Q3. Receiving and Believing Children

[dejordan]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? Receiving Jesus as your personal Savior means placing your own personal faith and trust in Him. No one is saved by the faith of others. No one is forgiven by doing certain deeds. The only way to be saved is to personally accept Jesus as your Savior, trusting in His death as the payment for your sins and His resurrection as your guarantee of eternal life

 

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? believe in who He is and what he done for you

 

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? heavenly Father

Of those who do not? sinners

 

[trishrambin]

To receive Jesus is to be like Him. Stay in His word. To trust Him totally. To believe who He says He is without question. To wrap our lives with His. Those who don't turn away or reject Jesus. One has heaven the other doesn't.

[drrajc]

 

Forgiveness with redemption from sin is a gift secured by Jesus and given by the Father.  Any time you are given a gift, you must accept possession of it and personally receive it in order for it to truly be your own.  To receive Jesus Christ is to accept Him as who His very name declares Him to be – the one-and-only Anointed One of God who came to earth to become the exclusive Way that bridges the great impassable gap between holy God and sinful man.  It is to let go of any confidence or hope in yourself for salvation and rest the full weight of your confidence and hope on who He is and what He has done to make this possible.  It is a sure and certain trust/belief with one’s heart, as opposed to an intellectual belief with the mind alone.  We often believe things that we may not actually depend on. But the meaning here is to believe with a confident faith that becomes the foundation that shapes our thoughts, words, actions, motives, desires, and hopes – the entirety of our lives and futures.

 

Those who receive and believe in Jesus are welcomed and accepted in a new spiritual relationship as we become born of the spirit as God's children.  Before this, we were spiritually dead, but with this transformational believing, new spiritual life is birthed in us by the Holy Spirit.  This re-establishes the spiritual relationship/connection with God that He created us for.  And as members of God’s family, we have the assured hope of eternal life with our Father in heaven.  God has not provided any other way for those who do not receive and believe in Jesus to be given the right to have this new life and relationship.  They remain in spiritual deadness, outside the family of God.

 

Please help me for a better understanding with this: 

When we were dead, how did we believe tranformationally ? 

Does transformation precededs belief of follows belief ?

Does one believe before being born by the Holy Spirit or after Holy Spirit birthed them ?

[Lionwolf]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?

To receive Jesus is to take Jesus completely into your life, to accept His authority. To believe Jesus is to completely accept Him as true and trust His truth. Heb 11:1 "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Spiritually those that believe in and receive Jesus become children of God. Not only do we wrap our lives around Jesus but Jesus wraps himself around us, He "adopts" us. Unfortunately those that do not accept Jesus shall not see the kingdom of God.

[Celtic Wanderer]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not? 

"¹²  Yet to all^[16]who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- ¹³  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (1:12-13)

To receive in this sense means to recognise Jesus’ authority as the Son of God and to personally come under His authority. Surrendering our autonomy and coming under His authority.

To believe in this context means to accept the absolute truth of what is offered and to completely trust Jesus and His ability to cause us to be born anew as children of God.

We thus become God’s children – we are adopted into His family!

Those who do not receive and believe in this way are left outside the family of God and thus He cannot be their Father.

[Paul Hodge]

As an introduction to Q3, and to help me step through each part of the question, I would like to summarise John 1:12-13.

It would appear that a substantial number of Jews who came across Jesus Christ did not want to change their religious views as explained in the Torah. I am suggesting that they simply could not comprehend the extraordinary teachings of Jesus. So many people passed Jesus over as someone outside the norm and they were contented being locked into what they believed to be the correct teachings by current religious leaders. I would expect modern day Christians to react the same if an unknown, unaccredited and very forward thinking person questioning the status quo thus a challenge to their institutionalized religion.

However, there existed people who were intrigued by the teachings and character of Jesus Christ. These were Jews who gave of their time to listen and ascertain the meaning of His teachings. Likewise, today if a person just stops to listen to a message for a very short time he/she is not going to fully grasp and link up all the important content of the message. Likewise, to receive Jesus into our lives we have to put aside the time to truly known and understand Him.

 

To follow on from receiving Jesus into our life, the next step in our journey is to ponder over the words attributed to Jesus to value them and allow their meaning to sink in. This takes time and effort on our part and it will require us to revisit the gospels time and time again to consciously contemplate the divine message and not just the superficial or literal meaning of the Jesus’ message. Then by the will of God, we reach a point in our lives where we can honestly say that we believe all what was spoken by Jesus in the Gospels. This realization can come suddenly or it may be a gradual process. Never the less if you “run the race” who will cross the finish line. You cannot help but want to live your life anew  “. . .who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…”

 

I now come to understanding the spiritual relationship with God.

John writes in verse 13: …who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

His words leave no doubt in my mind that to be a child of God our relationship with Jesus Christ can only be realized when the will of God has deemed it so. No earthy understanding will enable us to become a child of God. We can only be united with Jesus through faith. Until then we will remain captive to the “will of the flesh and the will of man” and we greatly limit ourselves to be immersed in a spiritual relationship with God. It becomes a fine balance between knowing God according to the will of man and being motivated by the will of God. It will not be a walk in the park but the rewards are breath taking. I find it impossible to be always related to God in spirit but when I make the effort I do experience fleeting moments of God’s grace. On the flip side a I can lose it as well.

As for those people, who like the Jews in Jesus’ time walked by and only caught a momentary sentence or two of what he was saying, I can only imagine their lives to be unfulfilled and missing out on the abundant grace that God is willing to bless his children with. They may profit in worldly terms, have their fill of good fortune and contentment, but they will know deep within themselves something is missing; their soul/spirit still hunger and thirst for something out of their reach. Read the account in John Gospel of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman at t he well. John14:9-15

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) 

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 

14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 

 

[Celtic Wanderer]

(John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?

Joh 1:12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  3  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  

Q. What does it mean to "receive" Jesus?

A. To personally invite Jesus, accept Him, allow Him to have access into our lives and being.  To recognize Jesus’ authority.

 Q. What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus?

A. To trust and have complete confidence in Jesus. To entrust ourselves completely into His hands and will. Literally to “adhere to, trust in, and rely on”, AMP Bible

Q. What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?
A. Those who receive and believe Jesus are accepted into the family of God and we receive the right to become His children. This enables us to be born of God (v3) He then becomes our Father!!

Those who do not receive and believe Jesus i.e. invite Him to have access and to trust, adhere, rely on Him cannot be His children and cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Celtic Wanderer
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[Old Jerry]

The meaning to “receive” Jesus is that we believe in him and we are following him. For those who believe in Jesus we have a spiritual relationship with God because we have been forgiven for our sins through Jesus Christ. For those who do not follow Jesus they have a hole in their lives and they don’t have anything to look forward to.

[Nate Murray]

What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? I believe this means we recognize who Jesus is (Lord of All) and fall under his authority because of this.

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? I believe this means we accept Jesus for who He is and surrender our lives to him. We fully trust Him and Him alone

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?  If we believe and receive Jesus we are then brought in to a deep and special relationship.  I am His son, His child subject to His authority, correction, His love and His attention

Of those who do not? For those who do not have this relationship they are what they have always been, disconnected people walking the earth with no true understanding for the purpose of their existence.

[Maria G]

to receive Jesus is to understand Romans 8:28 - trial or blessing every moment is meant for our good, our sanctification, that we become like Him.

implications "to believe" in Jesus - logical understanding of the Gospel of God, to become functional belief and moral transformation, sanctification by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which glorifies God through internal change - converted heart - evidenced by changed lives focused on joy-filled, humble service according to the perfect will of GOD, in Jesus' name.

when we receive and believe in Jesus we stand perfect before GOD, justified and righteous covered in the blood of the Lamb of God, being sanctified moment by moment through our trials and blessings until we are called to be with Him forever! 

[Godswriter]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?  Verse 12 According to the Adam Clarke Commentary it says this: He who is made a child of God enjoys the greatest privilege which the Divine Being can confer this side eternity. Those who accept Jesus Christ, as He is offered to them in the Gospel, have, through His blood, a right to this sonship; for by that sacrifice this blessing was purchased; and the fullest promises of God confirm it to all who believe. And those who are engrafted in the heavenly family have the highest honor and dignity to which it is possible for a human soul to arrive. Verse 13 The way to believe in Christ is to be born again and have a new heart of flesh.

You have a personal relationship with God where you can talk to God on a one to one basis. You will go to heaven.

Those who don’t will be eternally separated from Him forever.

[Rosesam]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to “receive” Jesus? What does it imply to “believe in” Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?

To “receive” Jesus means to take hold of Jesus in the sense of receiving Him by trusting in His authority and ability to become our Savior. To believe in Jesus is put your entire trust and be totally committed to what His name proclaims Him to be, i.e. my Savior and Lord.

Those who receive and believe in Jesus become the children of God. In the Bible only a few are called the sons of God. First and foremost is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only begotten of the Father. Then the angels are called sons of God. Adam was called the son of God in Luke. Apart from that none of the Old Testament saints are called sons of God. Because of the Fall, Adam forfeited being the son of God as he became tainted with sin and his children were begotten with his sin nature. But the Last Adam paid the price for Adam and his descendants and now all those who put their trust in Jesus are reconciled back to God and given the spirit of adoption whereby we become His children and call Him “Abba, Father”. Those who do not receive Him are still at enmity with Him and are not restored with Him nor reconciled in their relationship with Him.

[newwine50]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus?

It means to recognize His authority and submt to His authority. 

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus?

It means to put our total trust in Him and commit ourselves completely to Him. 

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?

They are given the right to become childfren of God. 

Of those who do not?

They don't receive the right to become sons of God.

[Lisema Ralitsoele]

1. Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus?

To receive Jesus, as I do, means that I tenaciously cling to Him fully recognizing and accepting His authority over my entire life.

2. What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus?

To "believe in Jesus" implies that I entrust myself fully to him adhering to Him; having no doubt about His perfection and Deity and relying on Him.  

3. What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?

Since I have received and believe in Jesus, my spiritual relationship with God is that I am unquestionably- authoritatively- God’s child. I really cherish this privilege.  

4. Of those who do not?

None of them can see the Kingdom of God.

[Raymond Soriano]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? To receive Jesus means we need to acknowledge his control and Lordship over our lives.

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? It implies that we need to believe who truly Jesus Christ is - he is the Messiah, who was sent by God as Savior of the world.

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? God becomes their Father.

Of those who do not? They don't have the authority to become children of God.

[Raymond Soriano]

4. (John 1:14) Why is the idea of God "becoming flesh" so important to the basis of the Christian faith? The salvation of people and forgiveness of their sin requires a living sacrifice. Therefore, Jesus had to be in human nature, not in "spirit" form to be a living sacrifice for the salvation of people. Also, it necessary for Jesus to die in his human nature to show that he had conquered death by His resurrection.

What would Christ's life, crucifixion, and resurrection mean if he were only pretending to "become flesh"? It will invalidate the truth that Jesus had conquered death.

In what ways have you personally experienced his grace? I have experienced grace by receiving His forgiveness of my sins that even though I don't deserve forgiveness because I am a sinner, but still, Jesus chose to forgive and cleanse me from all my sins.

In what ways has his truth changed your life from what it was? God's forgiveness has set me free from guilt, shame, and condemnation.

[brianthedisciple]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus?

I believe it means to accept His authority in my life.

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus?

Actively putting my trust in the person of Jesus.

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?

I am adopted into the family of God. I am a son in the same way that Jesus is a son.

Of those who do not?

They are ******* children, not legitimately belonging to God as Abba, Father, or Christ, as a son or co-heir.

[Jonathan Edwards]

To receive Christ is hold and obtain the Gospel message as infallible true and believe in one's heart that Christ Jesus is truly the Word of God made flesh.

To believe in Christ is acknowledge that their is no other under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).   Apostle Peter stated, ".....this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel..." Acts2:16.   Isaiah 30 is very emphatic that we must accept the clarion call !  So is Psalm 24---Christ is the King of glory.

 Christ alone is the Word made flesh born of the Virgin Mary.  So much is implied in a few words ! 

The believer has 'exousia' delegated power--liberty and right of every man to be saved if he wills (John 3:16; 6:37; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2Peter 3:9; Rev 22:17).

Those who don't believe are outside the ark of safety.  We children of God can receive the Gospel benefits as individuals (Mark 16:16; John 3:16; 6:37).

Edited June 17, 2021 by Jonathan Edwards
Finishing today's assigned question

[Irmela]

John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus?

It means to recognize and accept or take hold of His authority in my life. 

What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus?

It means total commitment to Him Who I trust. I accept fully and completely what His Name proclaims to be. 

What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?

We are accepted as children of God. We become part of His household. We are given "sonship". 

Of those who do not?

They are cut off from God's family. ?. 

[Teshome Tena]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?

To receive Jesus is to acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior and receive His  divinity and authority over our lives.

The spiritual relationship is to those  received him is receiving his  power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name and become  born form him  not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, those who do not receive him as lord and savior they became son of disobedient and they are under Satan authority and doing their  lusts of  flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and remain as children of wrath.

[Sparrow12Seven]

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to “receive” Jesus? What does it imply to “believe in” Jesus? What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? Of those who do not?

I. What does it mean to “receive” Jesus?
To receive is to “take hold” of and to “grasp” something. It also means to “recognize the other’s authority.”
We receive Jesus Christ as Savior - (His “work”) He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves and His work on earth is finished.  

II. What does it imply to “believe in” Jesus?
The implication to believe in Jesus is twofold - intellectual assent AND “to trust oneself fully to Him,” and to “adhere to, trust in, and rely on” Him. And this is a personal decision and action.
We believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and make Him our LORD - (our “work”) We are invited to do the “work” of God, which Jesus said is “to believe in the One He has sent.” (John 6:29)
Part of our work is repentance. In order to “adhere to, trust in, and rely on” Him, we must quit adhering to, trusting in and relying on ourselves. This is an ongoing belief that requires action, change, trust, and results in transformation!

III. What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus?
The spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus is that we have been given the “right” to be children of God!  Jesus completed His part, we are now doing our part so we are now in this divine relationship with Him. Part of the beauty of relationship is that each person gives and each person receives. Jesus’ earthly work is finished, as He Himself said, but He now intercedes for us! Romans 8:34 “Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God— and He is interceding for us.” AND we have the Holy Spirit of God Himself working in us! At Salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God (Eph. 1:13) and Paul tells us that our Father God “works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-16a)  

Now we are in a living relationship with the Living God of the Universe through His Precious Son’s Work and we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God! How beautiful, wonderful, astounding, and almost incomprehensible it is to have the Holy Spirit of the Great Creator and King of the Universe living and working inside of us!!! 

Does this mean to “receive and believe” once, a long time ago? No! We are works in progress, but we are not alone! And this is “work” we can’t do alone, nor is He asking us to!  We must see ourselves as we are without Him - “poor in spirit” - and we must depend on Him, trusting Him for growth in this new life - “praying without ceasing,” “giving thanks in all things,” “asking, seeking, knocking” - listening to and obeying His Word, keeping communication open, appreciating Him and honoring Him, turning to Him for guidance in all things - living in relationship with Him!  

Does this mean we will never succumb to our own will again? No, but now we have an advocate with the Father, the LORD Jesus Christ, and “when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)  Then day by day, step by step, we trust Him to lead us, nourish us, and grow us, transforming us into His own image so we can bear much fruit for His Kingdom and for His Glory!
So we receive Salvation as a gift from Him to us.
We believe in Him with action, submitting to Him as LORD, the giving of ourselves to Him.
Now we live in a Father/Child relationship with Him from now throughout eternity!!!

IV. Of those who do not?
They are His created children, and He loves them, but unless they receive the LORD Jesus Christ and believe in Him in repentance, becoming His spiritual children, they will spend eternity separated from Him.

This most valuable gift in the Universe, the gift of Salvation, cost Him everything, and He offers it free for anyone who will receive it.  What a Wonderful Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Master, Friend, and Father God we have! 

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Thank you, Pastor Ralph, for praying for us in each of your sessions. I believe He is answering your prayer in my life because i am seeing things more clearly than ever before through your series of questions
 

[Sparrow12Seven]

I just had to post again on this question because, in my own daily Bible Reading, our Father orchestrated something beautiful and led me to this message, amazingly dovetailed to our John 1:12-13 portion of the Gospel of John in our JesusWalk Bible Study! This particular message is from E. Johnson, a theologian living in the 19th century, and is taken from Proverbs 2:1-9.  I don't believe in coincidences!  I believe our Father is filling my cup to overflowing!  Thank You, Father! And thank you, Pastor Ralph, for providing these thought-provoking, lesson gems!

The Conditions of Religious Knowledge
E. Johnson
Proverbs 2:1-9
The previous chapter having shown us in a variety of representations the necessity and the worth of wisdom, the question is now dealt with - How shall it be sought and attained?

I. CONDITIONS ON MAN'S SIDE. The enumeration is climactic, proceeding from the less strong to the stronger expressions.

1. Receptivity. The open mind and heart, ever ready to "adopt" true sentiments and appropriate them as one's own. The point is not to ask - Who says this? By what channel does it come to me? But - Is it sound? is it true? If so, it is for me, and shall be made my own. Truth is common property.

2. Attention, concentration, assimilation. "Keeping her commands with us." The thorough student finds it necessary to exercise his memory, and to help it by the use of notebooks, where he hides his knowledge. So must we hive and store, arrange and digest, our religious impressions, which otherwise "go in at one ear and out at the other." Short germ sayings may be thus kept in the memory; they will burst into fertility some day.

3. Active application. In figurative language "bending the ear" and "turning the heart" in the desired direction. The mind must not be passive in religion. It is no process of "cramming," but of personal, original, spiritual activity throughout.

4. Passionate craving and prayerfulness. "Calling Sense to one's side, and raising one's voice to Prudence" - to give another rendering to ver. 3. We must invoke the spirit of Wisdom for the needs of daily conduct; thus placing ourselves in living relation with what is our true nature. Fra Angelico prayed before his easel; Cromwell, in his tent on the eve of battle. So must the thinker in his study, the preacher in his pulpit, the merchant at his desk, if he would have the true clearness of vision and the only genuine success. True prayer is always for the universal, not the private, good.

5. Persevering and laborious exertion. illustrated by the miner's toil. The passage (Job 28.), of extraordinary picturesque power and interest, describing the miner's operations, may help us to appreciate the Illustration. The pursuit of what is ideal is still more arduous than that of the material, as silver and gold. It is often said that the perseverance of the unholy worker shames the sloth of the spiritual man. But let us not ignore the other side. The toil in the spiritual region is not obvious to the eye like the other, but is not the less really practised in silence by thousands of faithful souls. We should reflect on the immense travail of soul it has cost to produce the book which stirs us like a new force, though it may appear to flow with consummate ease from the pen. Such are the conditions of "understanding the fear of Jehovah," or, in modern language, of appropriating, making religion our own; "receiving the things of the Spirit of God," in the language of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is the highest human possession, because permanent, inalienable, and preservative amidst life's ills.

II. CONDITIONS ON THE SIDE OF GOD. If religion be the union or identification of the soul with God, he must be related to us in such a way as makes this possible.

1. He is wisdom's Source and Giver. He not only contains in himself that knowledge which, reflected in us, becomes prudence, sense, wisdom, piety; he is an active Will and a self-communicating Spirit. The ancients had a glimpse of this when they said that the gods were not of so grudging or envious a nature as not to reveal their good to men. God is self-revealing; "freely gives of his things" to us, that we may know, and in knowing, possess them.

2. His wisdom is saving. "Sound wisdom" (ver. 7) may be better rendered soundness, or salvation, or health, or saving health. It seems to come from a root signifying the essential or actual. Nothing is essential but health for sensuous enjoyment; nothing but health, in the larger sense, for spiritual enjoyment. Let us think of God as himself absolute Health, and thus the Giver of all health and happiness to his creatures.

3. He is Protector of the faithful. The Hebrew imagination, informed by constant scenes of war, delights to represent him as the Buckler or Shield of his servants (Psalm 18:2; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 89:19). Those who "walk in innocence" seem to bear a charmed life. They "fear no evil," for he is with them. The vast sky is their tent roof. They may be slain, but cannot be hurt. To be snatched from this world is to be caught to his arms.

4. He is eternal Justice. Being this in himself, the "way of his saints," which is synonymous with human rectitude, cannot be indifferent to him. Right is the highest idea we can associate with God. It is exempt from the possible suspicion of weakness or misdirection which may cleave to the mere idea of goodness or kindness. It essentially includes might. Thus the soul finds shelter beneath this vast and majestic conception and faith of its God. These, then, are the conditions, Divine and human, of religion. That we may realize it in ourselves, "understand right, justice, and equity" - in a word, "every good way" of life and thought, uniting piety with morality - the conditions must be faithfully fulfilled. Perfect bodily health may not be attainable; some of its conditions lie without the sphere of freedom, and within that of necessary law. Spiritual health is attainable, for it lies within the sphere of freedom. Then God is realized; it is the ether of the soul, and the region of love and light and blessedness. J. 

copied from:   https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/clarkson/the_course_the_goal_and_the_prize_of_wisdom.htm

[BC Diane]

“Receiving” makes me think of what we do if someone comes to stay in our home - we welcome them, holding the door wide open for them to join us inside (as contrasted with what might be our reaction to a door to door solicitor!).  “Believing in His name” is being firmly persuaded that He is all that He claims to be and claims to represent. Jesus gives the one who receives Him, who believes in His name, the authority to be called a child of God!