In
the 1500’s a man by the name of William Tyndale determined the common man in
England should have the Bible in his own language. Tyndale set out, against
much opposition, to accomplish this very difficult task. A scholar in both Greek
and Hebrew, and able to speak in five other languages, he completed his
translation of the New Testament into English in 1537. For this effort he was
put to death in a most horrible fashion. That’s right! Killed for putting the
Bible into the English language, offering God’s Word to the common man. Today
the Bible adorns coffee tables, can be found in most every motel/hotel room,
and is placed on the dash of cars, but is seldom read and its teachings hardly
ever followed. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my
feet and a light to my path.” Yet most continue to walk in spiritual darkness. God
sent His Son to bring His Word to light a dying world – another man died that
we might be able to read and know that Word. Yet, how many truly care about
that Book of books? That Book is the last will and testament of the Son of God.
It should be of concern to each of us to find out if we are remembered in that
will and what our inheritance would be. Are you an heir?
An heir is “one who inherits or is entitled to inherit property” (Webster’s Seventh Collegiate Dictionary). Several things are involved in being an heir: 1) the benefactor, 2) the death of the benefactor, 3) the will, 4) the inheritance, 5) the terms of compliance to receive the inheritance, and 6) entitlement as an heir. What do we know about the last will and testament of our benefactor, the Lord Jesus Christ? We know that Christ’s will was not in force until He died. “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives” (Hebrews 9:16-17). The New Testament (will) of Jesus Christ was activated at His death when He made sacrifice for us and nailed the Old Law to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). What is our inheritance? HEAVEN! ETERNAL LIFE! An eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15); and incorruptible inheritance (1 Peter 1:4); heirs of promise – heirs of the kingdom (Hebrews 6:17; James 2:5). To obtain this inheritance we must be “in” Christ. “In Him we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). And how do we get “into” Christ? “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27); “in Christ” makes us “heirs according to the promise” (v’s 28-29). “Born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), i.e. baptized into Christ, we become children of God. As children of God, we become heirs of God! “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:16-17). We cannot be delinquent children. We must comply with the terms of His will. We must be faithful. We must be “qualified” (Colossians 1:12). We must “receive forgiveness of sins” and be “sanctified by faith” to receive the inheritance (Acts 26:18). We must be “justified by His grace” to “become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7). We must “serve the Lord Jesus” to “receive the reward of the inheritance” (Colossians 3:24). We cannot live in sin and expect to receive the inheritance (Ephesians 5:5). “…I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). It will be heartrending for one to discover they have been disinherited and rejected by God (Revelation 20:11-15).