We have already discussed that a significant part of our identity in Christ is the fact that He is our Father, we are His child. That has immeasurable impact on us, there is so much to study about Abba Father, God as Father that it could take an entire book and still not fully cover it. One aspect of God as Father that we touched on, is one I would like to go into a bit further today. We are heirs, co-heirs with Christ that is wonderful news.
Romans 8:14-17 tells us
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
God is rich. In 2 Corinthians 8:9 Paul said,
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
If your Father is rich, do you live as if you are poor? No! You live like an heir or heiress. The children of the wealthy are identified by the title of heir. Most of them do not live as if they will one day be wealthy, if they have loving parents, they enjoy the privileges of their parent’s wealth before they receive the entirety of their inheritance. Believer, you and I are co-heirs with Christ; we are rich. Jesus stepped out of Heaven and gave up wealth beyond our imaginations to become poor and the Bible says that the reason He did that was so that we could become rich. That is wealth in as many ways as you can think of it.
I have learned over the years that God loves to lavish us with gifts and blessings. I have learned He enjoys spoiling His children. Not spoiling in the sense that many people do their children to create self-centered brats, but giving gifts well beyond mere need and basic provision to heap his love on us and give us what makes us happy.
A few verses that speak to this idea are
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
John 14:12-14
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Do you delight in your Father? Do you seek His kingdom and righteousness above all else? Do you believe in Him and want to be co-heirs with Christ? Then ask and receive, knock and the door will be opened, seek and you will find.
There are two questions I will assume you are asking and I will endeavor to answer those two questions. The first is, “What is our inheritance?” and the second is “What is it that God is rich in?” By no means is this comprehensive. This is a devotional and so we are limited. These questions are really the same question. If your father is rich in money, property, and business, then as his heir, you will inherit his money, property, and business.
Let’s look at what we inherit from God. We will start with Ephesians 1:3-14,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Our inheritance is a done deal, look at the phrasing of this passage “has blessed us” “predestined” “lavished” “have obtained” and “were sealed.” Those phrases are past tense and at the same time we have not acquired the full possession of the inheritance. But The Holy Spirit is our seal and guarantee. So according to this passage, out inheritance is predestined, it is God’s will, and includes:
- We have been given every spiritual blessing- There is no spiritual blessing that God will withhold from us. Those blessings are our sanctification, our glorification of Christ, our spiritual gifts all given to enable us to do His will which is the praise of His glorious grace. Our lives should praise, that is honor, celebrate, and extol the grace of Jesus Christ. Those blessings are not because we are so good, smart, talented, or worthy; those gifts are because God is gracious and He gave us every spiritual blessing simply because He loves us so much.
- We have been given redemption and forgiveness- Salvation by God’s wealth of grace.
- He has made known the mystery of His will- we are in on the plan. We know about the Day of the Lord, we know that God doesn’t want anyone to perish (John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4).
- Those blessings enable us to be the praise of Christ’s glory – This is our sanctification to the image of Christ. Our lives should glorify or point to and reflect Jesus. God does this for us through the Holy Spirit.
- The truth, the Gospel- We were saved by the Gospel, belief in Jesus Christ. And we are ministers and stewards of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:1).
- The suffering of Christ
- The glory of Christ.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Look at that wonderful list! Now we add:
- The kingdom of heaven (which is mentioned twice!)
- Comfort
- The earth- the earth! When the Day of the Lord happens, we will rule in New Jerusalem on the new earth (2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 20:4) Just as the earth and all that is in it belongs to God (Psalm 24:1) it will also be ours.
- Satisfaction
- Mercy
- The revelation of God- We will see God face to face! (1 Corinthians 13:12) We will be in His full presence.
- Adoption as the sons of God,
- Rejoicing
- A great reward in heaven.
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
So this passage adds to our ever-lengthening list of what we have inherited in Christ.
- Restoration hundredfold of what was given up. Did you give up your family for Christ? Look at the millions of brothers and sisters you have in Christ, look at your awesome good and perfect Father and your wonderful Brother, Jesus. Did you give up your fortune? You will receive it a hundredfold. A hundredfold means one hundred times what you gave up.
- Eternal life
- Position in the kingdom- You will be raised to equality with your fellow brothers and sisters, no slaves or masters, Jews or gentiles (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11).
Ephesians 2:4 says God is rich in mercy because of how greatly He loves us.
Psalm 145:7 says He is rich in goodness,
Psalm 145:8 says God is rich in steadfast love.
That same verse also says He is rich in grace.
Philippians 4:19 says He is rich in glory. The same verse says God will meet our every need. Therefore, we can proclaim that out of God’s wealth we inherit
- Provision.