THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 4:6-7 MESSAGE 13 – THE GREATNESS AND WONDER OF BEING MADE ADOPTED SONS AND HEIRS IN CHRIST – WHAT IS “THE INHERITANCE” - PART 2
We have been focussing our studies in the last two messages on {{Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, “Abba! Father!” AND
Galatians 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a SON, and if a son, then AN HEIR THROUGH GOD.}}
It would be helpful for those who will read this to revise the previous message just to get the context, and all the glorious promises that await the children of God. It will make this one more meaningful.
Last time we looked at Adoption as sons of God, being brought into God’s family. That was done through the grace of God, and His love and kindness to us, especially as we were Gentiles, estranged from the promises of God, until Christ’s death on the cross when He reconciled to Himself both Jew and Gentile as one in the Church through faith.
We looked also at what it means to be heirs in Christ, examining several scriptures. Being an heir is the greatest of honours bestowed on us, but it goes further than that because we are joint heirs with Christ.
Today we continue that theme and examine INHERITANCE. An heir always has an inheritance.
[1]. {{Acts 20:32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you THE INHERITANCE among all those who are sanctified.”}}
This was the last time Paul would see the elders from the Ephesus region and it was a sorrowful departure. In commending these men to God, the Apostle mentions the word of His grace, not only to build up men in God, but that which gives to us all the inheritance; the “us” meaning all who are sanctified, and that is the work of the Holy Spirit in individual lives.
The inheritance that is coming is all of grace, and Christians must never think ever, that it is of themselves. There is a problem with many Christians that is subtle and cancerous. That problem is that we think we are people of importance and that what we do, is honouring God, but it is done in the strength of the flesh. We have the steering wheel, not God.
When I was quite young I used to have a problem spelling “Christian”. I could not get it correct: if it ended in “ain” or “ian”. Later on I heard a servant of God say this, “In Christ I Am Nothing,” and there you have it! I-A-N – in Christ, I am nothing. When we understand that we don’t become puffed up with our calling or position or status or even importance. None of us is important! You must realise that. The servant of God is humble.
In the verse above Paul does not specify what the inheritance is. Our inheritance must be so rich, purchased for us by the death of the Lamb of God. I have often wondered about the following verse, trying to understand something about it but it is too grand and overwhelming for us all – {{1Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED for those who love Him.”}}
But then in the following verse Paul says they are revealed to us through the Spirit. I sort of think God has revealed that they will be majestic things without itemising anything – {{1Corinthians 2:10 “To us God revealed them THROUGH THE SPIRIT, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”}} Just never forget, you had nothing to do with the inheritance. It was the full grace of God, so beware that you might think of yourself you are worthy. You are no more than a sinner saved by grace.
If perchance someone is listening to me right now or reading this in text form, then pay attention. If you have never received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, then you are not counted among those who are sanctified, and you have no inheritance. That is very sad, and it is eternal. Please turn to the Lord and be saved.
[2]. {{Acts 26:17-18 “delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and AN INHERITANCE among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’”}}
Verse 18 is not unlike the verse in the previous one we just looked at, and its closeness of course is because Paul is quoting the Lord on the Damascus Road in His encounter with Saul of Tarsus. When quoting the Lord, it is unwise to depart from the proper words spoken. We have the same inheritance and what was said earlier likewise applies. We have the addition from the Lord – “by faith in Me.” Fundamental words, and they must never be bypassed. It will always be “by faith,” every step from the commencement of the Christian life until the end of it in the Lord’s presence.
[3]. {{Ephesians 1:11-12 also we have obtained AN INHERITANCE, having been “PREDESTINED according to His purpose” who works all things after THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL, to the end that we who were THE FIRST TO HOPE in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”}}
To understand this in context the two words inheritance and predestined must be connected. In order that the word predestined does not get skewed, it is necessary to consider parallel references for the word and that is done at the end of this message.
The purpose of God towards us is for the Lord to grant riches ACCORDING TO HIS GRACE, and that we saw earlier. The inheritance is part of that grace; in fact it could be ALL of that, for I think all that is in store for the child of God in His eternal presence, is all wrapped up in the inheritance. We don’t single out imaginary blessings but they all come under the umbrella of the goodness of God.
There is a rather strange word group there – “the counsel of His will” – with counsel meaning “advice, guidance, direction”. I think the correct understanding there is the working by the direction of His will, that is, God is working for our good, for our inheritance, according to the directive will of God. All that when summed up should be to the praise of His glory.
The Ephesians passage ends with “first to hope” and “praise of His glory” and that is the active outcome of the walk towards our inheritance. Hope is a settled belief and solid basis of faith. We have that, or ought to, and it is strengthened through the bible. Don’t neglect the bible. God is glorified and His glory results in praise. We praise the Glorious One. I think it is true to say often we don’t give much time to meditating on the glory of God, but we ought to do that.
[4]. {{Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a PLEDGE of OUR INHERITANCE, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”}}
The Holy Spirit is described here as a PLEDGE of our inheritance; something like a down payment. The AV chose the word “earnest” that meant when the AV was translated, “a guarantee as in an engagement ring.” It meant marriage was to come. The Holy Spirit is given to us as the bond of what is to come. {{2Corinthians 1:22 “who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a PLEDGE.” 2Corinthians 5:5 “Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a PLEDGE.”}}
[5]. {{Ephesians 1:15-18 “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you while making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of HIS INHERITANCE in the saints.
We will not know the specifics of the inheritance while on earth, but Paul speaks of the glory of that inheritance. We know it will be glorious and to describe it he uses the word riches. Our understanding of riches is limited to materialism and money, so a better word to assist in understanding might be “richness” where in creation we see the richness of God in His creation. Paul requests “the eyes of your heart” be opened for fuller understanding. That is achieved through appreciation, and appreciation through the bible. It all comes down to knowing God’s word, as does every aspect of the Christian life.
[6]. {{Colossians 1:12 “giving thanks to the Father who has QUALIFIED us to share in THE INHERITANCE of the saints in light.”}}
What is the qualification? This is a serious matter. It is reserved for those who by faith, have come to a saving knowledge of God. The qualification then is the reconciliation through Calvary whereby believers have been brought into the light. The Father has qualified us through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God; no merit of our own doing.
No one can be granted the inheritance unless he and she are saved by faith, made sons and daughters of the living God and brought by adoption into God’s family. That is the qualification. There is none other. I think it is beautiful that the pauper in India and the displaced one in refugee camps with nothing to their names are sealed by the Holy Spirit for a great inheritance in the future. That ought to cause humility and thankfulness. We live in the conceited west.
[7]. {{Hebrews 11:8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for AN INHERITANCE, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
This is most interesting because unlike the other references, this is a personal one. Over time, the inheritance granted to Abraham – land, offspring and more – resulted in the nation of God’s earthly people, Israel; and the faith members of the Church. Abraham when on earth, could not know how large his inheritance would be.
By faith he pushed ahead with the immediate prospect darkened but he went in the light of God and trusted himself to God for his, and His leading.
[8]. {{1Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to HIS GREAT MERCY, has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain AN INHERITANCE which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”}}
Peter attributes all the ensuing blessings to “His great mercy”. There is a train of dealings here that all stems from God. Mercy leading to New birth, then to Living hope through Resurrection, ultimately to Inheritance to Future revelation.
It is inheritance I want to look at. Peter describes it three ways beginning with “imperishable”. I tend to be a bit of a hoarder and things I have carefully looked after are rusting and falling apart. That is because they belong to this world and are perishable. Our inheritance will not do that.
The second description is “undefiled”. It is purer than gold and has not one taint of corruption about it. Only a gift emanating from God can be pure like that. It does not matter how good an item is, if it comes from man it has the whiff of corruption about it
The third description is “not fade away”. We know over time things lose their brilliance. Consider an inheritance for a wedding dress for a granddaughter that was worn by grandmother and mother and now reserved for the granddaughter – in time it changes colour and fading happens and some threads degenerate. Slow decay, but God’s inheritance is fadeless and eternal and reserved. That is all so beautiful.
Please don’t take these things for granted. They were purchased by the Lord at Calvary at the highest eternal cost.
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THE VERSES FOR PREDESTINATION
One area I have no desire to get into is a debate on Calvinism and Aminianism. I find all that negative and very divisive. I would never preach on those subjects and may confine them to some bible study only if asked. I know Calvinism makes a lot of TULIP and the part that is placed on predestination. I reject utterly the general way that predestination is understood. NOTE I am not entering into any debate here so I am not interested in discussing it. I am sharing my thoughts.
What I do want to do is to set out what I believe is the New Testament understanding of predestination as it has come up in our message today. I am not interested in wrangling the bible to suit any pet held belief. The teaching on predestination is clear, in fact so clear, I do not know how a monstrous doctrine of damnation has arisen over it. I am going to examine the passages where predestination is used to see what it is all about.
[A]. PASSAGE 1
{{Romans 8:28-31 “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, to those who are called according to His purpose, for whom He foreknew, HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BECOME CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He might be the first-born among many brethren, and whom He predestined, these He also called, and whom He called, these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”}}
There is one verse in that selection that Calvinists like to focus on, but there are dozens of other verses putting a different view from Calvinism on that verse. The section I want to take up is capitalised. THOSE WHO LOVE GOD are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. THAT IS BLESSING. PREDESTINED TO BLESSING.
[B]. PASSAGE 2
{{1Corinthians 2:7-8 “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, THE HIDDEN WISDOM, WHICH GOD PREDESTINED BEFORE THE AGES TO OUR GLORY, the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood, for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”}}
God predestinated wisdom in eternity past to our glory. This wisdom is to understand in part the eternal purposes of God revealed through His word and the Holy Spirit. The world does not have that wisdom. That is a blessing for the saints of God. THAT IS BLESSING. PREDESTINED TO BLESSING.
[C]. PASSAGE 3
{{Ephesians 1:5-6. “HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”}}
This example we looked at earlier on in the last message. It is a beautiful example of grace for God to grant to His Christians adoption into His own family and then declare them as sons – sons of God. THAT IS BLESSING. PREDESTINED TO BLESSING.
[D]. PASSAGE 4
{{Ephesians 1:11 “also WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, HAVING BEEN PREDESTINED according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”}}
This verse was covered in length earlier so I won’t say much at all. I like the word “obtained” as it is a blessing granted, certainly not earned. It is God’s grace that made it all happen. God predestined us according to the good working of His will to be granted an inheritance. It is God’s purpose to bless. THAT IS BLESSING. PREDESTINED TO BLESSING.
I think it is simple to see that God has predestined us to so many great blessings and it is so wrong to torture that word to build some unsustainable doctrine around it.
