're really trying, 
so I'm going to adopt them into my family. No. Those that are 
justified, God vouchsafed in and for the sake of His only 
Son, Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption. To 
make partakers of the grace of adoption. And again, a few texts 
to illustrate this. You can look at Galatians chapter 
4. Galatians chapter 4. A passage we'll notice in the 
next hour, because it does show us something concerning the missions 
of the Son and the Spirit in terms of the saving of sinners. 
Notice in Galatians 4.4, But when the fullness of the time 
had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under 
the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might 
receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God 
has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying 
out, Abba, Father. Therefore, you are no longer 
a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of 
God through Christ." Turn over to the book of Ephesians, in 
Ephesians chapter 1, specifically at verses 4 and 5. Just as He 
chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, notice the language, 
that we should be holy and without blame. He doesn't choose us because 
we were holy and without blame. He chooses us so that we'll become 
holy and without blame. As Gill says, election does not 
find men in Christ, but puts them there. It gives them a being 
in Him, a union to Him. So back to verse 4. to be holy 
and without blame, and then notice before him, and then I think 
the in love goes with verse 5. There's some debate as to whether 
it goes with verse 4 or verse 5. I don't think it makes a great 
deal of difference. He either elects us in love or 
predestines us in love, which essentially means the same, but 
I take the in love going with verse 5. But I think it's important 
to take it that way. In love, having predestined. What do people typically conclude 
when they hear that we believe in predestination? Well, that's 
fatalism. There's some impersonal God that's 
up there just pulling the strings behind the scenes. No, it's in 
love that He predestined. It's in love that He chose us 
in Him before the foundation of the world. It's in love that 
He sends the Son of His love to live for us, to die for us, 
and to be raised again for us. It's in love that the Spirit 
proceeds from the Father and the Son. In fact, Augustine refers 
to the Spirit as the love and the gift of the Father and the 
Son to needy sinners. So it's in love that he predestined 
us, notice, to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself according 
to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of 
his grace by which he made us accepted in the beloved. So the 
doctrine of election, the doctrine of predestination, the doctrine 
of adoption ought to redound to the people of God praising 
God and glorifying God and honoring and adoring God. Not questioning 
Him, not looking crookedly at Him, not saying, well, that just 
doesn't seem to be fair. Why is it, again, in the creaturely 
realm, when a parent or parents adopt a child, we celebrate the 
fact that they've expressed love, kindness, compassion, and care. 
And when God does that, we call Him into judgment. Well, why 
didn't you adopt everybody? The fact that he's adopted Psalm 
demonstrates what we see here, to the praise of the glory of 
his grace by which he made us accepted in the Beloved. So you 
see this emphasis in Paul on adoption. There's the same emphasis, 
but coming at it from a different perspective, or a different facet, 
rather, in the Apostle John. In fact, look at John 1 in the 
prologue to John's Gospel. John 1 specifically in verses 
12 and 13. But as many as received him to 
them, he gave the right to become children of God." Same concept, 
you're adopted in the language of the Apostle Paul as children 
of God Most High. Then notice how John goes on, 
"...to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of 
God." So they're born of God. That's why we make the distinction. 
Jesus is called the eternally begotten Son of God. Many times 
in going through John's Gospel, I've said, He's the Son not by 
creation. He's not a creature like us. He's the Son not by adoption, 
the way that we are through sovereign grace, but He's the Son by nature. He's the only begotten Son of 
the Father. That refers to the eternal generation 
of the Son. But with reference to John's 
sort of description, we're born of God. So Paul uses the nomenclature 
adoption. Turn to 1 John chapter 3. Again, just to see the emphasis 
in John that we're born of God. Same truth, we're adopted, but 
they come at it from different facets to highlight and underscore 
and indicate something wonderful concerning God. Notice in 1 John 
chapter 3 at verse 9. Whoever has been born of God, 
again that language, does not sin, for his seed remains in 
him. He cannot sin because he has been born of God. Notice 
in 1 John 4, 7. Same sort of an emphasis. Beloved, 
let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone 
who loves is born of God and knows God. Notice in 5.1, whoever 
believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And everyone 
who loves Him, who begot, also loves Him who is begotten by 
Him. Look at that first part of verse 1. Whoever believes 
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. That does not mean the 
moment you believe in Jesus, then you're born of God. No, 
the grammar in the text says you believe that Jesus is your 
Savior because by God's grace you've been born of God. It's 
not a believe so that you'll be born. It's you've been born 
of God, therefore you believe. It's the same emphasis you see 
in John 3. The reality is that the Spirit and regeneration comes 
before God so loved the world that whosoever believeth on Him. 
In other words, you must be born again, and that first reflex 
of having been born again is to believe on the Son. So 1 John 
5.1 does not teach that the way to be born of God or the way 
to be born again is to believe Jesus. No, the text and the grammar 
is very specific. If you're interested, you've 
got a present participle. Whoever is believing that Jesus 
is the Christ, then you have what's called a perfect passive. 
Has been born of God. And it's a passive, meaning we 
didn't do that, God did it to us. And the perfect tense means 
something that has happened in the past that has current and 
abiding results. So don't make the mistake that, 
well, if you just believe, then you'll be born of God. No, born 
of God people, they're the ones who believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And then notice in 5.4, for whatever is born of God overcomes 
the world. And then again in 5.18, we see 
the same sort of a thing. We know that whoever is born 
of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, 
and the wicked one does not teach him. So again, same truth, we're 
adopted into the family of God. We are now children of God. Paul 
looks at it in that juridical or legal sense in terms of adoption. That was commonplace in the Roman 
Empire. John looks at it in that sort of organic sense. We're 
born of God. Warfield makes this observation. 
There is a corresponding difference in the use by Paul and John of 
the conception of child-ship or sonship to God. In accordance 
with his juridical point of view, Paul speaks of sonship conferred 
by adoption and thinks of our acquisition of the rights and 
the inheritance of sons. In accordance with his essential 
point of view, John speaks of child-ship as conveyed through 
birth and thinks of growing up into the likeness of God. Accordingly, 
Paul prefers the term sons. We are adults received by God's 
grace into the number of his sons. John prefers the term children, 
or even little children. We are born into the family of 
God as the infants of his household. The difference in the use of 
the conception of child-ship is not a difference of doctrine. 
It is only a difference in the illustrative use of the conception 
of child-ship in the setting forth of doctrine. And if you 
consider John's gospel, It makes perfect sense. John's gospel, 
specifically in chapter 3, is that teaching of Jesus to Nicodemus, 
talking about the new birth. So it makes perfect sense that 
John would incorporate that idea into how we become sons or children 
of God. It is through that birth from 
above. It is through that regenerating 
power of the Holy Spirit. Again, the endgame is the same. 
We're adopted into the family of God, therefore sons of God. 
You're born into the family of God, therefore sons of God. But 
you see it from those different facets, and it's a thing to help 
us appreciate God's glorious work in the salvation of His 
people. And then again, in that Pauline 
use and adoption, you know, it's not, and again, we need to think 
this way in terms of creaturely adoption now. When somebody adopts 
a child into their family, they're not second tier. They're not 
lesser than. They're not, you know, child 
B. I mean, maybe in terms of taxes, 
they might just be the second in terms of age, but they're 
not lesser or inferior. So when we read adoption in, 
say, Ephesians 1, we need to understand that it confers the 
benefits consistent with adoption in the Roman Empire at the Apostle's 
time. In Romans 8, 17, how does Paul 
describe us? We are joint heirs with Jesus 
Christ. We're not second tier, we're 
not lower, we're not a little less. Everything that Christ 
wins for us, we gain because of God's redeeming grace. So 
it's a blessed and wonderful truth when we ponder this reality 
that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and God called us effectually, 
justified us freely by His grace, vouchsafed to us in and for the 
sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, to make us partakers of the grace 
of adoption. Now notice the benefits of adoption 
as the confession continues. Threefold. First, the inclusion 
into the family of God. Second, I'm sorry, fourfold, 
the reception of the privileges. Third, the fatherly treatment 
by God. And fourth, the inheritance of 
promises. But note first the inclusion 
into the family of God, by which they are taken into the number. That means you are included in 
the family of God. You are taken into the number. Again, John 1, we've already 
read, but look at Romans 8. Romans 8 holds forth that blessed 
view, that blessed reality that we are joint heirs with Jesus 
Christ, such that He is not ashamed to call us brethren, according 
to Hebrews 2. But notice in Romans 8, at verse 
4, 16, the Spirit Himself bears witness 
with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then 
heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed 
we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. So 
we receive this reality that we are taken into the number 
and enjoy the liberties and the privileges of the children of 
God. As well, it says that we are 
given His name, or His name is put upon us. And that's kind 
of an interesting statement. You can look at 2 Corinthians 
6. for kind of a general approach, and then we'll look at Revelation 
3. But in 2 Corinthians 6, specifically 
at verse 18, I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons 
and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. And then over in Revelation 
chapter 3, we see they have this new name put upon them. Well, 
that's the grace of God in adoption. You see that in Philadelphia. 
I read this text on Wednesday night. 3.12, he who overcomes, 
I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall 
go out no more. I will write on him the name 
of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, 
which comes down out of heaven from my God. and I will write 
on him my new name." That's got to be an encouragement to the 
church in Philadelphia and all the other churches in Asia Minor, 
especially as John will come to Revelation 13 to discuss the 
number of the beast, 666, that's placed upon all those that do 
not fear God. So either you bear the number 
of the beast, or you bear the very name of God. And by God's 
grace, through faith in Jesus, having been born of God, having 
been adopted as sons and daughters of God, you have His name written 
upon you. It's a most blessed identifier, 
shows His possession of us. Then notice as well the reception 
of the privileges. We receive the Holy Spirit. Again, 
we're going to look at this in more detail in our studies in 
John's Gospel this morning, but notice, after that statement, 
by which they are taken into the number and enjoy the liberties 
and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon 
them, they receive the spirit of adoption. We saw that in Galatians 
4. You see that as well in Romans 8. We receive the spirit of adoption. Notice, they have access then 
to the throne of grace, with boldness, are unable to cry, 
Abba, Father. So we have this access. Turn 
to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 10. This is where the 
apostle gets practical. He has discourse concerning the 
Lord Jesus and his high priestly office. beginning in the earlier 
part of the epistle, he brings it to conclusion in chapter 10, 
specifically at verse 18, and then he gets practical in chapter 
10, verses 19 and following. Notice, therefore, brethren, 
therefore speaks, or it's grounded upon everything that has preceded 
that, the fact that God, in his infinite grace and mercy, sent 
the Lord Jesus Christ as the high priest of the new covenant. 
the surety of a better covenant that is founded on better promises 
that affords a better hope. Now that you understand that 
you are participants in this, he says, therefore, brethren, 
having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 
by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through 
the veil, that is his flesh, and having a high priest over 
the house of God, he then gives three exhortations. Notice in 
verse 22, Let us draw near, verse 23, let us hold fast, verse 24, 
let us consider one another. But notice that first one in 
verse 22, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance 
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our 
bodies washed with pure water. Because of the redeeming work 
of the Lord Jesus Christ and your inclusion in the family 
of God, now that you have received the Holy Spirit, whereby you 
can cry, Abba, Father, you get this privilege. You get access 
to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. We saw that or 
we've seen that many times in our studies in the book of Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 2, verses 
18 and 22. For through Him, Jesus, we both, 
Jew and Gentile, have access by one Spirit to the Father. 
Verse 22, "...in whom you also are being built together for 
a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." We have received privilege. We have received benefit. We 
have received the spirit of adoption. We have received this access 
to the throne of God's grace, and it is most wonderful. And 
then note the fatherly treatment that we receive by God Himself. Notice, in the confession, after 
our enabled to cry, Abba, Father, our pity. I quite like that's 
where it starts. We need pity, don't we? Not some 
cheap pity from somebody that is our equal. Man, I really pity 
you. Oh, thanks. When your fellow 
says, I pity you, he doesn't have the goods to assist you. It's good, co-compassion, with 
passion, coming to co-miserate. There is a degree of comfort 
in that. I mean, if I'm struggling and a brother comes along and 
says, yeah, I kind of know what you're going through. I've been 
there myself. And you say, well, what helped? 
Well, you just got to pull up your bootstraps and hang in there, 
pal. OK, there's something good about that. You're not alone. 
But when the father pities us, He has all the resources, all 
the infinite graces to come to our aid. And this concept of 
pitying, and the proof text is there, and hopefully it rings 
a bell with you, because I know I've pointed this out before, 
is Psalm 103. When David comes to bless God, 
He says, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within 
me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 
forget not all His benefits. And then he starts to outline 
or describe or list the benefits of God as the reasons why he 
ought to praise God. And in verse 11, he says, for 
as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy 
toward those who fear Him. And then in verse 12, as far 
as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions 
from us. And then in verse 13, as a father 
pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. And 
this is explanatory, for He knows our frame, He remembers that 
we are dust. Why does He pity us? Because 
He knows that we're a mess. Why does He pity us? Because 
He knows our creaturely limitations, but not just our creaturely limitations. He knows our death in Adam, our 
resurrection with Jesus, but the remaining corruption that 
is going to be true of us until the new Jerusalem. So as a father 
pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. Brethren, 
do you think modern works Christian life kind of stuff, the things 
that fill the book stores, you know, that sell the, I call it 
Jesus junk and holy trinkets, the holy horseshoes, you know, 
the pictures of Jesus and all the plaques and, you know, the 
little stuffed dolls of Jesus. Anyways, do you think modern 
authors speak about God's pity toward his children? You need 
a dry, dusty work of orthodox theology to remind you of those 
beautiful things about our God. Those who say that the confessions 
of faith are dry, dusty orthodoxy are showing and demonstrating 
they have no knowledge of what is contained therein. We need 
the reality that God pities His children. Notice as well, He 
doesn't just pity us, He protects us. That's one of the aspects 
of the kingly office of Jesus Christ. When you think King Jesus, 
you should think governing, You should think leading. You should 
think defending from all foreign enemies or domestic and foreign 
enemies. But protection. That's what a 
king is supposed to do. Not necessarily prime minister. 
I don't want him protecting me. But a king defends and protects 
his people. And that is precisely what the 
confession highlights here. He protects the people of God. 
I thought of Proverbs 14, 26, in the fear of the Lord there 
is strong confidence and his children will have a place of 
refuge. Don't we need that? Psalm 46, 
divine refuge in our God, be still and know that he is God, 
that he or I am God, that I will be exalted among the nations 
and exalted in the earth. Notice after provided for, I'm 
sorry, after protected, they're provided for in terms of God's 
goodness. 1 Peter 5, 7 is the proof text 
there. Sorry, it's the proof text for 
Proverbs 14 as well. That's why I thought of it. First 
Peter chapter five, notice in verse five, likewise you younger 
people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you 
be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility 
for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, 
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt 
you in due time, casting all your care upon him for he cares 
for you. It's a beautiful thing, isn't 
it? He cares for you. He provides for you. He gives you those things 
that you stand in need of. Not maybe the exact way that 
you ask them. You may get beans and rice instead 
of steak and lobster. But he does provide. As well, 
notice what the confession goes on to say. Again, a uniquely 
practical observation that comes from dry, dusty old theologians. It says, and chastened by him 
as by a father. I think this is an important 
aspect of God's fatherly care for us. If you have children, 
you know that this is a very important aspect of your care 
for your children. What happens if you don't discipline 
them? What happens if you don't chasten them? I would just say, 
you know, look outside, look at Twitter, look at Facebook, 
look at CTV, look at CBC, look at the news. That's what happens 
when a generation of parents don't imitate God in chastening 
their children. We can't confer redeeming grace 
upon that. We just can't do that. But we 
can, by God's grace, seek to restrain those native corruptions 
and seek to at least try to produce decent, functional, healthy people 
that can live in a society and walk and chew gum at the same 
time. So this chastening of the Lord that the Confession points 
to is something that we see in the creaturely realm. It is absolutely 
crucial, absolutely first-order priority of a parent. You've 
got to provide, you've got to make sure the kid eats, you've 
got to make sure there's shelter, you've got to make sure he's 
got shoes on his feet, whatever. You've got to chasten him, you've 
got to discipline him. Why? Because his heart is filled 
with foolishness and corruption, and if you don't discipline him, 
that foolishness and corruption is going to overcome him. So 
we find in God's realm, or in God's fatherly treatment of his 
children, that same emphasis, Proverbs 3, 11 and 12. My son 
do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction. Then look at the reason or the 
rationale. For whom the Lord loves, He corrects, 
just as a father the son in whom he delights. See, if the father 
doesn't discipline the child, what do you think the child is 
going to conclude? The child is going to conclude, 
and I've got first-hand experience in this, I don't think it really 
cares for me. Now, that's a bad thing for a 
child to conclude. So with us, when God chastens 
us or disciplines us or reproves us, we ought not to immediately 
have a tantrum and say, well, this must mean that God doesn't 
love me. It means just the opposite. It means that he does love you, 
and that he is chastening you, and that that chastening is for 
good. Turn to the book of Hebrews, where the apostle invokes this 
passage and brings it to bear in a new covenant reality or 
a new covenant setting with the children of God. And I think 
it's one of the incentives for us to run the race that is set 
before us. Look at verse 1 in chapter 12. Toward the end of the verse, 
you've got, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 
That's what the apostle wants us to do. He wants us to run 
with endurance the race that is set before us. He wants us 
to persevere. He wants us to endure. He wants 
us to be steadfast. He doesn't want us to be those 
delicate little snowflakes that fall apart at the first whiff 
of any hardship or trial. He is writing in a context where 
there are Jewish Christians receiving a lot of opposition and a lot 
of pressure to abandon Jesus and to come back to Moses, to 
come back to the Levites, to come back to the temple, to come 
back to the sacrificial system. He says, don't do that. He says, 
run with endurance the race that is set before us. So that's the 
sort of overarching exhortation or command in the section. And 
to help you with that, he doesn't say just do it, but he gives 
you three incentives as to why you should do it. The first is 
in verse 1. Since we are surrounded by so 
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and 
sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance 
the race that is set before us." We get this idea that this amphitheater 
is filled up with this cloud of witnesses who are cheering 
us on. That's not what a witness does 
when he comes into the courtroom. He doesn't cheer you on. Rather, 
he is a witness. He provides testimony. The apostle 
is saying we have this great cloud of witnesses who demonstrate 
and testify to the faithfulness of God in the midst of hardship 
and affliction. So run with endurance. The second 
incentive is specifically in verses 2 to 4. Look to Jesus. Verse 2, looking unto Jesus, 
the author and finisher of our faith. So run with endurance. 
You've got this great cloud of witnesses that testify concerning 
the faithfulness of God. Look unto Jesus who, for the 
joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despised the 
shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
And then notice the third incentive is the purpose of the Father 
in verse 5. You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks 
to you as to sons. My son, do not despise the chastening 
of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him. 
For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he 
receives." And then he draws out some practical implications 
of this third incentive. Again, because it's not always 
intuitive to us. We get corrected by the father, 
and again, creaturely realm. You've got the child that you 
have to discipline. What is the child's immediate 
conviction? Oh, you're upset with me, you hate me, you're 
just trying to hurt me. No, that's not it, kid. I love 
you, and I'm trying to help you. I don't want the foolishness 
and the native corruption to overwhelm you such that you walk 
onto the world without the ability to chew gum and walk. I want you to have some basic 
skills. So he draws out this principle. So he says, if you 
endure chastening, notice that word over and over again, endure, 
endure, endure, endure, in the context. Again, persevere, press 
on, go forward, God's faithful, Jesus has done this, and now 
you need to trust in his fatherly care. He says, God deals with 
you as with sons. For what son is there whom a 
father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, 
of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate, not 
sons. It's just incongruous at the 
thought that a father wouldn't discipline his child, right? You know, nature, the animals 
show more regard for their spawn at times than human parents do 
with reference to their own spawn. But if you are without chastening, 
of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and 
not sons." And then he argues from the creaturely realm. Furthermore, 
we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them 
respect. Again, maybe not when your rear 
end was stinging from the discipline that was administered, but, you 
know, after the dust settles and after you heal and you think 
through it, you realize that, yeah, he does love me. He doesn't 
want me to... you know, dye my hair blue and 
go become something other. He wants me to function well. He says, shall we not much more 
readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? And 
then notice he recognizes imperfection in the creaturely realm. For 
they indeed for a few days chastened us, as seemed best to them. But 
he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. 
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. 
Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness 
to those who have been trained by it. Again, dry, dusty theological 
documents teach us about God's pity and about God's chastening, 
not your higher life and your triumphant victory over all the 
giants in your life. To illustrate the glory of this 
doctrine of God's chastening, turn to the book of Revelation 
again. Revelation 3. If you're familiar with the churches 
in Asia Minor, there's a similar pattern in each of the seven 
letters. You've got to the angel of the church and whatever the 
city is. Angel there is probably the bishop, the overseer, the 
pastor in that particular church. And then you get this self-identification 
of Jesus, something unique about him that Ferris comes up later 
in the book. It's interesting how it all works. 
And then Jesus will commend them for things that are commendable. 
For the Ephesians, for instance, you've tested those who said 
they were apostles, and they are not. And then he condemns 
them for things that they have in terms of shortcoming. Again, 
the Ephesians, but you've left your first love. Well, in the 
book, or in chapter 3 at verse 14, you've got Laodicea. Arguably 
the worst of the lot, right? There's no commendation. It's 
only condemnation. So there's no, you know, hey, 
you do have this in your favor. You got this going on. There's 
not that. So notice in verse 14, "...to 
the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things 
says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of 
the creation of God." He gets right to the condemnation, "...I 
know your works, that you are neither hot nor cold. I could 
wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm 
and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." Now, 
please don't interpret that as Jesus saying, I'd rather you 
be a full-on atheist. or a red hot on fire Christian. That's not, and again a little 
background here helps, but it's not necessary, that Hierapolis 
was a neighboring city and it had hot springs. Colossae had 
the only fresh spring in the Lycus Valley. Guess what happened 
to Laodicea? When the water was piped in, 
it was no longer cold and it was no longer hot. It was lukewarm. And I've often said it in the 
pulpit, do we like hot things in our mouths? Most people do. 
I know Mr. Alder-Leason didn't like hot 
drinks. But most of us like a nice hot cup of coffee. We like a 
nice cold glass of water. It's lukewarm. This is what Jesus 
is saying. He's not saying, I wish you were 
atheists or I wish you were real Christians. He's saying, you're 
lukewarm. You're just bleh. You're just 
there. And then he invokes an Old Testament 
or an Old Covenant image when he says, so then, because you 
are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out 
of my mouth. We've seen that in our studies 
in the books of the Old Testament, Leviticus specifically. When 
the people of the covenant go into the land and they ate the 
people that were in the land and they imitate them in their 
wickedness, what does the land do? It vomits them out of its 
mouth. They are exiled. They are expelled. So this is not a healthy, happy 
church. You know, when you hear people 
today, we need to get back to the first century church, like 
Laodicea. I think that's probably part 
of our problem. Because you say, he's giving 
them reasons now, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have 
need of nothing. But you don't know that you're wretched, miserable, 
poor, blind, and naked. And then he invokes imagery from 
Laodicean culture. It was a very lucrative society. It was a very, you know, well-off 
city. In fact, there was an earthquake 
in the first century, like 70 years later, the city was rebuilt, 
not by any government help, but by them. I think it was about 
70 years. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, 
that you may be rich, white garments, that you may be clothed, that 
the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed. The linen industry 
was big, garment industry, and then they also had a special 
eye salve that they sold and marketed. And anoint your eyes 
with eye salve that you may see. But notice verse 19, as many 
as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent. 
See, this isn't the end for them. It's coming if they don't repent. 
But Jesus doesn't let them have it because he hates them. Jesus 
lets them have it because he loves them. And as a result of 
his love for them, he rebukes them and chastens them so that 
they will then be zealous and repent. It is a most wonderful 
expression of the fatherly chastening in of our God to his people. And then the last thing that 
it says that we will never be cast off. And that modifies, 
I think, and chastened by him as by a father. And then in the 
confession, it says yet never cast off. Whatever smarting happens 
to you under the rod of God, realize you'll never be cast 
off. He doesn't cast off children 
of God. And again, you can take the creaturely 
analogy. You probably had children that 
needed a bit more. You probably had children that 
required a bit more, you know, discipline and ongoing hands-on 
sort of oversight and correction and that sort of thing. But your 
love for them never stopped, you never cut them off, you continued 
in that love, and that's what the confession reminds us. So 
chastened by him as by a father, yet never cast off, and then 
the final statement concerning the benefit of adoption has to 
do with the inheritance of promise. Notice, but sealed to the day 
of redemption and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting 
salvation. And again, you see that in Ephesians 
1 with reference to the work of the Holy Spirit in particular, 
by way of appropriation, the works of God ad extra are inseparable. operations, but with reference 
to appropriations, things that we learn about Father, Son, and 
Spirit, we see that done in Scripture. Notice in 1.13, In Him you also 
trusted, Jesus, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel 
of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed 
with the Holy Spirit of promise. who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His 
glory. And then over in chapter 4, specifically 
at verse 30, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you 
were sealed for the day of redemption. So the confession picks up that 
motif to remind us that, yes, these things are true of the 
fatherly care of God over us, including chastening, but never 
being cast off. Positively, we're sealed to the 
day of redemption, and we inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting 
salvation. Well, in conclusion, we've got 
the basis, we've got the benefits, and then we've got, as we saw 
in our studies in the book of Ephesians, we've got our marching 
orders. In other words, how do adopted 
sons and daughters function in the house of God? In other words, 
how do we live? Well, Ephesians 5.2, we walk 
in love. Ephesians 5.8, we walk in light. And Ephesians 5.15, we walk in 
wisdom. So the benefits that we have 
should provoke or promote in us obedience as the sons and 
daughters of God, not unto salvation, but because we have been saved 
by God's grace. Well, I'll pray, and then if 
there's any questions, we can discuss those. Father in heaven, 
thank you. that we can call you Father in Heaven. Thank you that 
Jesus taught us to pray, our Father, who art in Heaven. And 
we pray that today your name would be hallowed, that your 
name would be glorified as we gather together. We pray that 
your kingdom of grace would come and the salvation of sinners. 
We look forward to the coming of the kingdom of glory, that 
consummation, that realization of all the covenant promises 
of God, the covenant of man and Christ. As well, we pray that 
the will of God would be done in our church, in our families, 
and as individuals. And Lord, may you continue, as 
our Heavenly Father, to provide the things that we need in terms 
of temporal provision and in terms of spiritual benefit, that 
we may glorify you, that we may honor you, that we may always 
acknowledge our dependence upon you. And we ask this through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Great.