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“His Inheritance” (Eph. 1:18)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kyle Pope For every beast of the forest is<\/em> Mine, And <\/em>the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are<\/em> Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is<\/em> Mine, and all its fullness <\/strong>(10-12, NKJV).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So clearly, everything already belongs to God. He cannot inherit<\/em> anything in the sense we normally think of the concept of inheritance. How then are we to understand Paul\u2019s wording in Ephesians?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The words translated \u201cinheritance\u201d<\/strong> in both the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament refer to a possession, property,<\/em> or portion<\/em> belonging to the one to whom the word is applied, but there are four ways it is used:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. In reference to the possession inherited by an heir from a progenitor or benefactor. <\/strong>The Holy Spirit declares, \u201cA good man leaves an inheritance to his children\u2019s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous\u201d<\/strong> (Prov. 13:22). He says further, \u201cHouses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD\u201d<\/strong> (Prov. 19:14). In these cases, a possession that did not previously belong to someone is given to an heir. The land of Canaan was given to the Israelites as their \u201cinheritance\u201d<\/strong>\u2014it was to be divided to them by lot (Num. 33:54; 34:17, 29; Josh. 1:6). In this case, God was considered the progenitor or benefactor. Jeremiah wrote, \u201cThus says the LORD: \u2018Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit\u2014behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them’\u201d<\/strong> (Jer. 12:14). Eternal life is described as an inheritance God will give to the saved. Paul speaks of \u201cgiving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light\u201d<\/strong> (Col. 1:12). But inheritance is also used . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. In reference to the possession belonging to a progenitor or benefactor. <\/strong>Under Mosaic Law, provisions were made for the distribution of the assets of one who died. If he had no sons, it was to go to his daughters\u2014if no daughters, to his brothers\u2014if no brothers, to his father\u2019s brothers\u2014if no father\u2019s brothers, to the closest relative (Num. 27:8-11). In each case, four times in this text the assets are called \u201chis inheritance\u201d<\/strong> because it belongs to him, irrespective of the heir or beneficiary. This sense is often used of God\u2019s people and their relationship to Him. For example, \u201cFor the LORD\u2019S portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance\u201d <\/strong>(Deut. 32:9). In this use, it is not describing \u201cJacob\u201d<\/strong> or \u201cHis people\u201d<\/strong> in regard to what they will inherit, but as a possession belonging to God as the benefactor or progenitor. We see this also when Saul was anointed king. Scripture records, \u201cThen Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: \u2018Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?\u2019\u201d<\/strong> (1 Sam. 10:1). This idea is repeated frequently\u2014\u201cHe also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance\u201d <\/strong>(Psa. 78:62)\u2014\u201cFrom following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Psa. 78:71)\u2014\u201cFor the LORD will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Psa. 94:14)\u2014\u201cThe Portion of Jacob is not like them, for He is the Maker of all things; and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The LORD of hosts is His name\u201d<\/strong> (Jer. 51:19). This becomes a standard way of identifying Israel. God spoke through Isaiah of \u201cIsrael My inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Isa. 19:25). In this sense Israel belongs to God, but is also counted as His \u201cportion\u201d<\/strong> (Deut. 32:9), His \u201cspecial treasure\u201d<\/strong> (Exod. 19:5; Deut. 7:5; 14:2; Psa. 135:4), or His \u201cspecial people\u201d <\/strong>(Deut. 26:18)\u2014a distinction now applied to the saved in Christ. Jesus \u201cgave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works\u201d <\/strong>(Titus 2:14; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). When God punished Israel, He declared to Babylon, \u201cI was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, and given them into your hand\u201d<\/strong> (Isa. 47:6a). In this text, because of sin God is said to release His \u201cinheritance\u201d<\/strong> into the \u201chand\u201d<\/strong> of another. They still belonged to Him by right, but He released His possession to another because of sin. The concept of inheritance can also be used . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. In reference to an heir actually taking possession of the thing inherited from a progenitor or benefactor. <\/strong>An heir may have the right to a possession, but not actually have it until he takes possession of it. For example, the tribes on the east side of the Jordan promised, \u201cWe will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Num. 32:18). In this case the land belonged to them by right, but they had not yet taken possession of it. Jeremiah wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBehold, the days are coming,\u201d says the LORD, \u201cThat I will cause to be heard an alarm of war in Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall be a desolate mound, and her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,\u201d says the LORD<\/strong> (Jer. 49:2).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Israel had the right to \u201chis inheritance\u201d <\/strong>but the Ammonites actually possessed it, until the time when Israel \u201cshall take possession\u201d<\/strong> of it. When Jerusalem fell to Babylon, Jeremiah lamented, \u201cOur inheritance has been turned over to aliens, and our houses to foreigners\u201d<\/strong> (Lam. 5:2). It was their inheritance, but during the Babylonian exile they did not actually possess the land. In a similar way, land that belonged to a tribe that had been sold was still one\u2019s inheritance, but had to be redeemed in order for one to take possession of it\u2014and in the year of Jubilee, one returned to \u201chis possession\u201d<\/strong> or \u201chis inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Lev. 25:8-30; Num. 36:1-13). Eternal life is described in similar terms. Daniel was told, \u201cyou shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days\u201d <\/strong>(Dan. 12:13). Christians await, \u201can inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you\u201d <\/strong>(1 Pet. 1:4). It is our \u201cinheritance\u201d<\/strong>\u2014it is \u201creserved\u201d<\/strong> for us, but we will not inherit<\/em> it until we take possession of it upon the \u201credemption of our body\u201d <\/strong>(Rom. 8:23) at the judgment. Finally, inheritance can be used . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. In reference to a progenitor or benefactor actually taking possession of the possession belonging to him.<\/strong> Similar to the second usage above, in this use the possession in fact belongs to a progenitor or benefactor, but (for some reason or another) he has not claimed it as his own. Zechariah declared, \u201cthe LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem\u201d <\/strong>(Zech. 2:12). This describes a restoration of God\u2019s relationship to His people. Israel was released due to sin and restored by God\u2019s mercy. The psalmist prays, \u201cRemember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, the tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed\u2014this Mount Zion where You have dwelt\u201d<\/strong> (Psa. 74:2). In this sense, God is actually spoken of as inheriting<\/em> His people. The psalmist prayed, \u201cArise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all nations\u201d <\/strong>(Psa. 82:8). As we noted above, doesn\u2019t God already possess \u201call nations\u201d<\/strong>? Yes. Clearly, \u201cThe earth is the LORD\u2019S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein\u201d <\/strong>(Psa. 24:1); but the Holy Spirit says of God, \u201cyou shall inherit all nations.\u201d<\/strong> This is not the same sense in which an heir inherits<\/em> something\u2014this is the progenitor or benefactor claiming something as a possession. God inherits<\/em> in that sense. This is seen in Scriptures pertaining to Christ. The Messiah was told, \u201cAsk of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession\u201d<\/strong> (Psa. 2:8). Didn\u2019t the Messiah\u2014God in the flesh\u2014already possess <\/em>all things? Yes. But in His exaltation to the throne He is told He would be given, \u201cthe nations for Your inheritance.\u201d <\/strong>The Hebrew writer says of Jesus, \u201chaving become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they\u201d <\/strong>(Heb. 1:4). Jesus\u2014God in the flesh\u2014already possessed a \u201cmore excellent name\u201d<\/strong> than the angels, but in His death and exaltation to the throne \u201cby inheritance\u201d<\/strong> He \u201cobtained\u201d<\/strong> it in the sense of taking possession of that which was His by right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So how may this help us to understand Ephesians 1:18? Clearly, God already possesses all human beings just as He does all things (Psa. 24:1), yet sin separates us from Him. Like Israel, in sin God releases His \u201cinheritance\u201d <\/strong>(cf. Isa. 47:6a; 59:1-2) to Satan (2 Tim. 2:26). In obedience to the gospel, God renews His claim to us. In Christ, God \u201chas visited and redeemed His people\u201d<\/strong> (Luke 1:68), but now we await the \u201cthe redemption of the purchased possession\u201d<\/strong> (Eph. 1:14). It is at that point that God will take possession of us as \u201cHis inheritance\u201d<\/strong> (Eph. 1:18). It is in this sense that, yes, He will inherit <\/em>us just as He \u201cshall inherit all nations\u201d<\/strong> (Psa. 82:8). This seems to be the sense in which Ephesians 1:18 speaks of \u201cHis inheritance in the saints\u201d<\/strong>\u2014God will claim us as His possession in the riches of His glory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Via Focus Online,<\/em> March 24, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n ——————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1) Hear<\/strong> the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2) Believe <\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3) Repent <\/strong>of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4) Confess faith <\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5) Be baptized<\/strong> in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so \u201cthrough faith in the working of God\u201d (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6) Continue in the faith <\/strong>by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).<\/p>\n\n\n\n ——————–<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tebeau Street “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).——————– Contents: 1) “His Inheritance” (Eph. 1:18) (Kyle Pope) ——————– -1- “His Inheritance” (Eph. 1:18) Kyle Pope In Ephesians 1:18, as Paul […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3056"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3061,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3056\/revisions\/3061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In Ephesians 1:18, as Paul prays for the well-being of the Christians in Ephesus, he prays that they might come to know \u201cthe riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.\u201d <\/strong>The context makes it clear that the possessive pronoun \u201cHis\u201d<\/strong> refers to God, but how can anything be said to be God\u2019s \u201cinheritance\u201d<\/strong>? The Lord declared in Psalm 50:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
The Biblical Concept of Inheritance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday:<\/strong> 9 a.m<\/strong>. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. <\/strong>Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first):<\/strong> 7 p.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. <\/strong>Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist\/editor: <\/strong>Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a>
https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm<\/a> (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"