By Bill Cavender
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:3-5).
Every faithful child of God is an heir of God and has been promised eternal life by our Father. “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life . . . in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal . . . the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 John 2:25; Tit. 1:2; Rom. 6:23). Our promised inheritance, which is in heaven in the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and with the elect angels and all the redeemed of the ages, is “incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” Our inheritance in heaven is imperishable, enduring forever, never decaying. It is pure. “It will not have been obtained by dishonesty, nor will it be held by fraud; it will not be such as will corrupt the soul, or tempt to extravagance, sensuality, and lust, as a rich inheritance often does here; it will be such that its eternal enjoyment will never tend in any manner to defile the heart” (Albert Barnes). It will ever be new and fresh, in all its original splendor and brilliance, brightness and beauty. That wonderful inheritance of the saints in light, in the presence of the Almighty Himself, in that land of fadeless day and in that city which lieth foursquare, will be revealed to us when Jesus comes again at the last day of time (Col. 1:14; Rev. 21:1-27; 22:1-20; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 1:3-10).
Our entering into and upon such an inheritance is not only conditioned upon our becoming God’s children through faith, repentance and obedience in baptism, but also upon our being faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all our lifetimes. “We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence unto the fullness of hope even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:11-12). The apostle Peter said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:5-11). The lazy, slothful, indifferent, ungodly, unfaithful child of God has no hope and no promise of the eternal inheritance (Matt. 25:31-36). It is reserved for those who are willing to suffer with Him and who are “kept by the power of God through faith” (Rom. 8:17; 1 Pet. 1:5). In this life we have a hundredfold of God’s blessings and in the world to come we have eternal life (Mark 10:28-30).
Are you God’s child and an heir of God? Are you preparing now for eternal life in heaven? Today, now, is the day of salvation (Heb. 3:13, 15; 4:7; 2 Cor. 6:2)!
Guardian of Truth XXIX: 7, p. 199
April 4, 1985