“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been
predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of
His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to
the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:11–12, NASB95)
In verse 5 we read that we were predestined by God as sons.
Here in verse 11 this is expanded on again as we read that as children who
through His Son have been brought into His family by adoption we also have obtained
an inheritance. This inheritance is a done deal as we see by the past tense
wording. It was accomplished for us by Jesus on the cross as determined by God before
the beginning of time. Jesus is the means of our inheritance.
As I even think of the word “inheritance” I am reminded that
in the normal course of things that someone has to die first before it is
released. Sure, there are exceptions but even in those exceptions there is
still a look at the passing of benefit from one to another with a forward look
at that other person dying. Simply put, there is no other way by which we can
enter God’s family but through His Son who He determined would be the perfect One
to die for our sins. He was not the perfect sacrifice for our sins because He
was the best choice. He is the perfect sacrifice because He is absolutely
perfect, and with His death, burial, and resurrection He passed to us our own forgiveness
and the rich inheritance of salvation.
Jesus is God. He has always existed as God with the Father
and the Spirit. He never had to be adopted Himself to be subsequently sent to
bring us in by the same means, but He Himself was given authority by the Father
as the Son to bring us in through Himself. God chose us and He gave us through
Christ an inheritance. This is how He planned it. It happened exactly according
to His purpose and according to what He determined was the way He was going to
do things. We did not deserve anything from Him, and we had no say in what He
chose to do. This is His way, and He accomplished it fully in His beloved Son.
Scripture records for us accounts of people asking Jesus
what they must do to inherit salvation. It is an interesting question when you
stop to think about it. “Do” and “inherit” seem incongruous with one another.
It seemed as if there was a belief that in order to receive any portion of an
inheritance one had to perform and be pleasing to the one who grants the
inheritance. They seemed to think that they had to gain God’s pleasure in order
to receive salvation from Him.
But is this kind of thinking really that foreign from how we
as people operate. I’ve heard from people how either they or someone else was
removed from their parent’s inheritance (will) because of something they did, disagreed
over, or maybe were “cheated out of.” And I’ve also heard of others being given
an inheritance who were totally surprised as they had no relation with the
individual or any accompanying expectation. Our concept of inheritance seems to
be a mixture or what is due and what is earned, and what is to be received by
virtue of birth alone as opposed to any other virtue or favor. These Jews were
no different.
In one encounter we read, “As He [Jesus] was setting out on
a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good
Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why
do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. “You know the
commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not
commit adultery, Do not steal,
Do not bear false witness, Do not
defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”
And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack:
go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went
away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.” (Mark 10:17–22, NASB95)
In this incident Jesus explained that this rich man turned
away because he treasured his things more than he did even being given
salvation. He was torn between the two and went away grieved inside. He had
lived according to the religious statutes, but he was unwilling to give up what
he had been given in order to receive the greater gift that came from God.
Having spoken to His disciples about this struggle we read that they responded
in astonishment and asked, “Then who can be saved?” (Mark 10:26, NASB95) It was
as if they responded, “If it is this hard for the best placed, then what hope
do any of us of inheriting the eternal life of which He spoke?” This is where Jesus
turned the tables. The man asked what he could do, and the answer was that
there really wasn’t anything great enough that he could do other than to turn
his life over to God and follow after Him with his whole heart. Then Jesus told
them that it was not the man who would earn the inheritance, but God who would
grant it. In verse 27 we read, “Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is
impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”” (Mark
10:27, NASB95)
Luke records for us another occasion on which this question
was asked. “And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher,
what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written
in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He
said to him, “You have answered correctly; do
this and you will live.”” (Luke 10:25–28, NASB95) The man answered
correctly. Life came as a result of loving God which flowed out into a love for
others. The man, however, couldn’t accept the answer as it was given. He had to
parse exactly who it was that was his neighbor, as to say, ‘Really, do I have
to love everyone?’ It was then that Jesus spoke of the man who, being
overlooked by religious people, was helped above and beyond by the
compassionate Samaritan. At the end He asked the man who His neighbor was, to
which the man gave the correct answer. Jesus then said, “Go and do the same.”
(Luke 10:37, NASB95)
Each of these examples pointed to something greater than
what man was able to do. Man in incapable of pleasing God because of his works
because man’s best is still flawed with sin. Jesus demonstrated in both cases
that God’s standard was higher than their capabilities. In Galatians chapter 3
we read, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it
is written, “Cursed is everyone who does
not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is
justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” However, the Law is
not of faith; on the contrary, “He who
practices them shall live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for
it is written, “Cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the
blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10–14, NASB95)
The greatest thing given to us by God through His Son is our
salvation. We have been given as a love gift the forgiveness of our sins, the
righteousness of His Son, eternal life, and entrance into His forever kingdom.
These were given to us because God loves us. It was not done in repayment or
even for future payment. The payment was made in full by Jesus. Jesus gave of
Himself for us that we might receive this incredible adoption, and by taking
His life back up again He assured its fulfillment.
With this salvation comes so much more than we could ever
imagine. It is more than just being forgiven and allowed into God’s presence.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that
they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, NASB95) We were not
adopted into a corner of God’s home, but were fully brought in and immediately
made a part of His family who He tends to constantly. At the moment of our
salvation we become His children chosen by Him from before time.
We are dearly loved and fully His. He did this for us. Paul
went on to write in verse 12, “to the end that we who were the first to hope in
Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” He knew that he and the others with
Him were incredibly blessed to have seen Christ and to know the hope of
salvation in Him. As partakers in this they would also be the first to be the
fruits of God’s great gift and ones through whom God would be glorified.
Think of these first followers of Christ and even Paul who
was opposed to Him until he was encountered by Christ on his way to persecute
Christ’s followers. They were all chosen by God for His purpose and Jesus kept
every single one of them for the Father (except the one chosen for rejection—Judas).
All of the early believers who were persecuted and even put to death were kept
by God. The ones who even came before Christ and who believed God by faith were
kept by God (see Hebrews 11). All who have followed and believed were kept by
God. Even today God keeps. Our inheritance of salvation and life is a gift from
God and He is the One who is glorified by it. Paul began with the words,
“Blessed be….” All of the praise belongs to our glorious God.
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