The Mediator of a new covenant continues Heb. 9:15 (95)
- “They which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” “They which have been truly converted to God. In John 1:12, this is settled upon “believers,” such as do heartily accept of Christ. In Acts 26:18 and Col. 1:12 the heirs are described as “sanctified,” personally dedicated to God and set apart to live unto Him. This is the true spiritual people of God, and it looks back to the “call” of Abraham Heb. 11:8, whos, divine grace in his heart, turned his back upon the world and the things of the flesh Gen. 12:1, and entered the path of faith’s obedience to God. People like this, are the spiritual “children” of Abraham, and have been “called with a holy calling” 2Tim. 1:9. “Might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” This is the grand object of the “everlasting covenant” so far as men are concerned, and the chief design of the new testament. The obstacle in the way, is transgressions or sins. Christ must die that death due unto those transgressions. For Him to die, He must be appointed unto a mediatorial position and become incarnate. Because He did so die, and has redeemed from all transgressions, the “eternal inheritance” is sure unto all His people, His heirs, the “called” of God. The children of Israel redeemed from Egypt, received from God the promise of a temporal or earthly inheritance. But inside that Nation was “a remnant according to the election of grace,” and they, individually, received from God an inward call, which made them the heirs of an eternal inheritance. It speaks of these reminant, as well as the saints of the present dispensation. Promise of an “eternal inheritance” had the O. T. saints. They had the Gospel preached unto them Heb. 4:2. They were saved through “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 15:11 as well as we. They “did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink,” Christ 1Cor. 10:3, 4. They “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly” Heb. 11:16.
- “Might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” What is meant by the first four words here? First, let us define the “eternal inheritance.” By it we understand God’s “great salvation” Heb. 2:3, considering it in its most comprehensive sense, as including justification, sanctification and glorification. It is that blessed estate which Christ has purchased for “His own,” here called an “inheritance” to remind us that the way whereby we come unto it is by a gratuitous adoption, and not by any merits of our own. It is in this life and in that which is to come, and it is “grace and glory.” Even now “eternal life” is giving to the called. But “grace” is only “glory” begun: the best “wine” is reserved for the time to come. For the future aspect of the “eternal inheritance” see 1Peter 1:3–5. The way whereby God conveys this “eternal inheritance” is by “promise”: see Galatians 3:18 and Heb. 6:15–18. And this for a threefold. First, the grant is absolutely free: the “promise” is opposed unto everything of “works”. Rom. 4:14, etc. Second, the security unto all the heirs of it, is the veracity and faithfulness of God behind the promise: Titus 1:1, etc. Since God has “promised” to bestow the “inheritance,” nothing in, of, or from the heirs can make them forefeiting it: 1Thess. 5:24. Third, the reception is by faith, and faith only: Rom. 4:16. To “receive the promise” is to “mix faith” with it Heb. 4:2, to appropriate it Heb. 11:13, 17, so as not to stagger at it in unbelief Rom. 4:20, 21. To also receive the fulfillment of it. It is based the sacrifice of Christ, and all the grace, mercy and love, with the fruits thereof, these are communicated to believers in this life: Gal. 3:14. The consummation, the future state in glory, we “receive the promise” by faith, rest thereon, and live in the joyous expectation of it: Heb. 11:13.” Pink Arthur W. In adopting the analysis of John Owen. 1. God has designed an “eternal inheritance” unto certain persons. 2. The way in which is conveyed thereunto is by “promise.” 3. The persons unto whom this inheritance is designed, are the “called.” 4. The obstacle which stood in the way of their enjoyment of this inheritance was their “transgressions.” 5. That this obstacle might be removed, God made a “new covenant,” because none of the sacrifices under the first covenant, could expiate sins. 6. The ground of the efficacy of the “new covenant” unto this end was, that it had a Mediator, a great High Priest. 7. The means whereby the Mediator of the new covenant did expiate the sins against the first testament was by “death,” and this new covenant, being also a “testament,” required the death of the Testator. 8. The death of this Mediator has taken away sins by “the redemption of transgressions.” Thus, the promise is sure unto all the seed.
