“If you are a son of God, I beseech you to walk worthy of your Father’s house. I charge you solemnly to honour Him in your life; and above all to honour Him by implicit obedience to all His commands, and hearty love to all His children.
Labour to travel through the world like a child of God and heir to glory. Let men be able to trace a family likeness between you and Him that begat you. Live a heavenly life. Seek things that are above.
Do not seem to be building your nest below. Behave like a man who seeks a city out of sight, whose citizenship is in heaven, and who would be content with many hardships till he gets home.
Labour to feel like a son of God in every condition in which you are placed. Never forget you are on your Father’s ground so long as you are here on earth. Never forget that a Father’s hand sends all your mercies and crosses.
Cast every care on Him. Be happy and cheerful in Him. Why indeed art thou ever sad if thou art the King’s son? Why should men ever doubt, when they look at yon, whether it is a pleasant thing to be one of God’s children?
Labour to behave towards others like a son of God. Be blameless and harmless in your day and generation. Be a ‘peacemaker among all you know.’ (Matt. 5:9.)
Seek for your children sonship to God, above everything else: seek for them an inheritance in heaven, whatever else you do for them. No man leaves his children so well provided for as he who leaves them sons and heirs of God.
Persevere in your Christian calling, if you are a son of God, and press forward more and more. Be careful to lay aside every weight, and the sin which most easily besets you. Keep your eyes steadily fixed on Jesus. Abide in Him.
Remember that without Him you can do nothing, and with Him you can do all things. (John 15:5; Philip. 4:13.) Watch and pray daily. Be steadfast, unmoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Settle it down in your heart that not a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple shall lose its reward, and that every year you are so much nearer home. ‘Yet a little time and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.’ (Heb. 10:37.)
Then shall be the glorious liberty, and the full manifestation of the sons of God. (Rom. 8:19, 21.)
Then shall the world acknowledge they that were the truly wise.
Then shall the sons of God at length come of age, and be no longer heirs in expectancy, but heirs in possession.
Then shall they hear with exceeding joy those comfortable words: ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ (Matt. 25:34.) Surely that day will make amends for all!”
–J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians (London: Charles Murray, 1900), 427-428.
