Read and pray: "For this reason, He is the Mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Heb. 9:15)
Building Up the Saints
In 20:32, we see the function of the word of God’s grace. First, it is able to build up the saints. Building up the saints requires growth in the divine life, and to grow in this life, one must be supplied with the divine element and perfected and equipped with divine knowledge. All this can only be achieved through the word of God’s abundant grace, which is the Triune God Himself, who went through the processes of incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and was given to the saints for their enjoyment.
Giving Us an Inheritance
Second, the word of God’s grace gives us "an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." The divine inheritance is the Triune God Himself with all He has, has done, and will do for His redeemed. This Triune God is embodied in the all-inclusive Christ (Col. 2:9), who is the portion of the saints as their inheritance (Col. 1:12). The Holy Spirit given to the saints is the foretaste, pledge, and guarantee of this divine inheritance (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:14), which we share and enjoy today in God’s New Testament jubilee as a foretaste, and will share and enjoy in full in the coming age and for eternity (1 Pet. 1:4).
Our eternal inheritance relates to the divine life, which we receive through regeneration and experience and enjoy throughout our Christian life. "This inheritance is the full possession of what was promised to Abraham and all believers (Gen. 12:3; see Gal. 3:6 ff.), an inheritance far superior to that designated for the children of Israel in the possession of Canaan, just as the sonship of the regenerated, who have already received the promise of the Spirit by faith as the pledge of their inheritance, is far superior to Israel’s sonship (cf. Gal. 3:18-29; 1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 9:15)" (Wiesinger, quoted by Alford).
An inheritance is a proper and legal possession. It is not attained by our energy, ability, or works. Instead, it is granted to us legitimately by someone. We do not work for it; we receive it.
On the day we were regenerated, we received the right to share an inheritance, which includes all blessings related to eternal life. Daily, we need to take possession of and enjoy it. It is legal, rightful, and legitimate because Christ died to acquire it for us, paying the price with His precious blood. Day by day, we can partake of and enjoy it. It is ours today and will be for eternity.
According to Paul in 20:32, God’s inheritance is among those who have been sanctified. Partaking of it requires that we be sanctified, which necessitates the word of God’s grace. In John 17:17, the Lord Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." To be sanctified (Eph. 5:26; 1 Thess. 5:23) is to be set apart from the world and its occupation for God and His purpose, not only in position (Matt. 23:17, 19) but also in disposition (Rom. 6:19, 22).
The living word of God works in believers to separate them from all that is worldly. This is to be sanctified in the word of God as truth, reality.
HE WORKED TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND HELP HIS CO-WORKERS
In 20:33-34, Paul continues: "I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to those who were with me." He worked with his hands making tents (18:3) to support himself as well as those who were with him. He worked to help his young co-workers. This shows us that his way was not that of today’s clergy, who make preaching a profession.
Like Paul, we should carry out the New Testament economy wherever we are. If the situation allows, we may devote all our time to the work of the ministry. Otherwise, we should do something to support ourselves and help others.
In 20:35, he said, "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this way, you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" The Greek terms translated as "the needy" can also be rendered as "the weak," referring to those physically weak (1 Cor. 11:30), thus the poor.
In verse 35, Paul urged the elders to remember the Lord Jesus’ words: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This is not recorded in the Gospels; it must have been received through oral communication.
If we carefully read Paul’s word to the elders of the church in Ephesus, we will see that he did not regard preaching as a profession. Instead, he had a genuine burden to carry out God’s New Testament economy.
Enjoy More: Hymn 162
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