For this we wait till the time appointed of the Father,--the time when He will reclaim His heritage in us, and give us full possession of our heritage in Christ. We do not wait, as did the saints of former ages, ignorant of the Father's purpose for our future lot. "Life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel." We see beyond the chasm of death. We enjoy in the testimony of the Holy Spirit the foretaste of an eternal and glorious life for all the children of God--nay, the pledge that the reign of evil and death shall end throughout the universe.
With this hope swelling their hearts, the apostle's readers once more triumphantly join in the refrain: TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.
[47] Exod. xix. 3-6; Deut. iv. 20, 21; 1 Kings viii. 51, 53; Ps. lxxviii. 71, etc. With the above comp. Gen. xv. 8; Numb. xviii. 20; Jos. xiii. 33; Ps. xvi. 5.
[48] Ch. iv. 30. The "seal" of 2 Tim. ii. 19 has both the first and third of these meanings.
[49] Rom. iv. 11; 1 Cor. ix. 2; John iii. 33, vi. 27.
[51] Ch. ii. 11; comp. Rom. i. 28, 29; Gal. v, 5, 6; Phil. iii. 2, 3.
[52] Comp. Rom. viii. 9-11; 2 Cor. v. 1-5.
[53] Acts i. 4, ii. 33, 39, xiii. 32, xxvi. 6; Rom. iv. 13-20; Gal. iii. 14-29.
[54] See Rom. x. 14-18; Gal. iii. 2, 5; Col. i. 6, 23; 1 Thess. ii. 13; 2 Tim. i. 13.
[55] 1 Tim. ii. 1-7, iv. 10; Tit. ii. 11.
[56] 1 Thess. v. 9; 2 Thess. ii. 14; Heb. x. 39.
[58] For the former usage see, along with ver. 7 and ch. ii. 5, 8; Rom. iii, 24, x. 9; Titus iii. 5; 2 Tim. i. 9; Col. i. 14; Heb. ix. 15; for the latter, ch. iv. 30; Luke xxi. 28; Rom. v. 9, 10, viii. 23; Phil. ii. 12; 1 Thess. v. 8, 9; 2 Tim. ii. 10, iv. 18. It may be doubted whether St Paul ever uses these terms to denote present salvation or redemption without the final issue being also in his thoughts. Perhaps he would have called the redemption of ver. 7, in contrast with that of Rom. viii. 23, "the redemption of the spirit."
[60] The same incoherence occurs in Gal. iv. 5-7: "that _we_ might receive the adoption of sons. And because _ye_ are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into _our_ hearts."
"For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and which _ye shew_ toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention _of you_ in my prayers: