Living Hope and Incorruptible Inheritance

Living Hope and Incorruptible Inheritance      

What is the most valuable thing about being a born-again follower of Jesus? 

Certainly the benefits are beyond countless but think about it ... 

Eternity is a really long time. The human mind cannot even begin to comprehend FOR-EVER. Close your eyes—right now—and try to imagine Eternity—Forever and ever and ever and ...

As promised, I’m posting the second part of the blessings found in 1 Peter 1. My previous post is titled, “Hope Alive” (posted June 6, 2017).

As a result of God’s abundance of mercy toward all people living hope comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Therefore the living Christ makes possible a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). And the ultimate hope that is alive in us Jesus followers is the anticipation of our eternal destiny—our place of residence following death or the catching away of the saints—which ever happens first for each of us. 

Verse four of the first chapter of 1 Peter is rich in hope, alive with glorious expectancy. The apostle Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). 

The English Standard Version (ESV) puts it this way: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

What an amazing inheritance we have! 

It is-

- incorruptible, meaning imperishable; Greek - aphthartos, meaning undecaying; not corruptible, immortal. Synonyms – indissoluble, permanent, endless, eternal, perpetual. (1) page 2118

- undefiled; Greek – amiantos, meaning unsoiled, pure, unpolluted. Synonyms – sincere, unalloyed, holy as being free from admixture of evil, sacred. (1) page 2092

- will not fade away – Greek – amarantos, meaning perpetual; unfading, hence enduring. (1) page 2091

As I was writing this post, I received word that the father of a friend died last night. I didn’t know the father but my friend’s family is confident that their loved-one is now realizing the fullness of his glorious inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and will never fade away. WOW! Think of it.

Of course there is sadness in the passing of a loved one, who will be missed in this earthly life, but the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus eases the pain of separation and calls out to a future reunion that is eternal and greater than anything we can imagine.

Thank You, Father God and thank You, Jesus, our Savior.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford

Not saying this to upset you—but the truth must be known.

Not saying this to upset you—but the truth must be known.

I heard it again just a few days ago, “We’re all God’s children.”

It sounds so nice—so comforting—so inclusive. To someone who believes in God or thinks there might be a God, it gives some degree of false hope. But, it’s just not true. God Himself has the last word on this concept.

It is true that God loves everyone. He even loves us all equally. He created each of us in His own image (Genesis 1:27).

God wants every single human being to be in His forever family. He wants to be the Father of each one of us. It’s His desire that none parish—that is that none suffer eternal damnation (2 Peter 3:9). 

When God created the universe, the creatures and Mankind, He wanted all people who ever lived to be His family. But He wanted us to be in His family, not because He forced it, but because we chose it. We all have free will by God’s design. 

Even after being warned not to eat of the tree, Adam and Eve, of their own free will, turned against God and ate the fruit. Sin occurred and all manner of hardship befell Mankind. And like Adam and Eve, we can choose.

At God’s appointed time, He sent His Son, Jesus, to walk among men, teaching about the Kingdom of God. If you haven’t read the four gospels recently I highly recommend you do so. Learn Jesus. Be reminded of the things He said and did. (The four gospels are the books of Matthew, Mark Luke and John, in the Bible.)

Ultimately Jesus completed His earthly mission. He was crucified, died, buried, rose from the dead, and ascended to Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. By His coming, suffering and dying Jesus bore the punishment we deserved. “Thank You, Jesus!”

This is the pathway our Heavenly Father provided for us to be restored to right relationship with Himself. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is the answer to the dilemma of Mankind’s sin which separated us from Holy God. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Speaking of Jesus John wrote, “But as many who received Him to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13 NKJV).

So when we are born of God—that is born-again—we become His own child. That’s how we become children of God. 

How do we get to be born of God? We believe in and receive Jesus. We believe He is who the Bible says He is and we invite Him and receive Him into our own hearts. We embrace Him as the Lord of our lives. Then we are the children of God.

When we do this, we have become children of God by adoption with all the rights of a natural-born child. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons, crying out ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7 NKJV).  

So when we make the conscious decision to believe and receive Jesus as our Savior we’re then adopted into God’s own family and have every right to call out to Him, “Abba, Father—Daddy!” 

Conversely, anyone who is not born-again as described above is not a child of God—is not in God’s family. 

As stated in John 14, Jesus is the only way to reconciliation with God. 

Many people desperately want there to be several ways to God but no matter how hard they wish, it’s just not that way. 

The only alternative to being in God’s family is to be in Satan’s family, condemned to eternal damnation. Don’t get mad at me for stating this. Take it up with God. I suggest you get to know Him through studying His Word—the Bible. That will help explain why it is what it is. 

 

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens area higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV).

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV).

Your comments are welcome. Inappropriate comments will be deleted.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford