Our Inheritance

The themes of the scroll of redemption, inheritance and the qualifications thereof, have been brought up in recent letters.  Last week mention was made of the hope that had been laid up for us in heaven, of which we have heard in “the word of the truth of the gospel” (ref. Col 1:5).  The wonderful news is that now this “word of truth” has come to us, as the following verse indicates, “which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and brings forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and knew the grace of YHVH in truth” (v.6). Is this good news or what?  This mystery of Messiah in us is the hope of glory, and with Him comes all the riches of our inheritance.  “Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His called out ones, to whom YHVH would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Nations; which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:26-27). What are the riches of our inheritance that have come to us, being in us and bearing fruit?

The Apostle Peter points out that we have become partakers of the divine nature: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4).  Armed with this knowledge of the Word, what are these precious promises that are now in us? 

Paul’s greatest desire and passion was to share with the believers this incredible reality, and this is why he prayed that the Father of glory would give the believers the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance which is now in us, so that we would come to understand the exceeding greatness of His power unto us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He demonstrated through the anointing of His Spirit in Yeshua when he raised Him from the dead (Eph 1: 16-20 paraphrased).  Paul wanted us to be strengthened with might through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Holiness that is now working in our inner man, and that the reality of Messiah’s life would dwell in our hearts through faith, so that we would be able to comprehend with all the believers the breadth, length, depth and height of this inheritance, but especially the divine nature of love that is in Messiah, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of Elohim (Col 3:16-19 paraphrased).  For our Heavenly Father’s nature is unconditional love (ref. 1 John 4:8).

                                                                                                 

Let us take a look at what is in us; that is at the divine nature “which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance” (Gal 5:22-23). Reading this list may cause one to wonder whether this divine nature is truly within…  If you have received Messiah Yeshua, through the anointing of the Spirit of Holiness, I assure you that this is His nature and these character traits are already in you, to which you may reply: “I don’t see this nature being manifest through me.”  Both Paul and Peter help us with the dilemma. Peter writes that we must come to the knowledge of Elohim the Father and Messiah Yeshua (ref. 2 Pet 1:2). He also adds that if we give all diligence to the faith, believing that the life and nature of the Messiah is our life and nature, and add to this understanding through the faith – this knowledge, to the knowledge - temperance, to the temperance - patience, and to the patience - godliness, and to the godliness - brotherly kindness and to that unconditional love, we will bear the fruit of the divine nature in our lives. Peter ends this little list with a very important statement: ”For if these things be in you, and abound, you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua Messiah” (2Pet.1:8).  Paul states that,  “you died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God. When Messiah who is your life appears [or reveals Himself], then you also will appear [you will know who you are as a renewed, redeemed, restored creation being] and together be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:3-4).  This can only happen if we are walking in the faith, as we move from faith to faith and glory-to-glory - looking to Messiah Yeshua whose Spirit life is resident in us.

Faith in the gospel of the Kingdom and Yeshua the Messiah through the writings of the apostles, as they received it from the Torah and the Prophets, reveal to us some very fundamental insights.  If we are to possess our inheritance, that is the divine nature and the riches and the glory, we must continually stand on the foundation stone of the faith and of YHVH’s work through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. Paul makes it very clear that when Yeshua died “all men died”, and that we are no longer to judge men by the flesh, nor to even recognize them after the flesh (ref. 2 Cor. 5:14-16).  You and I died on that cross once and for all, but are alive because of Him who is our life. (ref. Col. 3:1-4).  He is the new creation Man, the One New Man that came to redeem His brother Adam thus  we are members of His body.  “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Yeshua our Messiah” (1 Pet 1:13). “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is unconditional love” (1 Cor. 13:12-13). 

Ephraim