The essence of true thanksgiving to GOD is that which is confessed by those who have been brought out of darkness and into HIS light. It is for this reason that the gospel of JESUS CHRIST is to be preached. “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” (2Tim 1:10-11)
Unless and until a man is given “illumination” (i.e.; light) he cannot believe that gospel even though he may have heard it a thousand times. This work of “illumination” does not take place by or through the skills of men but rather by the operation of the HOLY GHOST who removes the scales from the eyes of the blind and causes them to see. This is what the LORD taught when HE said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
Some make the mistake of thinking that the preached gospel is the “light”, yet the scripture indicates that the “LIGHT” is that which is the “inheritance” of the “saints” who are made able to be partakers of this inheritance through the sovereign work of GOD’s grace in calling out those who belong to HIM, to both see and embrace the truth of the gospel. We see this illustrated in Acts 13:48 “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Believing the gospel is the “inheritance” of those who were chosen in CHRIST before the foundation of the world. They are thus “ordained” to receive that LIFE which is the LIGHT of men.
The gospel bears witness to this LIGHT, but until a man is given eyes to see it, or is “born again” (i.e.; born from above) he dwells in darkness and cannot comprehend it. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Darkness cannot embrace LIGHT or darkness would cease to exist, therefore the LIGHT must overwhelm the darkness, which does indeed take place when a man is born again by the SPIRIT of GOD, and then is enabled to see the LIGHT.
Unless a man is given or “enabled” (as the Greek word(s) translated “hath made us meet” literally means) to see the LIGHT; he cannot and will not embrace it, and does prove, thereby, not to have the inheritance of the saints. “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Mat 13:11) “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” (John 6:65)
All men, by nature, are born into darkness and are content to dwell in that condition. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3:19-20) They are totally undisturbed and uncurious about this LIGHT, preferring not to be bothered by it and in fact are in rebellion against it. They can neither approach unto this LIGHT (because they are darkness and have no light, for what fellowship hath light with darkness or vice versa) nor do they have any desire to dwell in that LIGHT, preferring their evil deeds and the cover of night (as they suppose).
Even the saints of GOD (who are appointed as the heirs and joint heirs with CHRIST, before the foundation of the world) cannot appreciate this inheritance nor in anywise enjoy it or embrace it, until the time appointed when HE who is the TESTATOR and EXECUTOR of HIS own will, sees fit to open their eyes, in applying HIS promise. They are in point of fact indistinguishable from the heirs of darkness. “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.” (Gal 4:1) Yet it is the LORD’s revealed purpose to do that very thing as HE told Isaiah, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isa 42:16)
An inheritance is the fulfillment of a “promise”. If a man is made an heir it is because he has been appointed to receive that “promise”. An inheritance is a gift which cannot in any wise be earned or deserved. It cannot be enhanced by those who are appointed to receive it nor can it in any wise be diminished by them. It is theirs strictly according to the goodness of the ONE who is the TESTATOR. The fulfillment of that “promise” rests completely on two things, “the death of the TESTATOR who owns the “promise”, and the awarding of the “promise” to the heirs by that ONE who is the EXECUTOR of the will of the TESTATOR.
Thus the “inheritance of the saints in LIGHT” is both sure and steadfast because of the ONE who is the OWNER and GIVER of every good and perfect gift. That “inheritance” rests squarely on the power of HIM who is possessed of an endless life. “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb 6:17-20)
Until such time as they are released from darkness, being renewed in the SPIRIT of their mind, they can neither see nor believe the gospel. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:21) . “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Col 3:9-10)
Yet when this new birth occurs and the gift of faith is bestowed they can do nothing else but fall down and worship HIM with a thankful spirit. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col 3:15-17) “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Heb 13:15) The revelation of this inheritance to the sons of GOD as they are born from above, by the sovereign operation of the HOLY GHOST, is that which causes them to be made thankful
The inheritance of the saints is realized in this world in the unfolding of the gospel and shall be enjoyed through the ages to come in the giving of thanks unto HIM that has loved us and washed us from sin. “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Rev 11:16-17) “ Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.” (Rom 15:11)
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