Spurgeon's evening devotional was touching today. He spoke about the precious nature of Christ's sacrifice. It made me think about the concept of a last will and testament. Here is a great group of verses:
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive." Hebrews 9:11-17 ESV
Death isn't something we like to think about. Theory is one thing but reality is another. Someone making a will is thinking ahead about loved ones. They want to reach beyond the grave and give to people or causes what they have acquired in life. It is a declaration that is meant to survive death... a last statement or commentary on what their priorities were and what direction their thoughts and decisions were pointed in.
Some things can't be communicated or passed on until after death. On one hand it is a sad thing. On the other it is a beautiful practical thing. If objects, cars, houses, monies, etc... were passed on before death there would be a sense of shared ownership. After death the inheritance fully belongs to the one specified in the will.
Jesus healed people. Many people. He speaks in Luke 8:46 of virtue 'leaving' or 'going out of Him'. The Greek word is Exerchomai (Strong's G1831) and it is the same word used when Jesus cast the legion demons out of a man in Luke 8:46. Virtue left Christ and they were healed and even brought back to life but there were some things that needed more than that. It could not be partial in any way.
Christ needed to die in order to give us a full inheritance. He needed to die and leave the planet so the Spirit that He was given without measure could be given to us.
In a sense... His death made it a full grace transfer. It is not a partial gift... it is a full transfer of assets. We own Christ's life. We possess Christ's righteousness. It is ours because it is given to us. It was not something we could own while He was alive. He owned it in life now it is given to us.
Resurrection has broken the boundary of death. Now the same inheritance can be given to many.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places" Ephesians 1:16-20 ESV
It is a solemn weighty thing to receive a gift like that. I want to treasure what I have been given and plant it like seed everywhere I go so others can have it also.
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