Ephesians 1:18 (NKJV) 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
We have been looking at Paul’s teaching from Ephesians chapter 1 and 2 concerning Jesus’ position at the right hand of God as well as the revelation that we were seated there with him. It is hard to understand that we occupy two places at one time in the spirit. We are certainly here. However, while we are here we are also there.
Our physical position is on the earth. Our legal position in the spirit is at the right hand of God. When we look at life from that position we see many ossibilities that we could not see if we do not understand and accept that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
To access this spiritual position, Paul prays that the Spirit of wisdom and understanding will enlighten us to three truths. We have looked at the first one at length. We need to have a revelation from the Lord concerning the hope of God’s calling in Christ. We have a calling and a destiny from God and that calling and destiny come with a certain kind of hope. This verse is not talking about that. It is talking about the hope of eternal life with the Lord.
To the New Testament church, this hope was far more important than it tends to be to us. We are more concerned with our life in the here and now. They lived under threat in the here and now. They were subject to persecution, the loss of jobs, things and relationships because they were Christians. They were far more aware of the temporary nature of life and as a result, they focused on the eternal hope that salvation made available to them. So the hope of his calling always meant eternal hope to them.
I believe we should believe for good things from God. I travel to places that can be somewhat dangerous. I believe that God will protect me. I believe for godly prosperity and health. However, when we keep our focus on the eternal, we will never be overcome by the natural. We will be more apt to see beyond natural impossibilities because we are aware that the most important thing is the eternal. The natural becomes much less intimidating from that location.
There are two other revelations we need to have in order to access our spiritual position at the right hand of God. Number two is what I want to begin to look at today. Paul says that we need to have a revelation of the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Once again, in the past I have understood this to mean our inheritance in Christ. Romans 8:16-17 is a verse that focuses on this truth.
Romans 8:16-17 (NKJV) 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
We are God’s children. As such we are heirs of the promises of God. All that belongs to Christ belongs to us. This is a powerful truth. It includes things like prosperity and healing. I believe we are heirs to God’s power and victory. We are heirs to all that Jesus purchased in his death, burial and resurrection. That is something we should meditate on and believe. It is not, however, what this verse is talking about.
Just as Paul is not talking about our calling he is not talking about our inheritance. He is talking about God’s inheritance. In any covenant relationship there is something each side gets out of the covenant agreement. We are in covenant with God in Christ. We get God as our Father. All that he is and all that he has is ours. The bible says that all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20.) What does God get out of this covenant relationship? That is his inheritance.
The simple answer is that he gets us as his children. To my mind this is not a very good deal for God. He is almighty, all knowing and the creator of all things. There is nothing he does not possess. The devil has usurped what God gave man, however God did not give it to man as much as he leased it to him. God never stopped being the owner of his creation. He will take it back eventually. In Christ, we can begin to take it back now.
If what God gets is you and me, that does not seem quite fair. I am weak compared to God. Even in my greatest strengths I find that I fail almost as often as I succeed. The great things I bring to the table are those things I receive from the Lord. He called me to a great purpose and then gives me the anointing to carry out that calling. He saved me and gave me eternity. It does not seem to me that this is an equitable bargain.
The revelation Paul says we must have is an understanding of the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. I do not think I am much of a reward. To my mind, this covenant is one sided. However, God says that having me, and you, as his reward or inheritance is both rich and glorious. If I am going to access my position at the right hand of God and see the wonderful possibilities that position makes available to me, I must first understand how God sees me. I am his rich and glorious inheritance!
There is another verse in Ephesians that gives us more insight into this.
Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The word “workmanship” can be interpreted as a masterpiece. We are God’s creative masterpiece. A masterpiece is the best thing an artist has ever done. We are the best thing God has ever done. Jesus said we are more important to God than the birds or flowers or trees. There is nothing more important to the father than you and me. We are the rich and glorious heritage of God!
How does this help us see life from our spiritual vantage point? I believe it is important that we realize how important we are to God. Many religions teach that we are insignificant and the gods they worship are everything. They teach that humans exist only for the pleasure of the god or gods.
It is true that God is all in all. We should desire to please God. We should put him above all else in life. However, Christianity teaches that we are as important to God as God is to us. He is almighty. He already has everything. In creating man, he created children. His children were so important to him that he became like them to save them.
I have six children and 15 grandchildren. They are more important to me than anything I own or anything thing I do in life. If everyone else speaks ill of me or does not speak of me at all, it is not important as long as my children and grandchildren love me and speak well of me. I care far less about my own success or blessing than I do about theirs. They are my inheritance. They are my posterity. They are what I give to the world.
When we understand how God sees us and how he feels about us, we will respond to that truth by loving him more and doing what we can to be found worthy of the love and trust he has for us. Many people, because of their experiences in life, try to do things to get God to accept them. When we realize he already accepts and loves us, we rise to that love and acceptance. This is a very different thing. You are God’s rich and glorious inheritance. Meditate on that and see if it does not change how you see yourself and the possibilities of life.
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