Jesus Bequeathed His Estate to You
“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh: how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.” (Hebrews 9:13-17 WEB)
Jesus did not die just to purchase our pardon from transgressions, but He also gave us everything good that belongs to Him.
The New Covenant of Grace is a will. In it, we are the heirs of a vast inheritance.
What Jesus did at the cross is essentially Him saying, “I am taking the penalty of everything bad you did, and in their place, everything good that I have, I bequeath to you.”
That is crazy! The first question would be, “Why would you do that, Jesus? I was not even nice to You—in fact, I sinned constantly against You like an enemy.”
We must realize that Jesus was sent by Abba God to do this. Jesus’ actions shows us the Father’s will.
Abba God did not want us to be separated from Him, so Jesus became “The Way” that leads back to Him.
There is no proper reason to pardon a vile criminal who behaves like your enemy, and bequeath him your entire inheritance, except for the reason of love.
It is only because God loves us that He designed this whole salvation plan, so that we would be spared from punishment and instead enjoy the abundance of His grace.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.” (1 John 4:7-12 WEB)
God has to punish sin, but love is who He is. One is a responsibility, the other is a heart’s desire.
When we see how much God loves us, we will not want to continue in hatred or bitterness. Instead, we will look up to Him and want to walk in the same kind of love as Him. God’s love will then have its perfect work completed in us.
This is like a blob of red paint being dropped into a glass of water and being fully stirred until the whole mixture is red. If you hear about His love and do not receive it with a receptive heart, it is like allowing the blob of paint to sink to the bottom of the glass without being mixed into the water.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” (John 13:34-35 WEB)
Won’t you allow God’s love to have its intended effect in your heart? Jesus’ disciples are to be known by their love for one another. Christians are supposed to be the most loving people in this world, so let your good works done in love shine for God’s glory!
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