Being part of the family of God by having been born again grants one the greatest inheritance. Paul wrote, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 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.” (Romans 8:16-17.) The Holy Spirit testifies to the world through the Word that we are children of God; our spirits testify that we have obeyed the gospel. Thus, both the Holy Spirit and our spirits bear witness to the world that we are children of God. It should be noted that the Bible says that the Holy Spirit bears with, not to, our spirits. Further, Paul tells us that if or since we are children of God, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. And what a rich inheritance is ours! All made possible by the great sacrifice that Deity made on our behalf!
Peter wrote,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Peter’s words give praise and honor to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why does Peter so honor him from whom all blessings flow? Someone might say that he was inspired and that is why he honored God. True, the words were God-breathed; however, the text tells the readers why he praised God. It is because they had been begotten again unto a lively or living hope. God’s abundant mercy made possible the readers new birth into the family or kingdom of God. Perhaps we do not stress God’s mercy enough.
The Sweet Singer of Israel expressed the mercy of God so well in the following lines:
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (Psalms 103:7-14.)
We are begotten again unto a living hope. “A living hope is one that is never extinguished by untold circumstances, just as living waters are waters flowing fresh from a perennial spring.” (Rienecker and Rogers, The Linguistic Key To the Greek New Testament, p.744,) This living hope is the inheritance of which Peter speaks in the following verse. He wrote, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4.)
Note the description of our inheritance: It is incorruptible. Thus, this inheritance will not die. It is imperishable. Many things die in this world. Men are dying every day in this world; however, in the next world, the righteous will not die.
Our inheritance is undefiled. This inheritance of which Peter speaks is contrary to that of defilement. The mind and the conscience can be defiled (Titus 1:15). Bitterness can lead to defilement (Heb. 12:15). The flesh can be defiled (Jude 8). However, in this place inherited by the righteous there will be no defilement. Thayer defines the Greek word “as not defiled, unsoiled; free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigor impaired.” This inheritance is where purity reigns, and nothing is stained.
The inheritance of which Peter speaks does not fade away. Words like perpetual, perennial and unfading describe this inheritance. Many things in this life, even life itself, are fading away. The beauty of the flowers in spring soon fade away. The green grass after a harsh winter will turn brown in the heat of summer. A new suit, dress or a trophy will in time loses its luster. We all like things new, but soon the new wears off. But not so in heaven. John saw a new heaven and a new earth, and a new Jerusalem; the Lamb upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev. 21:4.) Rienecker and Rogers sum these three expression up very well by saying, “The three verbal adjectives indicate that the inheritance is ‘untouched by death,’ ‘unstained by evil,’ ‘unimpaired by time’; it is compounded of immortality, purity and beauty (Beare).”
Our inheritance is reserved in heaven for the righteous. The Greek word for reserved means "to guard, keep, preserve, give heed to," is translated "to reserve," (a) with a happy issue, 1 Peter 1:4; (b) with a retributive issue, 2 Peter 2:4.” (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words.)
This inheritance is in heaven, not on earth. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that they will live forever in paradise on earth. Judge J. F. Rutherford put out a book in 1920 entitled, “Millions Now Living Will Never Die!” Yet, he died and many others have died since, and the obituaries continue to be written each day. When the Lord comes the second time, this earth will be burned up. Peter wrote, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”(2 Peter 3:10.) The righteous dead and living will meet the Lord in the air (I Thess. 4:13-18). The earth will be no more.
Our inheritance is reserved for the elect who are kept by the power of God through faith. The word kept here means to watch, guard or observe. Just as the governor kept or guarded the city of Damascus lest Paul should escape (2 Cor. 11:32), so God guards the elect so salvation ultimately can be theirs. But how does he do this? God guards us by his power. His power to save is the gospel (Rom. 1:16). As we use the gospel to fight off temptation and sin, God guards us. Just as Jesus used Scripture to defeat the tempter (Matt. 4:1-10), so we are to use Scripture to fight against the devil’s onslaughts.
This salvation of which Peter speaks shall be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5). This is not a physical salvation, nor even forgiveness of sins in this life. This is eternal salvation. Paul wrote, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Rom. 5:9.) This salvation will be revealed at his second coming. This is yet future. There is a last day coming (John 6:44, 54; 11:24). Why not then become a part of the elect by believing the gospel and being baptized into Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Gal. 3:27)?
The Informer
Vol. 68 No. 29
May 3, 2015