I didn’t grow up with money. My dad always worked to support his family, but we were just middle-class. I was the second of four daughters, so I wore a lot of hand-me-downs. I remember two occasions when I got new clothes – clothes that no one else had worn: Easter and the first day of school. And as far as I know, there was no one in my family line that was rich either. So, receiving an inheritance was not something I thought would ever happen. That is, until I read this passage for the first time. These words brought tears flowing down my cheeks. I WAS PROMISED AN INHERITANCE. This word inheritance can be interpreted HEAVEN.
The New Testament speaks a lot about this inheritance. Paul writes in Galatians 4:7: “And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” I’m guessing that this topic brought such hope to Christians living in a time of GREAT persecution. In Peter’s first letter, he expounds on this inheritance. Here are three specific things…
1) It is pure and undefiled! This means that it is without flaws. We don’t know what that looks like, do we? Before we got engaged, my husband went to a jeweler that offered him the opportunity to pick out my diamond. He picked out a diamond that was “without flaw.” In the end, though, it was still flawed even if it wasn’t visible to the naked eye. Everything on this earth is flawed… nothing is pure. But our inheritance is WITHOUT FLAW.
2) It is beyond change and decay! We can look back on our life and see how things have changed… our family dynamics, our world, our bodies. Everything on this earth is subject to decay… everything will fade, fall apart, rot, stink. But our inheritance is not subject to earthly law so it will NEVER EVER decay. It will NEVER CHANGE. Do I hear an AMEN?
3) It’s kept for us! Reserved. Just waiting for us to claim it. And the Holy Spirit is our deposit guaranteeing this inheritance. Imagine the moment you take your first breath in heaven. Jesus is waiting for you with a huge smile on His face. After embracing, He turns you around and shows you the most beautiful place… beauty that takes your breath away. And He says, “My child, this is all yours. This is what I have prepared just for you. Enjoy!”
We live in perilous times… a time when we believe the Rapture is imminent. We’re watching prophecy unfold before our eyes. And if we’re not careful, we can get discouraged and lose hope. The believers in the first century were living in difficult times too. So, Peter tells them in this passage how to live… to live with expectation because of the inheritance awaiting them. That means that they should think about this, dwell on this, remind themselves often of what’s in store for them. This would bring them hope. And this is exactly the way we are to live as we await Christ’s return… with expectation. This will keep our hope alive. This will inspire us to keep going. Let these words encourage you today.