Our Future Inheritance As God’s Children  

Final part of a Series 

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.”
I John 3:2 (NIV) 

In this series we’ve seen what it means to be the children of God, and some of the characteristics of God as our perfect parent.  Through accepting Jesus Christ we are no longer ordinary people but extraordinary people.  The life that God has offered us in Jesus Christ is about a relationship.  A close, personal, intimate relationship with the very maker of the universe, now and forevermore.  We can talk to him, share with him, hold onto him.  He is always there for us in every situation.  He is our father, our brother, our saviour, our friend and our king.  Our strength and our rock and our salvation.  Ephesians 1:3 says that already God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

But even this is only the start.  Just as children often receive an inheritance from their human parents, as God’s children in Jesus Christ there is an inheritance to look forward to which will be far more beautiful, more loving and more joyful than anything we can imagine.  We will experience the fulness of life God always meant us to have.  Notice Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”  When we accept Jesus Christ, and he comes to live in us through the Holy Spirit, then we become heirs with Christ of everything He will inherit.

God loves us just as He loves His son Jesus, because it is Jesus himself who lives in us.  And because of that we will share in every aspect of his inheritance, a life of peace and joy and love for all eternity.  In fact we will inherit the whole creation that Christ is reconciling to himself!  As it says in verses 18-21, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”  What a wonderful vision, all possible because of God’s love and his marvellous grace.

God loves each one of us so much.  We are so special to Him.  He wants us as His children and He has a place for us in His home.  As we allow Jesus into our lives we begin to experience a beautiful partnership with our perfect parent, walking hand in hand with Jesus as heirs to life.  Let’s enjoy our new life in Christ Jesus now and forevermore!

Prayer
Father in heaven, we thank you so much for everything it means to be your children now, and we look forward to sharing in the wonderful inheritance you have for us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen 

Study by Simon Williams

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About the Author:
Simon Williams is active in the Cambridge Congregation of the Worldwide Church of God UK.

Local Congregation:
Worldwide Church of God Cambridge
Comberton Village Hall
Green End
Comberton
CAMBRIDGE
CB23 7DY

Meeting Time:
Saturday 2:00 pm

Local Congregational Contact:
Bill Lee
Email:  cambridge@wcg.org.uk