“In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will”. (Ephesians 1:11).
As Christians the Scripture makes us to understand that we have a two way relationship or heritage with Jesus Christ.
Firstly, Jesus has given believers an heritage which dwells only in Him, that is eternal life. In another dimension believers are his heritage before God having purchased us with His blood.
Let us examine two scriptural statements to confirm our 2 way status as Christians.
Jesus says, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life!” (John 5:24). This is one dimension of the Christian heritage, eternal life.
In the other dimension which defines a full circle of a Christian relationship with Jesus, the Lord Himself testified to this in John 10: 29 saying: “ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”.
These 2 way relationship therefore talks about an heritage of eternal security which transcends any other relationship or heritage on earth.
All relationships and heritage on earth are terminated by death but what Jesus Christ offers are beyond the temporal dimension of this world but an eternal relationship of security, which begins here on earth.
In emphasizing how to enter into this eternal heritage, Jesus gives a sound advice to all who would believe, saying:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal”. (Mathew 6:19-20).
A closer look at these verses offer an exciting narrative of an irrevocable gift of eternal life far glorious than what a man can enjoy in this life of pain and struggle.
By His death Jesus already paid the supreme sacrifice to secure for believers an eternal life and in so doing procures for them an eternal security which no power in the universe can terminate or destroy, hence He says no one can snatch them from his Father’s hand who is the author of eternal life.
Now what is required of us? From the forgoing we should understand that there is no other life on offer that guarantees a better deal than what Jesus offers because life on earth with all his glory terminates here on earth and the moth will surely consume all its glory.
Secondly, the heritage believers have in Christ is a product of His death on the cross which gives Jesus the legal power to claim believers as His own body and no power in the universe can violate this eternal contract.
Therefore, with this understanding, all that is required of us is to humbly commit ourselves to God the Savior in order to enjoy this 2 way heritage of eternal flavor, whose power begins to manifest in us here on earth to eternity through Jesus Christ.
If we believe, commit to Christ and obey His word then our heritage is guaranteed for eternity. If we do not, we would be toying with the eternal evil of profiting from this temporal life at the expense of an eternal life.
Reading: Revelation 21:1-8
