Richness of Our Inheritance in Christ through Salvation
Salvation in Christ offers believers a rich inheritance, characterized by a profound transformation and an abundance of divine blessings. This inheritance is not earned through human merit but is a gift of God's grace, received through faith [4, 5, 6].
A central aspect of this inheritance is redemption and the forgiveness of sins, made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ [3, 13]. This act of redemption delivers believers from their sins, demonstrating the "surpassing riches of his favour in graciousness" [2, 13]. The Holy Spirit serves as an "earnest" or down payment of this inheritance, guaranteeing the full redemption of God's people [1].
Through salvation, believers are "made alive together with Christ," sharing in his resurrection both in the present and in the future [5]. This union with Christ means they are no longer strangers but are fully accepted into God's family, becoming children of God [8, 10]. This new identity involves a complete departure from a life of sin and death, transferring believers into a realm of life and purity [6].
The richness of this inheritance also includes a new nature. Believers are "created anew in Christ Jesus," stripping off their "old sinful nature" and putting on a "new nature" that reflects God's life within them [7, 9, 11]. This transformation, wrought by God's Spirit, enables believers to perform good works that God has planned for them, which are the result of salvation, not its cause [7, 11].
Furthermore, the inheritance encompasses spiritual blessings and a future hope. Believers are united with Christ, sharing in God's glory and blessings [10]. This includes the promise of being with Christ, beholding God's face and Christ's glory, and being glorified with Christ [4]. Even adversities become part of this inheritance, as all things work together for the good of those in Christ [12]. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with its gifts and graces, is also shed "abundantly" upon believers through Jesus Christ [14].
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:14 (ASV) — which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 2:7 (Rotherham) — That he might point out, in the oncoming ages, the surpassing riches of his favour in graciousness upon us, in Christ Jesus;”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:7 (BBE) — In whom we have salvation through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, through the wealth of his grace,”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Reward of Saints, The — Is from God -- Ro 2:7; Col 3:24; Heb 11:6. Is of grace, through faith alone -- Ro 4:4,5,16; 11:6. Is of God's good pleasure -- Mt 20:14,15; Lu 12:32. Prepared by God -- Heb 11:16. Prepared by Christ -- Joh 14:2. As servants of Christ -- Col 3:24. Not on account of their merits -- Ro 4:4,5. Described as Being with Christ. -- Joh 12:26; 14:3; Php 1:23; 1Th 4:17. Beholding the face of God. -- Ps 17:15; Mt 5:8; Re 22:4. Beholding the glory of Christ. -- Joh 17:24. Being glorified with Christ. -- Ro 8:17,18; Col 3:4; Php 3:21; 1Jo 3:2. Sitting in j”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
- Titus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Titus 3:5: 3:5 not because . . . but because: The contrast is between human actions that might be thought to merit salvation and God’s grace (see Gal 2:16). Salvation is through faith in God’s mercy alone (Eph 2:8). • He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth: See Ezek 16:9; John 3:1-15; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22; 2 Pet 1:9. • and new life through the Holy Spirit: This signifies a complete departure from the life of sin and death and a transfer into the realm of life and purity (see also Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:19: 2:19 Gentiles who believe are no longer strangers and foreigners (2:11-12, 17). Through Christ, they are fully accepted into God’s family. They become children of God, just like believing Jews (see Rom 8:14-17).”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:20: thanks . . . for all things--even for adversities; also for blessings, unknown as well as known (Col 3:17; Th1 5:18). unto God and the Father--the Fountain of every blessing in Creation, Providence, Election, and Redemption. Lord Jesus Christ--by whom all things, even distresses, become ours (Rom 8:35, Rom 8:37; Co1 3:20-23).”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 1:7: In whom we have redemption - God has glorified his grace by giving us redemption by the blood of his Son, and this redemption consists in forgiving and delivering us from our sins; so then Christ's blood was the redemption price paid down for our salvation: and this was according to the riches of his grace; as his grace is rich or abundant in benevolence, so it was manifested in beneficence to mankind, in their redemption by the sacrifice of Christ, the measure of redeeming grace being the measure of God's own eternal goodness. It may not be useless to remark that”
- Titus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Titus 3:6: Which he shed on us abundantly,.... "Or richly"; either which love he shed abroad in the hearts of those whom he regenerated and renewed by his Spirit; or which water of regeneration, that is, grace, comparable to water, he plentifully shed, and caused to abound where sin had done; or rather whom, or which Holy Spirit, with his gifts and graces, such as faith, hope, and love, and every other, he poured forth in great abundance on them; see Isa 44:3 through Jesus Christ our Saviour; the love and kindness of God the Father our Saviour, comes through him; the mercy of God”