Sister Sunny Sunday School 1/6/13

Sister Sunny Sunday School 1/6/13

Our inheritance – Brother Jim brought out that we were joint-heirs with Christ several times in his Sunday school lessons.  There are some conditions on this.  The scripture says that we are joint heirs with Christ if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, are led by the Spirit of God, and suffer with Christ. 

The question kept coming to me:  What is our inheritance? 

Joint heirs with Christ

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The life that it is speaking of here is the life that is ours after we are born again.  It is spiritual life where because we have repented of our sins, God through the blood of His son has forgiven us and has opened to us a more abundant life.  This more abundant way is communion with God, Christ in us, and us one with Him and God. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

The promise is to us if we meet the conditions.  We must have repented of our sins, and thereafter we must not live after the flesh but be led by the Spirit of God, which is not a spirit of bondage but of adoption. 

We are made anew with new desires and a new Heavenly Father.  That carnal nature that we inherited from our earthly father can be crucified so that we can receive the Holy Spirit and we need not make any allowance for the flesh. 

I know that everything that I’m bringing is well known to all, but it was good to me.  My idea in bringing this lesson is as Peter said:

2Pe 1:12  Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

The promise of an inheritance in the scriptures was to Abraham and to his seed after him.  We are Abraham’s seed.  The covenant that God gave to Abraham and to his seed after him is to us:

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

The promise of the inheritance to Abraham: That God would be his God, his seed would return to the Promised Land; the covenant that he would be the father of nations, that he would have seed as the sand of the sea, and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in him.

Gen 15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Shield – buckler, defense, a protector, armor, ruler.

Reward – salary, payment of contract, compensation, benefit, wages.

 God was telling Abraham that He would be his all in all: his protector, his shelter, his armor, his defense, his director, his reward, his provider for necessities and provider for the extras. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.”  (James 1:17)

Gen 17:7  And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Gen 17:8  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

He promised, “to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.”  As our God, He is our protector, our provider, our governor: King with a heart of a shepherd.  He chooses to dwell among us, to be always present, a help in every time of need, and to supply every need. 

His characteristics: He is holy, pure, without malice, and desires good for all: He sends the rain on the just and the unjust. 

He is omniscient and omnipresent: He knew me when I was in my mother’s womb; can a man hide from God?  Has any been His counselor? 

He is omnipotent: With man this is impossible but with God nothing shall be impossible. 

He is immutable:  He changes not; With Him there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. 

He cannot lie: God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent. 

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

We are the apple of His eye.  We are what he chooses to look upon, to look to the needs of, and to regard.  We are His children, the sheep of His pasture, His peculiar treasure.  He is deserving of our best service, our thanks and praise, our worship, reverence, and adoration. 

Exo 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

He has all the resources of the earth and all the resources of creation at His disposal.  He is well able to meet any need.  “All the earth is mine.”  He created it and He is the one in control.  If we will obey and keep His commands, then we are His peculiar treasure. 

Isn’t it wonderful that the promise of holiness is to us through Christ?  Before Christ the prophets and holy men looked forward to the coming Messiah when all the promises would be fulfilled.  We live in the Gospel Day and can be partakers of the divine nature. 

We live in this world but can be a part of another kingdom.  It is a kingdom of righteousness, joy, and peace.  As a kingdom of priests, we can pray anytime and anywhere and have confidence that God hears us.  Remember the conditions for this privilege though:  obey His Word and keep His covenant.

Exo 29:45  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

Exo 29:46  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

God promises to dwell among us.  He is a present help in every time of need.  In every temptation He provides a way of escape.  He goes before us and is our rear-guard.  He leads, teaches, comforts, and also warns us when we start to get out of the way.  He wants us to make it.