In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. Ephesians 1:11
How do we know that Jesus was a carpenter, that His hands knew the feel of the hammer and chisel and saw, that He would have worked for several years in that trade? We know it because He grew up in a carpenter’s family, that the man who served as His earthly father figure was a carpenter by trade. In those days, few men ever ventured outside the family’s enterprise, be it farmer, tradesman, or entrepreneur. And if most children grew up and remained in the sphere of their father’s work, they also remained within the same economic level as their parents. Those born into abject poverty were likely to struggle to survive throughout their lives. Children in homes of humble means were never likely to have much more than their parents, or even to have an opportunity to have more. When poor people died, they had little if anything to leave as an inheritance. Poor children facing a lifetime of working their fingers to the bone might envy the children of rich parents, children whose comfort throughout their lifetimes was assured. The only way in which a poor child might come into such an inheritance was to be adopted by a rich family. That was extremely unlikely to happen. But it has happened to us!
Nobody could have been poorer than us spiritually speaking when we were in our sins. Not only was all of our money going into a bag with holes, but we were also earning the wages of sin: death. Our prospects in this life were dismal, and our prospects in eternity were horrible in the extreme. But the new birth changed all that. We were adopted into a family of infinite wealth, and became heirs of an infinite share. We love to quote the words of 1 Corinthians 2:9: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him’. And these are not idle words, not just some religious flowery expressions, but absolute reality and absolute certainty. Note carefully in our text the words that tell us that we have obtained this inheritance. We already have it now.
So if our Father is wealthy, and we have obtained an inheritance, why are we still living in poverty? Good question. God has promised to provide everything we need here: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19). Do we trust Him for that? That includes everything we need in terms of food, clothing, shelter, and company. It also includes everything we need spiritually, including the nourishment of our souls and the building up of our grasp of the thing of God. All these things are part of our inheritance. These, along with unlimited wealth for eternity.
We know so little about our inheritance. But it is all described in God’s Word. So let’s read about it and enjoy it. – Jim MacIntosh