A couple of years ago the History Channel had a series about what people did with an inheritance from their predecessors. Sometimes the heirs were totally unaware of its existence and found it by chance. In one such case a family found some boxes of old mint condition baseball cards behind some clothes and furniture in an attic. The cards had never been opened and were probably intended to be distributed to various stores to sell. After validating their authenticity and value, over a million dollars, the heirs decided to sell them slowly over the years to avoid devaluing their worth.
Unlike the family in the above example, some heirs know ahead of time what they will inherit because of a written will. Christians also know of their eternal inheritance by having been given the Holy Spirit as a deposit of their final redemption (Eph 1:13-14). However, the Scriptures detail the conduct which will keep people from inheriting the kingdom of Christ and God (Eph 5:3-6) (1 Cor 6:9-10).
Earthly inheritances can be lost, destroyed, ruined or forfeited. The baseball cards could have easily been burned up, ruined by water or carelessly junked by someone who was completely unaware that pieces of cardboard could have such great value (Mt 6:19-20). Christ’s saints can also be careless about the importance of their share in the inheritance in the kingdom of light (Col 1:12). When they ignore, grieve and fall away (Eph 4:30) (Heb 6:4-6) from the heavenly gift of the Holy Spirit, they run the risk of being disinherited.
Those who have been called by Christ and are serving Him (Col 4:23-24) will receive the promised eternal inheritance as a reward (Heb 9:15). This inheritance can never, “… perish, spoil or fade… kept in heaven for you (1 Pe:1:4). This is the promise of the Holy Spirit speaking the mind and thoughts of God (1 Cor 1:10-13) (Mt 19:29). Christians are already enjoying our down-payment of the Holy Spirit - strength, love, peace, joy… (Eph 3:16) (Gal 5:22-23). It is hard to even imagine the wonder of total inheritance that awaits those who overcome (1 Cor 2:9) (Rev 21:7).
-Jim Bailey
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