Pastor Josh White opened his message on October 17, 2021 by asking a convicting question: Where do you see yourself in God’s story? Some of us assume we’ll receive an inheritance — others assume we won’t. But the Bible has plenty to say about inheritance, and what God has planned for His children is far greater than anything we might receive from this world.
The Word “Inheritance” in Scripture
The word inheritance appears throughout the Bible, but it takes on its deepest meaning when God uses it to describe what He has prepared for His people. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel received a physical inheritance — the Promised Land — divided among the tribes by lot (Numbers 26:52–56). God gave rules for how land would pass from one generation to the next, including provisions for daughters who had no brothers (Numbers 27:1–11).
But the ultimate inheritance isn’t a plot of ground. It’s something far more lasting.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
— 1 Peter 1:3–5
An Inheritance in Christ
The apostle Paul picks up this theme in Ephesians, explaining that every believer in Jesus has obtained an inheritance according to God’s purpose and plan (Ephesians 1:11). We were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. And the Holy Spirit serves as a down payment — a guarantee — of what is ours in Christ.
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
— Ephesians 1:13–14
This inheritance is not earned. It is not achieved. It is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Heirs with Christ — Through Suffering
Paul goes on to explain that those who belong to God are not merely recipients of grace — they are heirs. Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ — provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:17).
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
— Romans 8:16–17
This is a hard but essential truth. Following Jesus doesn’t guarantee comfort in this life. It guarantees participation in His suffering. And that participation — that willingness to endure for His name — is itself proof that the inheritance is really ours.
The Mercy of God Makes the Difference
None of this is because of human effort or merit. Paul addresses this directly in Romans 9, quoting Exodus 33:19: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.”
“So then it depends not on human will or exertion but on God, who has mercy… For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills.”
— Romans 9:15–16, 17–18
God’s mercy is the reason any of us stand before Him as heirs. He chose to show mercy. He chose us. And that choosing — that sovereign grace — is the foundation of every spiritual blessing we have in Christ.
So What?
If you are a Christian, you have an inheritance. It is imperishable — it will never decay. It is undefiled — sin cannot corrupt it. It is unfading — it will never lose its value. And it is kept in heaven for you.
This truth should shape how we live today. If our ultimate inheritance is secure, we can afford to be generous. We can afford to extend mercy, even when it’s difficult. We can forgive those who have wronged us, because we’ve been forgiven so much more.
Pastor Josh closed by pointing us to the Lord’s Table — the bread and the cup that proclaim Christ’s broken body and shed blood until He returns. In the Supper, we don’t just remember what Christ has done. We proclaim our participation in His inheritance, and He proclaims His participation in us.
What inheritance are you counting on today? If it’s anything less than the glory of God in Christ, you are settling for far less than what your Heavenly Father wants to give you.
Scripture References
- 1 Peter 1:3–5 — Born Again to a Living Hope
- Ephesians 1:11–14 — Our Inheritance in Christ
- Romans 8:16–17 — Heirs with Christ Through Suffering
- Romans 9:14–18 — God’s Mercy Makes the Difference
- Numbers 26:52–56 — The Inheritance of the Promised Land
- Numbers 27:1–11 — Inheritance When There Is No Son