Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Understanding Our Inheritance In Christ

I. Introduction:
A. This study guide was developed to help illustrate from the word of God what is a believer's inheritance in Christ. This will be done by examining three areas: 

1) Who has given and is giving, or bestowed and is bestowing upon us who believe in Christ this inheritance? 

2) What does the inheritance we received and is receiving in Christ comprise of? 

3) Who qualifies to receive this inheritance in Christ? 

B. Before we begin, there are a few terms every bible student and believer in Christ should know when seeking understanding about his or her inheritance in Christ. The definition of terms, as it relates to our inheritance in Christ, are as follows: 

1. Birthright: Is the primary position of the first born child to inherit the Blessing (the inheritance) from the father or older relative. 

2. Inheritance: Is the rights, property and authority given from ones ancestor. 

3. Ancestor: Is the parent or older relative of a descendant or child. 

4. Inherit: The root word of the word Inheritance: Is the reception of rights, property and authority outlined and prescribed in the inheritance contained in a last will and testament. Enforceable only after the testator ( the author and creator of the will) has died. 

5. Promise: Oath, something guaranteed to another with or without conditions 

6. Covenant: A mutual agreement consisting of promises or oaths between two persons or groups or parties 

7. Testament: A type of covenant, where rights, property and authority is given to some one upon the death of the testator. 

8. Joint: A legal word that means: together, with, in partnership with, co-equals, equal in status, simultaneous, at the same time. 

9. Heir: The root word of the word inherit: The person, or persons eligible to receive the inheritance. 

10. First born: The first child that is legally eligible to be the rightful heir of the birth right to the inheritance. 


II. Who has given and is giving, or bestowed and is bestowing upon us who believe in Christ this inheritance? 

A. Principle: The inheritance can only be given by the father or surviving parent. -Scripture (Genesis 27:1-37) 

1.Esau did sell his birth right to Jacob, but it was not his yet to sell. The Father had the birthright and the blessing that goes with it. What Esau was attempting to do is to make the obtaining the Birth right meaningless by receiving the blessing from his father Issac. Rebekah heard what Esau was attempting to do and instructed Her son Jacob to by deceit receive the blessing from Issac instead of Esau. Yes there is a lot of things going on in this biblical account but one thing is clear, Jacob knew that the blessing comes with the birthright and allowing Esau to separate the two would have made them co-inheritors. The birth right only goes to the first born child. Esau by a mere moment was the older of the two, even though there were twins. Esau did not see any value in his birth right and sold it to Jacob, even though it was not his yet to sell. Only the father or the surviving parent can award the birth right to a child. No child can sell it or buy it. They can only live worthy of it. Esau did not think it was worthy of anything, he just wanted the blessing.   

2. God the father is and was pleased to give the inheritance of the kingdom to us who believed in Christ. -Scripture "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32) "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" (Matthew 25:34) 

3. God through Christ has given us all things through the promises of his word. Scriptures- "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4) 


III. What does the inheritance we received and is receiving in Christ comprise of? 

A. The following things are the inheritance we received when we made Jesus the Lord of our lives: 

1. Grace and blessings (1 Peter 3:7) 

2. All things and His promises (2 Peter 1:2-4) 

3. Abraham's Promise ( Gen 12 :1-4; Gal 3:29) 

4. Glory (Proverbs 3:35) 

5. Eternal life (Matt 19:29; Titus 3:7) 

6. Salvation (Hebrews 1:13+14) 

7. The Atonement (Rom 5:11)

8. The Spirit of Adoption (Rom 8:15)

9. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

10. The Kingdom of God. (John 3:3,5; Luke 12:32)



IV. Who qualifies to receive this inheritance in Christ? 

A. We who believe in Christ are by faith joint heirs with Christ ( Romans 8:16+17; Gal 4:1-7).  

B. Therefore only believers in Christ qualify to inherit the things of God provided through Christ. (Galatians 3:26-29, 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 15:50) 

C. Why is this possible? 

1. Because Jesus was and still is the only and first begotten born son of God

i. Other Sons of God were of the blood line of Adam. However since the fall in the garden the blood line of Mankind was corrupted. (Luke 3:23-38 [38]; Romans 5:12-14)

ii. By a person having faith in Jesus as Christ, the only begotten son of |God, that person is made into by faith a child of God. (John 1:12+13) 

iii. Jesus is the first and only naturally (begotten) born Son of God. (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49). This separates him from others in the Bible that bear the title Son of God.  For none of the was born without the aid of a human male. Jesus was born by the power of God through the virgin Mary.

2. Jesus through his life, death and his resurrection has made us joint heirs with him. (Rom 8:16+17)

i. He has made available to us, all things. God through Christ gave us all that he has and all that he is. (1 Tim 6:17) 



ii. We have been made not only ambassadors but also executors of his will, for we were instructed to go preach his Gospel and make disciples of all nations.  (Luke 24:45-49;Mark 16:14-18; Matthew 28:16-20)  

a. What is an executor? An executor is a commissioned person appointed by the testator that carries out the final plans and wishes of the testator. (Luke 24:45-49;Mark 16:14-18; Matthew 28:16-20). Every true believer in Christ is an executor of the will of God through Christ.



i. Executor defined: the person appointed by a testator to execute a will
(Source: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)


b.What is an ambassador? An ambassador is a temporary representative of a foreign nation         (2 Cor 5:20). 
Socrates Media- LLC SOMK307 Last Will-Testament Kit- Includes All Forms Needed
i. Ambassador defined: An official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment. 
(Source: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

ii. So through faith in Christ, we all have been made temporary representatives of the Kingdom of God on this earth.

V. In conclusion.... 

What we have discovered through this study is our inheritance in Christ. Let us not be like |Esau, who despised his birthright and forfeited his inheritance.  Let not our only interest be in getting blessed by God,our heavenly Father. Let us not deal away what we have inherited in Christ, as thought it has no value to our lives. Let us carry out our responsibility as executors and ambassadors of his will. In doing so be in partnership with God reconciling those lost souls in the world to him. In doing this we inherit all that God in Christ has for us, just for the asking.


This study Guide was written by Rev Chris Sanchez 

1 comment:

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