Your Inheritance as a Child of God!

Image result for inheritor of eternal life
Galatians 4:4-8 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

 There is a story about a young boy who was adopted by his parents.  He was on the playground and another boy started teasing him, because he was adopted.  So the boy said back, "You got lumped with your parents, my parents chose me!"  And it's true parents who adopt children are special people.  They go through a lengthy screening process, and often pay a pretty hefty price to adopt.  When I talk to parents about their adoption experience if they have other kids by birth they say, "We love all our kids the same.  They don't know any different, we are one family."  

 This is the language Paul uses to describe how God has chosen us to be His sons and daughters.  And as God's sons and daughters, we are heirs of everything that God owns, including eternal life.  Instead of relating to God through the external Law, we now know God personally.  Specifically God has sent the Spirit of the Son into our hearts.  We are no longer are governed by the letter of the Law, but the Spirit of the Law.  And this Spirit is the Spirit of Christ.  As such we have a relationship with God similar to the Son.  Like Jesus when we pray to God the Father we pray "Abba Father".  This term "Abba" is the same as our word "daddy".  This is an intimate term which reveals how God wants to relate to us.

 When I pray I usually start by praying, "heavedly Father".  I have a great earthly father, and an awesome heavenly Father.  Some people have a real hard time thinking of God as a Father, as they may have had a bad experience with their own.  But we know that God chose us and sent His only Son into the world not to condemn us but to save us.  

 And the Good News today is not only can you enjoy a relationship with God here on earth, but you are an inheritor of eternal life.  All God has He has bequested to you.  Since God has chosen us, let's live such lives in this world and to glorify our Father in heaven as a way of saying thanks.   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more