Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
We have obtained an "inheritance".
God has established patterns on this earth to help us understand spiritual realities and mysteries which we normally would not understand if we saw them.
One of the ways that God has done this is the use of analogies and types which speak to higher truths. Thus, when God identifies Himself as "Father", we are right to apply what we know of a GOOD father to Him. He established fatherhood to speak to us about His Fatherhood over us as His adopted children.
In the same way, He established the covenant to speak of the eternal covenant between the Blessed Trinity. Adam and Eve were the picture of the unseen. Their union was a picture of the life giving union between God and the Word. The union between God and the Word brings forth life, which is represented by the "life giving Spirit". In the eternal covenant, we have the mystery of complete union and at the same time, separate identities.
We have the family as a picture of God's eternal family, consisting of all those who have been redeemed for all ages. We use the language of the family on earth to understand how the family in Heaven operates.
We are told that there is an inheritance which is laid up for us in Heaven awaiting us. Therefore, we must apply the language of the family to understand how this awaiting inheritance works. The type, which is the earthly, does not work differently from that which it signifies.
How does one get an inheritance? One is born into a family. Or, as in our case, one is adopted. Christ Jesus is the "only begotten son". We are the adopted sons and daughters.
What is an inheritance? It is a blessing which is given to us at a certain point. In the case of the earthly family, it is upon the death of the covenantal head -- the father. It is upon the cessation of the current covenant and the establishing of the new with the eldest son as the new head. The eldest son then becomes the head of the covenantal family and distributes the inheritance as instructed by the deceased father.
Upon the death of the Old Covenant ("It is finished") the New Covenant is established and there is a new covenantal head. Our first father, Adam, in whom we have nothing but condemnation, is covenantally put to death by the obedience of the Last Adam, who then becomes the Head of the New Covenant.
Our inheritance in Adam is eternal wrath (Rom. 5:12). ALL men are partakers of this inheritance, for all are "in Adam" and have him as their father. In the New Covenant, we have a new Father in Heaven, a new covenantal Head -- the Last Adam -- and a new inheritance, which is eternal life.
We see further information on this in the following verse:
1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Notice something very important. The Holy Spirit is only the "earnest" of our inheritance. He is NOT the full inheritance, but only a small portion of it which promises the full amount IF THE TERMS OF THE COVENANT ARE KEPT FAITHFULLY. The term "earnest money" comes from this term. Earnest money is "good faith" money which reserves that which is promised, if the terms are met.
This is an important consideration, because it ties in with the fact that covenants are breakable. There is no such thing as an "unbreakable covenant". That is a Calvinist fantasy which was made up to support the idea of "the perseverence of the saints" -- another unbilbical idea. An unbreakable covenant is like an elephant with wings -- it does not exist.
Our Lord Jesus also supports this idea of eternal life being the inheritance:
Mt 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Jesus says that we "inherit" eternal life. We do not "earn it", for we cannot do that.
Mr 10:17 ¶ And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Lu 10:25 ¶ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Notice the overall context of the question and the answer. Jesus does NOT take the rich young ruler or the lawyer and say"
"WAAAAAAIT a minute!!! You are one confused puppy. Don't you know that eternal life is the gift of God which you get by having "faith alone" in the Son of God??"
No, he answers in kind, doesn't He? He does not correct, but gives the answer to the man's question. We keep the Law of God from a heart of faith (which again I say is a gift -- THE gift given in salvation) and by doing so, keep the covenant.
Go to Deut. 28 and study the covenant. You will see that a covenant is made with an oath by both sides. It is to be kept by both sides. And it can be broken.
An inheritance can be lost. For instance, if my son decides that he is going to become a Jehovah's Witless, he will git cut out of my will at the speed of light. I have the right to set the terms by which my inheritance is recieved by my children.
So does God. And the terms are found in John 5: 28-29 and Rom. 2: 5-10. The terms are that we do the Father's will, which is works of charity and love and the eschewing of evil (which is keeping His Law).
As for the John 3: 16, this verse reads properly in the Greek:
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him and keeps on believing, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Yes, that is the tense of the word "believe". It is NOT a one time and done forever event. It is the act of continual believing in Christ. That continual believing, shown by our keeping the Law of God and doing good works, is what covenant keeping is all about.
Okay. I anticipate questions and disagreement.
Brother Ed
