Posted on 02/29/2020 7:22:07 AM PST by metmom
The Father "has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:12).
You are the recipient of a very special inheritance.
Perhaps you've had the disappointing and annoying experience of receiving in the mail an envelope that identifies you as the winner of a large sum of money or some other fantastic prize, only to open it and discover you hadn't won anything at all. It was simply a ploy to get you to enter a contest or purchase a product.
In a world filled with deception and unfulfilled expectations, it's wonderful to know that God's truthfulness and integrity never waver. Not only has He promised you an eternal inheritance, but He also has qualified you to share in it.
The Greek word translated "qualified" in Colossians 1:12 means "to make sufficient," or "authorize." "Share" speaks of receiving an allotted portion. The idea is that God has authorized you to receive a portion of the blessings that belong to all who love Him.
In Ephesians 1 Paul says that your inheritance consists of every spiritual blessing in heaven (v. 3). It is a glorious inheritance of which the Holy Spirit Himself is the pledge (vv. 14, 18). In Colossians 3:24 Paul calls it an inheritance from the Lord.
In Colossians 1:12 he further describes it as an inheritance "in light," which refers to its overall character or quality. In the New Testament, "light" is often used metaphorically of truth and purity. First John 1:6 says, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." Believers are those who walk in the light (v. 7). So an inheritance in light is a godly, true, and pure inheritance—one that is reserved in heaven, where dwells He who is the Light (1 Pet. 1:4; Rev. 21:23).
Your eternal inheritance is no empty promise. God has secured it by delivering you from the domain of darkness, and transferring you to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sin (Col. 1:13- 14). Rejoice in God's grace and live today as a child of light!
Suggestions for Prayer
Thank God for the grace of salvation and the glory of your inheritance. Ask Him to use you today as a light to those who walk in darkness.
For Further Study
Using Ephesians 5:6-16 as your guide, contrast the characteristics of darkness and light.
Studying God’s Word ping
In 1 John 3:9, where does John say God abides for the born again? In the new born spirit which the Word of God has separated from the sin-soaked soul.
"Share" speaks of receiving an allotted portion. The idea is that God has authorized you to receive a portion of the blessings that belong to all who love Him.
Regarding this apportionment, a certain kind of sharing takes place when the executor of the estate of a deceased person is divided among his inheritors according to the Last Will and Testament of that person, recorded while he was still living. The distribution takes place, and may be subject to codicils which reserves portions to be still under the power of the executor, to be distributed at later times in a certain manner, according to the documentation of that Will.
The Lord's Supper which reminds us of Jesus' death is a partaking of the emblems of His Crucifixion by the inheritors of His Estate. In this feast offered by The Father as the sign of His peace with certain humans who have by invitation given their allegiance to Him, and forfeited their own will to His, the elements we are commanded to receive according to His Will as individual portions of His Last (Newest) Testament written in His Blood.
Heb 9:15-18 (AV; bolded for emphasis)
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.Only those spiritual children born of God, brothers (and sisters) to Jesus, are fit to accept these tokens, which are a present portion of the substance of the eternal life given to them by absolute irrevocable faith in Him as our Master and King.
It is a sharing by those who are even now citizens of The Kingdom of God, His Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace, though yet to be extended to earth, of which we are ambassadors. The portions of bread and blood of the grape are a present taste of the full riches bequeathed to us His servants, brethren, and Friends.
Those unregenerated worldlings who unworthily eat and drink nay not realize that they are attempting to steal of His Treasury of tbe badges of Life, and will surely be judged and punished for provoking Him by so doing.
Luke 22:15-30 (AV; phrases bolded for emphasis, interpretive note superscripted):
15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:Note first that the newest/latest written Will supersedes and abolishes any previous will. It is not just a codicil attached to the priot one, but rather completely abolishes and puts to death the old one (Heb. 10:9). Anyone trying to be governed by the old simply has a hollow, no longer effective historical description of it, which has no effective power.
16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the youngerdemocratically; and he that is chief, as he that doth servedemocratically.
27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Secondly, for one born during the dispensation of the latest Will/Testament/Covenant, whose name at birth is entered into the Book of Life of which that Will is a component, let that person ensure that when he/she becomes accountable, let not him/her be disinherited through failure to recognize the All-Powerful dominion of the Creator and Ttestator, Let that one be gospellized and saved by unceasing faith, that his/her name not be erased from the Will, the Testament in the Book of Life.
Poor Catholics!
They don’t know if they even HAVE any ‘inheritance’ until the reading of the will in the lawyers office!
Whoa, whoa, WHOA!!!
I hope you are talking of the SECOND birth: being born AGAIN.
Of course this refers to the born again. Thre rules of hermeneutics: context context context.
For those He foreknew ...
"Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression" (Rom. 4:15 AV).
"(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Rom 5:13 AV).
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5 AV)
And going to Hell?
I don't think so, Els.
"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mar_10:14 AV).
They are παιδια (paidion plural), some of whom by definition are accountable (no longer of the Kingdom of God, whose faith is not in Jesus, those who would hang back); and some of whom are βρεφη (brefay, newly born) or νηπιοι (naypeeoi, still nursing), not accountable to the law of faith, and thus still included in the Kingdom of God, and furthermore not under judgment (although by virtue of Adam's sin, we all are condemned to death of the physical body, babes included, even Enoch and Elijah sometime down the line).
I believe that everyone from the moment of enlivenment in the womb is written in DNA into the Book of Life as long as one's soul, spirit and body are still associated in physical life, ζωή (dzoay), until the moment of physical death by separation of the soul and spirit from the material body. Without committed trust in the Savior, failure to have faith in God results in the blotting out of one's name and place in the Book of Life.
If you have another scriptural way to justify the idea that someone is written into the Book of Life some way or somewhen after birth, please let me know, and I will ponder on your thesis.
It refers to all humans who were born of a woman, born under the law. All are written in the Book of Life, some after the first death, others not. God is the judge.
I meant:
All are written in the Book of Life, some continuing through the first death at the Cross and after one’s separation of the soul and spirit from one’s flesh body; others not.
Do you have a more clear way to express this concept?... since God knows the end from the beginning,
“Thre rules of hermeneutics”
Do not forget, these word scientists are between you and God’s Word.
A person who thus closer to Christ may, with the guidance of God's Spirit, be able to help someone else to know Jesus better.
I believe your claim is quite wrong, as well as being distracting to someone who hasn't looked up the definition. You need to get next to someone who through knowing God better than you, and can teach you methods of good scripture study, can you help you improve your spiritually immature comments.
“You need to get next to someone who through knowing God better than you, and can teach you methods of good scripture study,”
You must mean the word scientists between you and God’s Word!
For those who are not born spiritual offspring of God, They do not understand and imperceptive. They can hear and hear and not understand, see an see, and not perceive and read and read, but not grasp the thought being transmitted.
If God is not continually opening the eyes of yur understanding, The reason is most likely that you are not born of the Spirit and refuse to accept Jesus the Christ and King on His terms.
What do you say about the word scientists who disagree with you?
Why is your scientist better?
John 3:18
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God"
Then there MUST be a line; somewhere; that humans cross; from being a child - unaccountable for sin; and an adult that is.
Notice the words:
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."Does this not indicated that we are condemned 'already' UNTIL we believe?
If there is NO sin UNTIL someone hears about the law; then we should leave the poor hottentots alone in their ignorance.
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