9. God's Titles for His Children

God's Titles for His Children

And they shall call them Thy holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken. Isaiah 62.12.

Saved souls are very precious in God's sight. They are bought with the highest price ever yet paid. Is it any wonder that they are referred to as "his inheritance," "children of God '' "God's elect '' "saints," "sons of God," and many other similar names? Our verse today has four such titles.

The first title is "the holy people." If it were not God's own word, we would think this title sacrilegious. When saved people look at themselves they feel anything but worthy of such a title. The best they can say for themselves is "We are unprofitable servants'' (Luke 17.10). How then can God call them "the holy people''? It is all because He now sees them in Christ. The cleansing power of Jesus Christ is so great that the vilest sinner who has been saved is holy in God's sight. "The blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin'' (1 John 1.7). No matter how great the debt might be, if some wealthy man pays the bill in full, it is paid. Then the creditor no longer looks to the wretched debtor, but at the check which has paid the debt. That is what it means when Paul writes, "For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God'' (Colossians 3.3). Therefore "we should be holy and without blemish before him in love'' (Ephesians 1.4).

The second title is "the redeemed of Jehovah.'' Redeemed means bought back. We "were by nature children of wrath'' (Ephesians 2.3). The devil stole us through Adam's fall. "Through one man, sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned'' (Romans 5.12). We "were strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world'' (Ephesians 2.12). What a dark picture! But because of Jesus Christ's shed blood the picture changes. "And through him (Christ) to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross'' (Colossians 1.20). "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus'' (Romans 3.24). What a staggering price Christ paid that believers might be called "the redeemed''! Christ paid with His life that poor sinners might be saved. May we never underestimate salvation!

The third title is "Sought out," a people "sought out'' or looked for. Notice it does not say a people who sought God, but rather a people whom God sought out. Jesus said, "For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost'' (Luke 19.10). It was God who looked for Adam after the fall, and not Adam for God. Every saved soul has first been sought out by the Holy Spirit. For He "will convict the world in respect of sin'' (John16.8). No soul has ever come to Christ until he has sensed a need. This conviction of sin was God's work of seeking out the sinner. Is it any wonder God's people are called "Sought out''?

The fourth title is "not forsaken.'' How often the devil tempts God's children into thinking that they are forsaken! The promises of God speak otherwise. "I am with you always, even to the end of the world'' (Matthew 28.20). Who, claiming that promise, can be forsaken? Again, "I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee'' (Acts18.10). "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them'' (Matthew 18.20). David, in his old age, testified, "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken. . . . Jehovah . . . forsaketh not his saints'' (Psalm 37.25-28).

What wonderful titles God gives the saved sinner! Only God Himself could think of such lofty names for such poor people. Do these titles belong to you? They are meant for you. For God "would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth'' (1Timothy 2. 4).

Christ my Saviour, Christ my Friend,
Christ my Treasure without end,
Christ when waves of sorrow roll,
Christ the Comfort of my soul.

Christ when all around should fail,
Christ when enemies prevail;
Christ when false accusers rise,
Christ my Solace in the skies.

Christ when days are dark and drear,
Christ when all around is clear,
Christ when all the earth is gone,
Christ my portion on the throne.

Christ at home, and Christ abroad,
Christ my Company on the road,
Christ in sickness, Christ in health,
Christ in poverty and wealth.

Christ who once on earth has trod,
Christ the blessed "son of God,"
Christ for time and Christ for aye,
Christ for all eternity.