Understanding Our Inheritance

Understanding Our Inheritance

“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 hearts 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 . . . .” Eph. 1:17-18.

It really is possible—by the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and by having the eyes of our hearts enlightened—to understand how rich in glory His inheritance is among the saints. Our joy will be in relationship to our understanding.

The saints who overcome sin shall inherit all things. Rev. 21:7. They are called to inherit a blessing! 1 Pet. 3:9. We are called to follow those who inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12), and we shall inherit salvation. Heb. 1:14. We shall inherit God’s kingdom, the kingdom that has been prepared for us, and we shall inherit eternal life. Gal. 5:21; Matt. 25:34; 19:29.

Our inheritance includes everything of the glory of heaven, everything here on earth in the millennium, when the meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5), and all the glory in connection with the new earth and the new heaven. Many try to rejoice over this glory they are going to meet, and in connection with this they mention streets of gold and playing on harps, etc.

But what is the central and the greatest glory in the midst of all this glory? It is the inheritance among the saints, the inheritance of the saints in the light. “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Col. 1:12.

We must be made ready to take part in this inheritance, and we need to understand the importance of it. This great and rich and glorious inheritance we have among the saints is the inheritance and part we have in each other. The fullness of wisdom and glory, which each individual possesses, will benefit all of us for all eternity.

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:9. Imagine benefiting from this fellowship for all eternity! This by far exceeds all external glory.

“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren . . . .” Heb. 2:11. Imagine being a genuine brother of Jesus Christ, with the same Father and with the same rights! But we only grow into this fellowship by way of sanctification. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Rom. 8:17. We suffer ourselves into this fellowship and are glorified in this fellowship. We are conformed to His death and are united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. Phil. 3:10; Col. 3:3-4; Rom. 6:5. “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” 2 Tim. 2:11.

Jesus renounced being like God, but He grew together with Him in wisdom and fullness unto perfect oneness. All God’s fullness came to dwell in Him bodily. Col. 1:19. Now we shall be filled with that same fullness of glory. We are not only justified and sanctified, but we are also glorified. Rom. 8:30. In Psalm 16:3 we can read how Jesus rejoiced over this glorious flock: “And to the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.” V. 6. We also read in Hebrews 2:12 how Jesus was full of praise when He was in the midst of the church among His brethren. It is glorious now in the holy and unfailing brotherhood as we get to know the good in one another, but just think about when we are going to benefit from the fullness of goodness and wisdom with incorruptible, glorified bodies, for all eternity! “That the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philem. 6.

“Therefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” 1 Cor. 3:21-23.

We do need anointed eyes so that we can understand the hope with which He has called us, and the richness of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Just think! The apostles also belong to us. Christ is the first and most excellent of all the brethren, then come the apostles and all the saints that have lived right until the second coming of Christ. We realize that our inheritance will be exceedingly rich and glorious in fellowship with all these saints if we can rejoice in the eternal wisdom of which they have partaken.

By nature we see this wisdom as foolishness, and therefore a work of God has to take place in us so that we can properly appreciate it and rejoice together with the saints in the light. The Corinthians could not see the glorious inheritance they had in Paul. Even though they were God’s children, had the right doctrine, were baptized with the Holy Spirit, and possessed all the gifts, they still had such a veil over their eyes that they admired the false and deceitful apostles (2 Cor. 11) and regarded Paul’s speech with contempt. 2 Cor. 10:10.

We need to go the same way and live the same life that Christ and the apostles lived if we want to have fellowship with them and benefit from—and appreciate—the precious content they received through self-denial, sufferings, and faithfulness.

Oh, let us, with anointed eyes and joy, thank the Father, who has enabled us to partake of the inheritance of the saints in the light! We must first understand the inheritance before we can rejoice in it.