What Does Our Inheritance Mean As Christians?
Imagine you get an unexpected phone call alerting you to a huge inheritance you had no idea was coming! Would you call everyone you know? Start making plans? Jump up and down and scream?
The true meaning of inheritance is being given something you didn’t earn or work for. It’s a gift you received simply because you were chosen for it. There are two types of inheritance:
Natural Inheritance: a possession, property, or legacy passed down from one generation to the next.
Spiritual Inheritance: A divine gift or legacy we receive from God through Christ. It’s not earned; it’s given by grace through the finished work of the cross.
In the Old Testament, inheritance was seen as land, lineage and legacy. It was typically tied to family, identity or obedience. (Numbers 36:7-9, 13)
It was also tied to God’s covenant referring to an actual land that was promised. (Deuteronomy 4:20)
But when the New Testament began, the inheritance shifted from land to life. Jesus became the giver of a new inheritance based on several powerful truths.
Our inheritance brings:
Eternal life and a heavenly home
The kingdom of God in a real and lasting way
The Holy Spirit—alive and active
God’s presence and a vibrant relationship
Righteousness and freedom
Spiritual authority and co-heirship with Christ
Here’s what we need to do to receive this inheritance:
NOTHING.
No striving. No trying to earn good favor. We simply need to have Jesus as the Lord of our lives and everything else is ours.
After we’ve asked Jesus to be our Savior, we have a new identity. We’re no longer orphans. We’re sons and daughters of God. We need to guard this gift and be assured that no one can take it from us. We can then leave it as a legacy for others to build upon and pass on.
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