And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24).

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:17-18).

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6).

It’s a fact that truly saved believers suffer in this life on earth, just as Jesus through Paul said they would: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). We are persecuted and afflicted as Paul was, though not nearly to the same extent.

Thus, without question those pressing on the upward way in Christ, experience many knock backs. We may endure hardship and loss of things considered essential to comfort in this life. Worst of all perhaps, is the rejection that comes from friends, family and other believers when one makes a stand for the truth.

Recently a lady visitor who disputed my suggestion she needed to be saved by grace, bluntly asked me: “How many churches have you been kicked out of?” And I had to pause to count them. You see if you really stand for the truth “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15), and insist God is now quickening only those He chose to save before the foundation of the world you will be given not the “right hand of fellowship” but the left boot of rejection instead.

Mention that a whole new dispensation, God’s way of dealing with man (now in grace alone), was brought about when the Acts Pentecostal period ended, say it was revealed only to and through the Apostle Paul “a prisoner for you Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1), then suggest that this is a whole new creation by God “whereby we must be saved” … and you will be sure to see hackles rise.

Faced with such rejection we comfort ourselves with the thought that though we suffer there awaits us both a reward and an inheritance. For Paul this reward was “to be preserved unto his (Christ’s) heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18). His inheritance would be to be given “a crown of righteousness” at the Lord’s appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). What’s more this crown, he asserts, will also be given to any of us also “who love his (Christ’s) appearing”.

But as the headline to this article asks, is the wonderful inheritance that awaits us, his or ours? You see, it’s one thing to receive the reward of being preserved unto the Lord’s heavenly kingdom which He will bring in at his appearing (2 Timothy 4:1); it’s quite another for Him to have an inheritance in us.

For one thing his inheritance in us means that He fully accepts us, wants us, even laid down his life and shed his blood, to secure us to Himself as his special possession. That’s why in Ephesians 1:6 we are told He has “made us accepted in the Beloved”, i.e. Himself.

So when you are rejected and rudely knocked back for believing “the word of truth rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15) remember there is one who loves you with an everlasting love. Who not only chose you to be his before the world began (Ephesians 1:4) but also counts you a valued part of his own personal inheritance. You are his precious and jealously guarded possession.

Fact is, we need the eyes of our understanding divinely opened to even begin to glimpse something of “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). Why so? Because, until the Lord sheds light on us we still think in terms of what we get out of our relationship to the Lord, not what will be the blessing in it for Him. And if we think about reward and inheritance being “just for us”, then this shows us up as still holding to what amounts to a “gimme gospel”.

It came as a blessed shock to me to realise there could be no better reward or inheritance for me than to be found as a coveted and protected possession of the Lord; one He laid down his life for and poured out his grace for in order to secure me as his inheritance for all eternity.

Beyond being accepted by the Lord - as wonderful as that is when compared to the rejection we experience at the hands of those who oppose us or let us down in this life - we are actually deeply and passionately desired by the Lord as his close companions. All our longing to be received, wanted and recognised for our faith and hope which often goes unanswered in this life, can now be fully met in Christ Himself. For we are his cherished, long hoped for possession, Knowing that relieves us from the impossible task of being fully answerable for ourselves, our conduct and our destiny. Now He alone decides who we really are and what we will become.

You see, from God’s viewpoint, the important issue is companionship. Companionship for Him, that is. In Isaiah 63:3-5 the Lord laments that He has “trodden the winepress alone”, and ‘looked and there was no one to help”. Even now He is seeking a companion to share in his ongoing work of redemption and creation. Which is why way back in Genesis He determined “it is not good for man to live alone” and since we are made in his image that would also be true for Him.

So, what a comfort it is to know we belong exclusively to Him; that we are not “not our own” but have been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). It’s a poor example but I care for the car God has provided for me. I make sure it’s oil is changed, I clean it and drive it carefully.  And, amazingly, that’s what the Lord also does, and far more, to care and look after me. For example, He washes me with the water of the word (Ephesians 5:26).

Best of all I now know that as his treasured inheritance He will not only resurrect or change me to live under Him in his heavenly kingdom but also give me his very own life that I may live with Him in eternity.

As the Apostle Paul wisely wrote, the aim for us, as it was for him, should be to “be found in Him {Christ] not having our own righteousness ... but only his (Philippians 3:9).

John Dudley Aldworth

You’re welcome to contact me at the email address below.

Email: john.aldworth@hotmail.com

Website: https://www.dayofchristmnistries.com/rss/all.xml