FFF 9:1 (Jan 1963)
An Eternal Inheritance
You have inherited a fortune! Yes, I mean you! If you belong to Christ, you have indeed inherited great wealth. Let us see what the Bible has to say about your inheritance.
It is ours: Ephesians 1:11 tells us that we have obtained it. “In whom (Christ) also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” We certainly must be heirs, therefore, this inheritance is ours.
It is ours in Christ: This inheritance is ours through the Lord Jesus, and through Him alone. “If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:17). It is in Him that we have obtained the inheritance.
As He is, so are we: God has appointed Christ the heir of all things. “His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds” (Heb. 1:2). Each believer is a joint-heir with Him; therefore, a joint-heir of all things. Can you take this in? It is marvellous!
It is eternal: A will in order to become effective must be kept until the death of the testator. Through the death of Christ we receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. This is perfectly true in the light of such passages as Hebrews 9:15. “And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”
We already have the down payment: The pledge of this inheritance is the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul makes this unmistakeably plain. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14).
The Apostle Peter gives a detailed description of the Christian’s inheritance; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
Do you really appreciate this inheritance that is actually yours? Let us notice some of its characteristics.
It is incorruptible: Everything on earth has been defiled. Even the heavens are unclean in His sight. Sin has blighted all; but the inheritance we have in and through the Lord Jesus is both incorruptible and undefiled. It is incorruptible in its quality and undefiled in its purity.
It will never fade away: As stated earlier, it is an eternal inheritance. All the splendour of the nations and of prominent individuals will fade away, but not the glory of this inheritance; it remains forever.
You have a reservation in glory: This inheritance is reserved for you. There is no need to worry lest your portion disappear before you arrive. That has happened many a time on earth. Money does seem to take to itself wings and to fly away.
You are being guarded for the inheritance: Not only is it being reserved for you, but, wonder of wonders, you are being reserved and kept by the power of God for it. There cannot possibly be a miscarriage in this arrangement.
How may you enjoy it now? Suppose you had inherited a large palace and estate and title in Britain. Would you fit into the circumstance; would you enjoy both the circumstance and the legacy? Most of us would feel out of our element. For our eternal inheritance we are made suitable; “…thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12). How exceedingly wonderful! Not only do we have this eternal inheritance in Christ; not only is it reserved for us and we preserved for it, but we are even made fit to enjoy it. What grace! We who were alienated and enemies, we who were under the power of darkness, now are made meet (suitable) to be joint participants of this divine inheritance. “You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight” (Col. 1:21-22).
We are like the old coloured lady who, when asked if she might feel out of place in the glory and purity of Heaven, replied, “Oh, no, I’ll be all dressed up in Jesus.”
Now a question: Exactly what is this inheritance? What all is included in it? These questions are asked to provoke thought. Try and do a little digging for yourself. 1 Corinthians tells us, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.” Rely upon this spiritual illumination and by it search out these riches in Christ. If you find out what is included in this inheritance, why not write the Editor of Food for the Flock, and share your discovery with the rest of us? You might be amazed at what you find if you really dig for hidden treasure.