Importance of Spiritual Inheritance and Prioritization in Christianity
The concept of spiritual inheritance is deeply rooted in biblical teachings and is a cornerstone of Christian doctrine. According to the scriptures, believers are considered heirs of God, with a spiritual inheritance that is incorruptible and reserved in heaven [4]. This inheritance is not something that can be earned but is rather a gift from God, bestowed upon believers through their faith in Christ.
The biblical basis for this concept is found in various passages, including Ephesians 1:14, which describes the Holy Spirit as the "earnest of our inheritance" [1]. This metaphor signifies that the Spirit is a pledge or down payment on the believer's future glory. Similarly, in 1 Peter 1:4, believers are said to have "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven" for them [4].
The nature of this spiritual inheritance is multifaceted. It encompasses salvation, the grace to be revealed at the return of Christ, and a crown of glory that will not fade [4]. It is an inheritance that is not limited to a select few but is available to all believers, as they are all considered children of God and thus heirs [3].
In Christian tradition, the understanding of spiritual inheritance has been interpreted in various ways. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, notes that the Lord is the portion and inheritance of his people, emphasizing the intimate relationship between God and believers [6]. This perspective underscores that the true inheritance of believers is God Himself.
The prioritization of spiritual inheritance is also a significant theme. According to 1 Corinthians 13:13, faith, hope, and love are considered more important than spiritual gifts because they endure forever. Among these, love is paramount as it reflects the very nature of God [7].
The concept of spiritual inheritance has been a consistent theme throughout Christian history, with various traditions emphasizing its significance. The Puritan and Reformed traditions, represented by commentators like John Gill and Matthew Henry, have particularly highlighted the importance of understanding one's spiritual inheritance and living in light of it [2, 3, 5].
The biblical emphasis on spiritual inheritance serves as a reminder to believers to prioritize their heavenly inheritance over earthly concerns. As the one tradition writes, "Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever" [5], indicating a deep commitment to the Word of God as a precious inheritance.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Earnest — The Spirit is the earnest of the believer's destined inheritance (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14). The word thus rendered is the same as that rendered "pledge" in Gen. 38:17-20; "indeed, the Hebrew word has simply passed into the Greek and Latin languages, probably through commercial dealings with the Phoenicians, the great trading people of ancient days. Originally it meant no more than a pledge; but in common usage it came to denote that particular kind of pledge which is a part of the full price of an article paid in advance; and as it is joined with the fi”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:12: That we should be to the praise of his glory,.... This is the end of predestination to the inheritance; and the sense is, either that the praise of the glory of God, in his grace and goodness, might be discovered and made known unto the saints, as it is displayed in election, redemption, justification, pardon, adoption, regeneration, and eternal salvation; or that they should praise and glorify him on account of these things, by ascribing all to his grace, and nothing to themselves; by giving him thanks for all his benefits; by ordering their conversations aright a”
- Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 8:17: In these words the apostle describes a fourth illustrious branch of the happiness of believers, namely, a title to the future glory. This is fitly annexed to our sonship; for as the adoption of sons entitles us to that glory, so the disposition of sons fits and prepares us for it. If children, then heirs, Rom 8:17. In earthly inheritances this rule does not hold, only the first-born are heirs; but the church is a church of first-born, for they are all heirs. Heaven is an inheritance that all the saints are heirs to. They do not come to it as purchasers by any meri”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:4: To an inheritance--the object of our "hope" (Pe1 1:3), which is therefore not a dead, but a "living" hope. The inheritance is the believer's already by title, being actually assigned to him; the entrance on its possession is future, and hoped for as a certainty. Being "begotten again" as a "son," he is an "heir," as earthly fathers beget children who shall inherit their goods. The inheritance is "salvation" (Pe1 1:5, Pe1 1:9); "the grace to be brought at the revelation of Christ" (Pe1 1:13); "a crown of glory that fadeth not away." incorruptible--not”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:107: Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever,.... The Scriptures, which testify of Christ and of his grace, and of the mind and will of God, are a portion of themselves; and a goodly heritage they are, better than thousands of gold and silver, preferable to all worldly inheritances; as they have been to many, who have forsaken all for Christ and his Gospel. These, like an inheritance, have been transmitted from father to son, from one age of the church to another, in successive generations; nor shall they depart from her, nor from her seed and seed's seed, ”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 44:28: And it shall be unto them for an inheritance,.... Either the sin offering, or the priesthood, and the perquisites belonging to it: or, they shall have an inheritance (r); but what shall it be? God himself: I am their inheritance; the Lord is the portion and inheritance of his people, who are made priests unto him, whether in a private or public capacity; they are heirs of God, he is their portion in the land of the living, and forever: God in all his perfections is theirs; and though incommunicable, they have the use and advantage of them, so far as they are cap”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 13:13: 13:13 Faith, hope, and love are more important than spiritual gifts because they last forever (see also Rom 5:1-5; Gal 5:5-6; Col 1:4-5; 1 Thes 1:3; 5:8). Of the three, the greatest . . . is love, because love is the quintessential nature of God himself (see 1 Jn 4:7-12, 16-21). So love should epitomize our relationship with him and others.”