To the Hebrew mind, the term inheritance had strong spiritual and national associations extending far beyond the family estate. The land of Canaan was regarded as an inheritance from the Lord because God had promised the land to Abraham and his descendants. - Num. 33:53 - Both Moses and Joshua were told by the Lord to divide the land of Canaan among the tribes "as an inheritance". - Num. 26:52-53; Josh. 13:6 - God directed that the land be distributed to each tribe by lot according to its population.
The Greeks relied more on wills for distributing an inheritance than did the Israelites. If a citizen died without a will his sons in good standing inherited the property in equal parts, the eldest receiving the same as his brothers. Daughters received dowries which reverted to other heirs. If a man died without a will and left no natural or adopted heirs, his closest male relatives received his property. According to Roman law, the property of a man who died without a will went to his wife and children. The Roman held that a child became his father's heir the moment he was born and that the deceased lived through his heirs. Legally adopted children had full inheritance rights.
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul's glorious concept of a spiritual inheritance for Christians is primarily of Jewish origin. But the doctrine was strongly influenced by Greek and Roman inheritance practices. Three of these influences were: (1) inheritance was regarded as immediate as well as ultimate (2) all legitimate heirs usually shared the inheritance equally and jointly rather than a division favouring a firstborn son (3) legally adopted children enjoyed full inheritance rights along with natural offspring.
According to Paul, the Christian's spiritual inheritance is based strictly on our relationship to Christ and spiritual birthright cannot be inherited by sinners.
Before faith came, we were allowed no freedom by the Law; we were being looked after till faith was revealed. The Law was to be our guardian until the Christ came and we could be justified by faith. Now that the time has come we are no longer under that guardian and you are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are in Christ Jesus. Merely belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he was promised. - Gal. 3:23-29 -
You know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the kingdom of God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites, thieves, usurers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God. - 1Cor. 6:9 -
The present possession of the spiritual inheritance as well as its future glory is emphasized in Roman 8:16-17 - The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
Apostle Paul also declared that the Spirit's indwelling power is both the sign and seal that we are heirs of God's promise: "Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance". Those who are redeemed including the Gentiles become God's adopted sons with full inheritance rights.
Now you too, in him,
have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation,
and have believed it;
and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise,
the pledge of our inheritance
which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own,
to make his glory praised. - Eph. 1:13-14 -
Let me put this another way: an heir, even if he has actually inherited everything is no different.......The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, "Abba, Father", and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave anymore; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir. - Gal. 4:1-7 -
Other New Testament passages present the Christian's spiritual inheritance as a reward for faithfulness and Christ-likeness. Jesus invited those showing kindness in His name to "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world". - Matt. 25:34 - Apostle Peter counseled suffering saints in the Roman world to be patient in their trails. "That you may inherit a blessing". - 1Pet.3:9 - Apostle James declared that the poor of this world have been chosen "to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom" which God promised to those who love Him. - James 2:5 -
In the burst of joy, apostle Peter celebrated every Christian's "Living Hope" of his heavenly inheritance: "To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you". - 1Peter 1:3-4 -
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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