Seven Statements about the Son

 
in Hebrews 1:2b-3.  (Keep in minds, too, that these come right after the author to Hebrews tells us that the Son is the culmination of God’s revelation and right before he tells us that the Son is better than the angels.)

1. Christ is the heir of all things.
   
2. Christ created the world.
3. Christ is the radiance of the glory of God.
4. Christ is the exact imprint of God’s nature.
5. Christ upholds the universe by the word of his power.
6. Christ made purification for sins.
7. Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

I think each one of these statements is worthy of a short post of its own, don’t you?

Update on Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 12:23PM by rebecca

I’m adding a link to the post on each statement as I post it.

Sunday's Hymn: Reader's Choice

 
Last week I invited readers to give me a favorite hymn to feature here in the upcoming Sunday’s hymn posts, and today I’m posting the first of the reader’s choice hymns. (If you’d like to see your favorite hymn featured, go here and leave a comment, giving your favorite hymn and a little bit about why you like it.)

This first hymn is a favorite of Kim of The Upward Call and AnnieCOA.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

This is an ancient Irish hymn, variously attributed, usually to Dal­lan For­gaill or St. Patrick himself. We really don’t know who wrote it, but we do know that it was translated and versified by two Irish women, Mary Byrne and Eleanor Hull, in the early 1900s. You can see the original Irish lyrics here.

The tune is an Irish folk melody called Slane. You can listen in your choice of instrumental or voice.

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• Earth, Rejoice, our Lord is King at New Lumps
• Conflicting Feelings, a hymn by John Newton at Hiraeth
  
• Stand Up for Jesus at The Happy Wonderer
  
• How Deep the Father’s Love for Us at Above the Clouds
• Hymn 10, L. M., at The Thirsty Theologian.
  
• Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove at John Dekker’s Journal
• Fairest Lord Jesus at Seasonings of the Heart
• Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee at joythruChrist
• May the Mind of Christ My Saviour at The Upward Call
  
• The Collect for Whit Sunday (or Pentecost Sunday) at Magic Statistics

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

What is that union which the elect have with Christ?

The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God’s grace,[1] whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably, joined to Christ as their head and husband;[2] which is done in their effectual calling.[3] 

1. Eph. 1:22

   And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church… .

   Eph. 2:6-8

   … and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God … .

2. I Cor. 6:17

   But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

   John 10:28

   I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

   Eph. 5:23, 30

   For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
   
   … because we are members of his body.

3. I Peter 5:10

   And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

   I Cor. 1:9

   God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Question 66, Westminster Larger Catechism