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unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, jmd peirtakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (Ephesians 3:5-6). Paul had the full revelation by the Spirit that it is God, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel" (11 Timothy1:9-10).
HealsoexcelsinexpressingthepurposeandgraceofGodforthehuman race. Here it is in a nutshell: "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 founda tion 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;...That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of glory, who first trusted in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3-
12). In thismagisterial presentation, Paul seems intent ondrawing ouratten tion to the fact that the driving force behind salvation is God's fair thought andpurpose;itshallultimatelybringpraiseandglorytoourSaviour. The
climax of God's sovereign purpose shall be reached in the fullness of time (verse 10).
The same understanding is conveyed by the apostle Peter in his first epis tle to the early Christians: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprin kling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:2).
The destiny of man, the masterpiece of God's creation, can be traced in the holy scriptures.
• Man, created in the image of God and having dominion over his nat ural habitat was still dust and spirit when he made his first steps in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7Psalm 8:3-8).
• Formedfromthedustofthegroundandasalivingsoul,breathingthe life which came from God, man was soon to discover that his perfect
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