In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1.11-12
Receiving an inheritance is something special. At one level we all inherit characteristics from our parents, characteristics we may or may not like but we inherit all the same and can do little about. Then there are occasions when we inherit something that turns out to be valuable as is revealed so often on the Antiques Roadshow, and I myself inherited a valuable clock which was featured on the AR!
But the inheritance that Paul refers to here is something infinitely more valuable – an inheritance that is inextricably linked with the glory of God.
We have been reflecting for a while now, from Ephesians 1 and from Dr Eryl Davies as he has opened up for us parts of Romans 8 and we have been awed and humbled as we have been reminded of all that we have, as our inheritance, in Christ. We are children of our heavenly father, predestined, chosen, adopted and thus joint heirs with Christ.
And it is an inheritance which is ours for one glorious purpose, namely that we might be to the praise of Jesus Christ. It was, is, and always has been God’s purpose to exalt his Son.
God has highly exalted him and has bestowed on him, the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2.9-11
As believers who are ‘in Christ’, those thrilling two words again, we are part of that great crowd of people who will bow the knee before him at the culmination of all things, and do so because we owe him everything. But the outworking of our inheritance now, is to live to the praise of his glory today and every day.
May each of us who read this today live like that so that the world might see Christ in us.