+I. Is spiritual strength, the source and sustenance of all might.+
+II. May be realised in increasing measure.+
+III. Arms the soul with invincible power.+--Power to endure with
patience the trials of life; power to bear with the opposition
and cruelty of others.
+IV. Enables the soul to rejoice in the midst of suffering.+
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF VERSE_ 12.
_Meetness for Saintly Inheritance._
The epistle has been hitherto occupied with prefatory observations.
In this verse the writer enters upon his principal theme relating to
the person and redemption of Jesus Christ. He offers _thanks to God
the Father as the primal source of that grace which constitutes the
meetness for the saintly heritage._ Observe:--
+I. The opulent inheritance provided for the good.+--1. _It is a
present and prospective possession._ "The inheritance of the saints
in light." _Light_ is symbolic of knowledge, purity, and joy. The
saints even now are called out of darkness into God's kingdom of
marvellous light. "They walk in the light as He is in the light."
They have a measure of knowledge, but it is dimmed by many earthly
obscurities; of purity, but it is surrounded with imperfections; of
joy, but it is moderated by life's sorrows. In the prospective
heavenly inheritance, of which the earthly portion is a preparation
and pledge, knowledge shall be unclouded and complete, purity
unsullied, joy uninterrupted. "The life for eternity is _already_
begun: we are at and from the very hour of our regeneration
introduced into the spiritual world--a world which, though mysterious
and invisible, is as real as the world of sense around us: the
Christian's life of heavenliness is the first stage of heaven itself!
There is a power now within the believer in the germ, of which his
celestial immortality shall be the proper fruit. The dawn of heaven
hath already begun in all who are yet to rejoice in its noontide
glory" (_Archer Butler_).
2. _It is a possession provided for the good._--"The saints." Not for
the unholy, the impenitent, the unbelieving, the worldly. It is an
inheritance where only the pure in heart can dwell. There is a world
of significance in that pithy saying of an old Divine: "Every one
will get to heaven who could live there." Only the saints who have
made the Lord their light and their salvation can bear the splendour
of His presence.
3. _It is a possession freely given._--The legal heir has no need to
work for his inheritance; he enters in possession by right of
succession or testatorial bequest. The saint enters upon his
inheritance of righteousness, not by natural descent or by any
self-constituted right, but on the ground of a free, Divine gift. The
believer has a _title_ to the inheritance; but it is not earned by
his own efforts: it is bestowed by Christ who won the inheritance by
suffering and dying. Thus, all idea of merit is excluded; we can do
nothing to deserve such a heritage of blessing. The word
"inheritance" really means "the parcel of the lot"--an expression
borrowed from the Old Testament (Ps. xvi. 5). The promised Canaan
suggests an analogy between it and the higher hopes and wealthier
possessions of the new dispensation. As each Israelite, through the
grace of God, obtained his allotment, so the Christian obtains his
portion in the kingdom of God. The present and future possession of
the saints infinitely surpasses the earthly inheritance.
+II. The special meetness necessary to a participation in the
inheritance.+--"Hath made us meet to be partakers."
1. _This meetness is absolutely necessary._--Naturally we are unmeet.
A monarch may raise the basest slave to a dukedom, but he cannot give
him fitness to discharge the duties of the exalted position; he may
change his state, but he cannot change his nature. To obtain a moral
fitness for the saintly inheritance our nature must be changed.
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
2. _This meetness consists in the loving conformity of the human will
to the Divine._--The future life of heaven is the object and pattern
of our present heavenly life: "there is the mighty model on which we
are to reconstruct our nature; there dwells that central form of
moral and spiritual beauty of which our life is to be the
transcript." The celestial spirits find their highest glory and
blessedness in the complete submission of their whole nature to God;
in cheerful, willing, loving obedience to His will. The heavenly life
is the test and standard of our life on earth--of every motive, word,
and deed. The Church of Christ is a training school for a more
exalted career. An ancient sage once said, "Boys ought most to learn
what most they shall need when they become men." So, men ought to
learn in this life what they shall need most as glorified beings in
the future. Only as our whole soul is conformed in loving obedience
to the will of God are we "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in light." We are thus brought into sympathy with the good
in all realms and fitted to participate in the most exalted
fellowships of the future!
3. _This meetness is a Divine work._--It is God "the Father who hath
made us meet." He provides the inheritance; He gives the title to it;
He confers the moral fitness by which the soul enters into its
possession and enjoyment. None but God, the fountain of holiness,
goodness, and power, could accomplish this work. "He worketh in us to
will and to do." In the meetening process He hath dealt with us as a
FATHER, instructing our ignorance, correcting and chastising our
faults, and comforting and strengthening us in trouble.
+III. The great duty we owe to the generous donor of the
inheritance.+--"Giving thanks." Gratitude is the easiest and
commonest duty of a dependent creature; yet is the duty most
frequently and grossly neglected. Our hearts should ever glow with an
unquenchable flame of grateful praise to the bountiful Author of all
our blessings.
+Lessons.+--1. _We owe thanks to God as the Provider of the
inheritance._ 2. _We owe thanks to God as the active Agent in
producing the special meetness to participate in the enjoyments of
the inheritance._ 3. _Our thanks to God should be expressed in active
obedience to His will._ 4. _Our thanks to God should be joyful,
fervent, and constant._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSE._