Laying Claim to Our Inheritance

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1John 3:1 AKJV)

 

Consider the incredible love wherewith the Father has favored us to be called "sons of God," and it’s not just what we are called, but what we are.

 

As a result of the “new birth” we’ve been born into a royal family. The King of kings has adopted us into His family, and now we enjoy all the rights and privileges associated with royalty. We have received a royal inheritance having being predestined “that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Eph. 1:12).

 

Our inheritance as children of God, and believers in Jesus Christ and His word is a treasure of extensive value. Interestingly, not only is our inheritance a treasure, but we’ve been set apart as holy to the LORD our God, and He has chosen us to be His own special treasure from all the nations of the earth (Deut. 14:2).

 

Indeed, God has “blessed us with all spiritual blessings (abundant life, victory over the enemy, hope, faith, peace, joy, the Holy Spirit) in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). What a promise! It has already happened. We’re already blessed, and each of God’s promises is a particular treasure in the inheritance we’ve received from Him.

 

In his letter to the Church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul made this statement “the love of Christ constraints us” (2Cor. 5:14). The love which we have in our hearts restrains us from doing ungodly things which otherwise we might do. We refrain from doing those things not because we’re afraid to do them, but because we love Christ too much to do them.

 

This love that constrains us isn’t our love for Christ, but rather, it’s Christ's love for us. We’re restrained from doing evil things, because of that unspeakable love which Christ manifested when He died for us on the cross at Calvary.

 

Therefore, “what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2Pet. 3:11). In 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, Paul admonishes believers to avoid Sexual Sin. He said, “Don't you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who:

1. Indulge in sexual sin, or
2. Worship idols, or
3. Commit adultery, or
4. Are male prostitutes, or
5. Practice homosexuality, or
6. Are thieves, or
7. Greedy people, or
8. Drunkards, or
9. Are abusive, or
10. Cheat people

None of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. There was a time when some of you were just like that (Paul said); but now your sins have been washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you...

 

Our bodies were not made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14And God will raise our bodies from the dead by His marvelous power, just as He raised our Lord from the dead.

 

15Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which belongs to Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16And don't you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one." 17But the person who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

 

18Run away from sexual sin! No other sin, as clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

 

“But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it” (1Cor. 10:13 NLT).

 

Therefore, now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and expletives (dirty language). Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds and have put on the new nature, which is in Christ Jesus (Col. 3:8-9 paraphrased).

 

Since God chose us to be the holy people He loves, we must clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; making allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends us. Remember, the Lord forgave us, so we must forgive others. Above all, let us clothe ourselves with love, which binds us all together in Christ with cords that cannot be broken.

 

Our salvation was purchased at Calvary with the precious blood of Jesus. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1Pet. 1:18-20).

 

There’s nothing that satan, sin or sickness can bring against us that the blood of Jesus hasn’t already made provision for. When satan tempts us to do wrong we can plea the blood against him. Our redemption is in the blood!

 

The blood is God's answer to, and our covering against, everything that satan throws at us. We can be confident, God has made certain, that the blood of Jesus has enough authority and power to meet all mankind's needs, and defeat the enemy of our souls.

 

So, whenever we go in the presence of God to present our need, we can take comfort in the fact that the blood of Jesus is the answer. Therefore, let us as sons of God, lay claim on our inheritance in Christ through the blood.