Page 27 - September 2023 - Truth & Tidings

bounty. Second, it means all that the Father fication of His Church and the furtherance
has given to His Son also becomes ours. If of His kingdom. Let us apply those gifts so
the Lord Jesus is the “heir of all things,” they reap dividends for eternity. Let us be
then as his co-heirs we become heir of liberal in our dispensing of grace, mercy
all things! Since nothing can separate us and goodness to those in need.
from the love of Christ, and we are bone God also invests in the character of His
of His bone and flesh of His flesh, eter- heirs. A good monarch takes careful pains
nally and inextricably united to Him, all in caring for his heir’s education, diet and
that is His belongs to us! “All things are companionships so that he is fitted for the
yours” because “ye are Christ’s and Christ great task ahead. So our Father puts great
is God’s” (1Cor 3:21,23). The fact that we
are “in Christ” means His unsearchable care in the education of His sons and puts
riches come to us by virtue of our union them through His school, an essential part
with Him. of which is the school of affliction (Heb
Note also the character of our inheri- 12:4-11). To properly manage His divine
tance. The world has so conditioned estate, we must be “partakers of his holi-
our minds into thinking of our heavenly ness” and produce in our character the
inheritance in earthly and material terms. “peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Paul
It’s a sad spiritual state if my longing is reminds us that we are not just heirs of
to satiate my carnal desires for mansions our Lord’s blessings but also heirs of His
in the sky and for the streets of gold. But sufferings (Rom 8:17b). As the inimitable
the nature of our inheritance is spiritual Spurgeon put it, “On the edge of your Fa-
(Eph 1:11-14) and not material, which ther’s great inheritance lies the swamp and
“moth and rust doth corrupt, and where morass of affliction ... they are bequeathed
thieves break through and steal” (Mat to you in the same will. The same legacy
6:19). Ephesians 1 describes our spiritual that left peace with you also left tribula-
blessings – redemption through His blood, tion with you in this world … Christ’s
forgiveness of sins, peace with God, pre- cross is entailed on all of God’s heirs.” As
destination to the adoption of sons. These someone else put it, our life here is train-
spiritual blessings cannot be bought with ing for reigning.
money but are bestowments of grace. Finally, let us contribute to our inheri-
Think of the riches that we inherit – “riches tance. We ought to add to our treasures in
of his mercy,” “riches of his goodness” and heaven. Like prodigious sons who further
“riches of his grace.” As wealthy heirs, our the family business and add to the family
Father wants us to reciprocate His gen- wealth, let us add to our Father’s divine
erosity. “Freely ye have received, freely treasury. In the Old Testament, the Israel-
give” (Mat 10:8). The Lord Jesus has made
us rich (2Co 8:9), and so let the “riches ites expanded their inheritance by taking
of our liberality” be evident (v2). We can land from the nations around. So, let us
never exhaust the divine storehouses of be prodigious in our gospel zeal, storming
our Heavenly Father, so let us give like the gates of hell and rescuing perishing
He gives – liberally and not sparingly, joy- souls from the enemy’s thralldom.
fully and not grudgingly. Our Father has Until the day we enter our inheritance,
endowed us with spiritual gifts, and so let let us be about our Father’s business as
us be lavish in our use of them for the edi- servant sons.

283
TruthandTidings.com I September 2023 283