Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. If you say, "I do not know why He should save me; I am not worthy to be saved," that is a fact; you are not. If you say, "I do not think I have a right to look to Him for salvation; I have not done anything that should give me a claim on Him for so great a blessing," that is true; you have not. It is not because you deserve Divine mercies that you have a right to expect them. I take a dozen beggar boys out of the street, and they say, "I do not know why you should like me; I am unlovely, and there is nothing attractive about me." That is so. And I take you that you may become lovely. "But I am filthy and ragged." Yes, you are; and I take you that you may be washed and clothed. "But I am stupid and ignorant." So you are; and I take you to educate you. "But I am full of all manner of wickedness." I know that; and it is because you are so wicked that I am determined, with God's help, to rescue you. Now, Christ does not take us because we are so pure and sweet, and virtuous and lovely. He takes us because He cannot bear to see a soul that is destined to immortality less than high and noble; and because He means to make us what He would have us to be, He sends us to school. "They that are well," He tells us, "need not a physician; but they that are sick." If you are sick, and will accept Him for your physician, He will cure you. (H. W. Beecher.) Parallel Verses KJV: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.WEB: to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved, |
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