40. THE GLORIOUS INHERITANCE 1 Peter 1:4-5 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.” I do not know about you but I have a problem with the rendering of John 3:16, the most widely used verse in the entire Bible, by those who re-wrote the King James Bible in the New International Version. It reads thus by the NIV: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The part of this verse that I have a problem with is when it says “his one and only Son” because is that statement actually true? Was and is Jesus God the Father’s “one and only Son”? The answer to that is found in Paul’s statement which says that we are His adopted Sons and Daughters; that is God the Father’s adopted Sons and Daughters. Therefore, that statement which the NIV makes is incorrect because all born-again believers in Jesus Christ are adopted into the Kingdom by their acceptance of Jesus into their hearts as their Savior. We, according to Peter’s statement have “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and faded not away, reserved in heaven...through faith...” (Vss. 4-5). According to Jewish tradition the adopted sons were as much the Sons of the Hebrews as the natural born Sons were. Let’s break down those few verbs which describe our inheritance into the Family of God: The first one is “incorruptible”. The Greek word “aphthartos” is actually two words “a” and “phteiro” and when we translate it, we see that “a” (not), and “phteiro” (decaying or corruptible), and “aphthartos” literally means “not decaying or not corruptible). Our inheritance is totally pure, not having any decay whatsoever in it. When God says we are adopted into the family it is true and is not in any shape or fashion corrupted but rather it is pure. The next word is “undefiled”. Some seem to think that means basically the same thing as “incorruptible” but whereas “incorruptible” means that it cannot be corrupted or changed, “undefiled” is again the use of two Greek words, “a” (not) and “miaino” (defiled) and when we put them together we get “amiantos” which means literally unsoiled or pure). Whereas “incorruptible” means it cannot be corrupted or decayed, “undefiled” means it is at the beginning “not soiled”. “Amiantos” tells us that our adoption is pure from the minute we accept the LORD as our Father, and “aphthartos” tells us that our adoption cannot be corrupted. When the Jews adopted children into their family they are just as much the sons and daughters as those who were by blood sons and daughters. The next word is actually a phrase and is “faded not away”. Again we find the Greek is actually two words. “A” (not) and “maraino” (to extinguish or pass away) and is “amarantos” (unfading or perpetual). In other words once the adoption is completed, it is internal or perpetual and cannot fade away. In the English language we are limited as to what we can say but with the Greek and Hebrew the language goes into more depth. The next one is also a phrase and is “reserved in heaven”. “Reserved” means that we have a place in heaven and it is firm and cannot be changed, therefore making our adoption into the family sure. The Greek word “tereo” from the Greek word “teros” and means to hold fast. The next word is “heaven” and is the Greek word “ouranos” and literally means the abode of God, or where God lives. Therefore, our adoption into the family of God, or our home, is sure, pure and in the abode of God. If I can relate one thought to you it would be that our adoption into the family of God is as if we were actually born into His family and nothing can change that nor can anything defile or corrupt it. Once the adoption papers are signed, sealed and delivered to God, nothing can change it what so ever. Amen. Peter’s words are magnificent and are fraught with precious meaning. He addresses the “strangers”, which are the scattered Jewish Christians, but indicates that they were mainly Gentiles (2:10). Peter addresses them as sojourners, pilgrims or citizens of another world, living and loving for a little while in this world, and away from their home, the abode of God or heaven. In other words, this is not our home because we are simply living in this the earth as we await the time when we will either die (and all people die), or we are taken up at the rapture to our home and to be with our Father for all eternity. We read: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him” (John 14:1-7). What a glorious date we have, reserved in heaven with the Father when we finally go home to be with Him for all eternity. Amen. Remember, “as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) Every person who has ever been born into this world, or even conceived, has a place in heaven if they so choose to accept it. However, the judgment of which the writer of Hebrews is speaking of comes in two types of judgments. The first is the Bema Seat Judgment, which is the judgment of the believer for the crowns of God according to our works (that which we did after our salvation for the Kingdom of God). The second one is the Great White Throne Judgment. This judgment is for the non-believer and will end in those who rejected Christ being throne into the Lake of Fire which was prepared for Satan and his cohorts. Even though most will not actually reject Christ via word of mouth, their doing nothing about salvation is the same thing, making them against God. Heaven is only for those who are adopted into the family of God, therefore, making them the children of God. We are told: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which 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). Those who receive Christ and believe only are those who are the children of God. There are many in the world who believe that Jesus is who He says He is, the Messiah, God come in the flesh, but few have received Him as their LORD and Savior. God gives us the choice to either believe in Him and receive Him or to simply outright reject Him or ignore Him (which has the same results as rejecting Him). Paul tells us this about our adoption into the family of God: To the church at Rome: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption , whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together...To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:5-7). Paul does not say, maybe or possibly, but rather makes the bold statement that those who receive Jesus as their Savior are the children of God through adoption. Jewish adoption is binding and final, nothing can change that adoption. “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (vs. 5 of our text for today). Notice that we are not only adopted but kept there by the power of God through our faith unto salvation, which will be revealed in the last time. Those who are truly saved are kept in that adoption as the children of God by the power of God. I do not know of any power that can be stronger than that of God’s power; can you? The final thing is that all who claim to be Christian’s will be found out at the judgment seat of God. There are those today who say they are Christian and have accepted Him as their LORD and Savior and have the world deceived into believing it. These will be sorted from those who are the true born again believers in Christ at that final judgment. Do not be caught in this. Make sure that you are a true believer in Christ before it is too late to do so. Sure there will be those in the Tribulation period, which is after the signing of the peace accord between the Antichrist and Israel, who will accept the LORD. They will still have to go through the entire seven years of tribulation. They will be saved none the less and have the same position as we who accepted the LORD before the rapture, for they are also the Sons and Daughters of God by adoption into His family. (by Dr. Terry Cleaveland; Book #2 - Understanding Gods Word - One Day at a Time)
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 13:04:00 +0000
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