You Have an Inheritance

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

When Paul wrote to the Ephesian Christ followers, he told them about an inheritance waiting for them, and yet it had immediate benefits as well. An inheritance is something received as a result of a legal process. It can be in a variety of forms, so let’s just call it a legacy one obtains from being connected to a family or friend. 

The inheritance I’m referring to is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Paul told the Roman Christ followers that, as members of the family of God, they were an heir of God and fellow-heir with Christ [Romans 8.17]. Peter wrote about the inheritance as “imperishable and undefiled…reserved in heaven for you” [1 Peter 1.4]. Imperishable means it’s timeless. Undefiled means it’s sinless. It will not diminish in any way because it is secure in heaven. What a thought!

But heaven is not the totality of the inheritance. There are present benefits as well. In addition to receiving Christ and the Holy Spirit, we inherit peace, love, grace, wisdom, joy, victory, strength, guidance, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, discernment, and every other spiritual benefit — great blessings, one and all. I might have left something out, so let me use the words of Paul when he told the Ephesian Christ followers that we have inherited, “every spiritual blessing in Christ” [Ephesians 1.3]. Or as he told the Corinthian Christ followers, “all things belong to you, and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” [1 Corinthians 3.22-23].

Having the right outlook about your inheritance will help you keep a proper perspective on material, temporal things and inspire you to praise and adore God. As a member of God’s family, you have obtained an inheritance, one with many benefits, both present and future.

… that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 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. Ephesians 1.10-12