Just like babies learn about the family they’ve been born into, new Christians soon learn about their new family. A baby, by law, becomes an inheritor of the possessions of their father and mother. That includes everything from food and clothing to furniture, appliances, vehicles, houses, land, cash, stocks, and bonds. Christians also become inheritors of the possessions of their Heavenly Father.
Here’s what Jesus promised those who followed Him:
“Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29
“And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25:33-34
Here’s what Paul said about a Christian’s inheritance:
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:32
“I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” Acts 26:14-18
“No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:8-10
“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:49-51
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:11-14
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Colossians 1:9-12
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
It was very important to Paul that Christians learned about their spiritual inheritance and the many rewards that would come from it. Look at the details from his letter to the Christians in Ephesus:
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15-23
We are so rich! We will spend eternity with Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Lord and Savior … We have an amazing home in Heaven … We will walk the streets of gold … We will enjoy every imaginable joy in Heaven! But what do we have here on earth? We have every spiritual blessing!
- Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him
- The eyes of our understanding being enlightened
- Know what is the hope of His calling
- Know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
- Know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe
- Know the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places
We have access to every spiritual blessing because of our inheritance in Christ Jesus! Our present and future are bound tightly to the inheritance we have in our Lord and Savior. His victory over death and the grave becomes our victory over death and the grave. Jesus has great riches beyond our wildest imagination and He freely shares them with us. Why? Because He loves us and bought us with the stunning price of His Blood.
I cannot express my gratitude, my deep-felt thankfulness, for what God has done for me and every Christian who is alive today, has lived in the past, and will be born in the future. God bless you greatly is my prayer!
Mark McGee
GraceLife Blog 