“Followers of God, as Dear Children”Every truly converted soul can say: “I am but a little child; but I am God’s child.” It was at infinite cost that provision was made whereby the human family might be restored to sonship with God. In the beginning, God made man in His own likeness. Our first parents listened to the voice of the tempter and yielded to the power of Satan. But man was not abandoned to the results of the evil he had chosen. The promise of a Deliverer was given. “I will put enmity between thee and the woman,” God said to the serpent, “and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15. Before they heard of the thorn and the thistle, of the sorrow and toil that must be their portion, or of the dust to which they must return, they listened to words that could not fail of giving them hope. All that had been lost by yielding to Satan could be regained through Christ. {9T 283.2}

Guds efterfølgere som elskede børn
Enhver virkelig omvendt sjæl kan sige: "Jeg er kun et lille barn, men jeg er Guds barn." Det kostede en uendelig pris et genoprette den menneskelige families banekår hos Gud. I begyndelsen skabte Gud mennesket i sit billede. Vore første forældre lyttede til fristerens stemme og overgav sig til Satans magt, men mennesket blev ikke overladt til følgerne af det onde, de selv havde valgt. Løftet om en Forløser blev givet. »Jeg sætter fjendskab mellem dig og kvinden, mellem din sæd og hendes sæd. Den skal knuse dit hoved og du skal hugge den i hælen.« 1.Mos 3,15. Før de hørte om torne og tidsler, om den sorg og det slid, der nu måtte blive deres del, eller om det støv, hvortil de måtte vende tilbage, hørte de ord, som ikke kunne undgå at give dem håb. Alt det, som var tabt ved at give efter for Satan, kunne genvindes gennem Kristus.