Our Inheritance

Have you ever been to a court hearing for an adoption? An adoption grants a child legal status as a member of a new family. The judge makes an official ruling: from now on, this child has all the rights that would be given to a flesh-and-blood heir. In the eyes of the law, it is no different than if they had been born into the family.

The same is true of us. Every believer has the same rights as Jesus, the firstborn from the dead, the only begotten Son. In the eyes of the Father, we are no different than Jesus. As Ephesians 1 says, “we have obtained an inheritance.” The Apostle Peter tells us that we have been born again to “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you...”

All of us were born into a world where we inherited good and bad traits from our parents. We are given hair and eye colors, predispositions to various diseases, personality traits, athleticism, and other qualities from our families of origin. And as orphans in the world, we inherited “the futile ways” of our forefathers—lust and pride and selfishness that could do nothing to save us. We were “sons of disobedience,” living in the flesh.

So it’s a big deal that Jesus gives us Himself as our inheritance. We have the mind of Christ. We join Christ in His suffering, and we are raised with Him in glory. We are seated with Him in heavenly places. We have overcome because He has overcome. Even in loss, grief, and suffering, we can be sure that our inheritance in Jesus is unfading. Christ and His kingdom can never be taken away.

Consider all that you have inherited from your family of origin. Maybe your list is primarily good —things like good health, attractive features, strong faith, or even wealth. Maybe your list is not so great. Maybe you inherited debt, a predisposition to alcoholism, racist attitudes, or a history of depression.

Whatever your natural inheritance—the good, the bad, and the ugly—you can offer it willingly to God. He honors the good while redeeming the bad and offering you newness of life in Christ.