Ephesians 1 and It’s Encouragement for You

Part 4 of 4 posts (final) 

For several posts, I’ve been focusing on our inheritance in Christ. We’ve looked at the opposite—finding our worth and value in our activities, accomplishments, people’s accolades, and earthly values. We’ve also contrasted the stories of Esau and Lydia. Esau valued soup over his inheritance and Lydia accepted the gift of her value in Christ without qualms. Here are links for the previous posts:

Part 1. I shared how having mononucleosis reminded me to value my inheritance in Christ, not my efforts.

Part 2. We looked at Esau’s choice to value food over his birthright, his spiritual inheritance.

Part 3. In this part we looked at how Lydia eagerly accepted her value in Christ when she received Christ as her Lord and Savior.

For all of us who know the goodness of God through salvation, nothing compares to the joy of knowing Christ’s love expressed in His death and resurrection. Unlike Esau (from post 2), we realize that personal success and accomplishments give a temporary peace and joy, but they just don’t last. Only a growing relationship with God through our inheritance in Christ brings permanent assurance, joy, power and godly living. The more we focus on our identity in Christ, the more we appreciate what God has done for us. Whether we are rich or poor, successful or just getting by, full of energy or feeling lethargic, the solid foundation in our lives is knowing our inheritance as a Christian will never diminish in value and actually is who I am. Who you are! Lydia’s learned that.

Our spiritual birthright secures for us countless treasures including these gems:

• I have peace in the midst of a troubled world. (John 14:27)
• I am justified through faith. (Romans 5:1)
• I am an ambassador for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• I have every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
• I am holy and blameless in God’s sight. (Ephesians 1:4)
• I am adopted as His child. (Ephesians 1:5)
• I am forgiven for all my sins. (Ephesians 1:7)
• God has prepared in advance the good things He wants me to do for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)

If you want to find the most concise listing of our inheritance in Christ, go to Ephesians 1. Here’s what you’ll find there describing our importance to God: we are saints, granted grace & peace, blessed, have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, chosen, holy, blameless, loved, predestined, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, made salvation known to us, sealed with Holy Spirit, guaranteed inheritance, prayed for, wise, know God, enlightened heart, given hope, powerful, and a part in the Body of Christ.

Which of those wonderful blessings is most important to you?

Each aspect of our inheritance helps us to see ourselves the way God sees us as His chosen princesses, daughters of the King. As heirs in His heavenly kingdom, we are entitled to everything we need for living as royalty.

My writer friend, Donna Goodrich, who now enjoys the totality of her inheritance in heaven, communicated so effectively through this little story she gave me permission to use.

The bedspread was ugly. I had bought it in desperation at a garage sale for five dollars. “Yuck,” I said, each time I made the bed. I grimaced as I spread the cover.

Then one day I was leafing through my sister’s department store catalog. There was the same bedspread with a well-known designer name for eighty-five dollars. Suddenly the bedspread took on a new beauty once I discovered how much it cost.

At one time I didn’t think much of myself. I felt ugly. “Yuck,” I said each time I looked in the mirror. Then one day I heard the story of salvation, how Christ had given his life on Calvary. Just for me. And suddenly my life took on a new beauty, once I discovered how much it cost.–Donna Goodrich

I love Donna’s story because it sums up the incredible blessing of knowing our value in Christ. Not because of anything we can do, earn, or achieve, but because Jesus declares us His for forever at the moment we acknowledge Him as our Savior and Lord. What a glorious truth to depend upon.

If you’ve never made that decision to acknowledge you need a Savior because you are a sinner, you can receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. Simply ask Him to forgive you and believe He died on the cross for you. Read the Bible, seek out a Bible believing church, pray, and ask God to bring alongside Christians who can encourage you in your walk with Christ. On that journey you will grow stronger in knowing the incredible inheritance God has given you because of Jesus, not because of any earthly accomplishment, accolades, activities, or earthly values.

God loves you! Seek Him!