WHY BELIEVERS IN JESUS ARE HEIRS THAT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Edward O’Hara…

Does our being God’s children by spiritual birth entitle us to an inheritance? According to Paul’s gospel, it does. Paul wrote that “flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God” in 1Cor.15:50. And Jesus said in John3 that we must be born of the Spirit to see the kingdom of God. So from this, we know that no one who is flesh and blood will be there. And that only those who are spiritual have God’s kingdom for their inheritance. 

When Paul said this he had just written about Adam and the rest of mankind saying that it is because all men are exactly as Adam was in every way when God made him that they could not inherit the kingdom of God. That this included the fact that all men since God made Adam are “a living soul”, “not spiritual but natural”, and “of the earth earthy”. And that it is because we all bear the image of the earthy, the first Adam, that Jesus came. Because we must bear the image of the heavenly, the second Adam, to inherit the kingdom of God. 

So it’s because there is a need to bear Jesus’ image, the image of the heavenly, that fulfills the requirements for inheriting God’s kingdom, that Jesus had to come. And contrary to what so many teach, works good or bad, naughty or nice, have nothing to do with it. Paul shows us this here in 1Cor.15 when he contrasts this image with the image of the first Adam. He does not contrast good and evil or naughty and nice behavior as so many do. Paul contrasts an image that he says was natural and not spiritual with that which is spiritual. An image that was of the earth earthy with that which Paul said is the image of the heavenly. The spiritual man born of the Spirit who receives the spiritual body contrasted with the man who is just as Adam was when God made him. Natural and not spiritual. The spiritual man then bears the image of the heavenly. And because he does Paul says this equips him to receive spiritual inheritance. The kingdom of God. 

Paul refers to this in Rom.8 as well when he writes “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” What did Paul just say here? He said that the indwelling Holy Spirit that we receive when we are born again will quicken our mortal bodies making us heirs to the kingdom of God. This quickening is something that happens to our mortal flesh and blood bodies that makes them spiritual bodies. They go from mortal bodies to immortal bodies. From bodies that suffer the corruption of death to bodies that are incorruptible. 

It is what Paul was saying when he taught that Jesus was made a “quickening spirit”. It’s this quickening that gives life to our bodies that changes believers into the image of the heavenly. It does not happen now but at the resurrection. The new spiritual body that we who have been born again and have the firstfruits of the Spirit are now waiting to receive at the resurrection. The body Paul speaks of in 1Cor.15 as that which is immortal and incorruptible. And again in Rom.8 saying “And not only they but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” 

So is the kingdom of God an inheritance for those who have been born of God’s Spirit? Of course, it is. For we have been made children and therefore heirs of God. Paul says those who inherit God’s kingdom are those who will bear the image of the heavenly. An image that only comes to those who have the firstfruits of the Spirit. Which is the spirit birthed in a man that until that moment he believed in Jesus as Jesus believed in the Father was only natural not spiritual, flesh, and blood? A believing that Paul calls “the faith of Christ” in Gal.2:16 shown by Jesus’ trust in the Father by saying “Nevertheless not my will but thine be done”. When a man trusts Jesus in this way it is this “faith of Christ” that makes us a spiritual man prepared for the time when we will “bear the image of the heavenly”. 

Now that you know that it is not by works, no matter who we believe has done them, but by a quickening that we are equipped to inherit God’s kingdom. And that it is only by believing in Jesus as He believed in the Father. Will you believe as Jesus showed us we must so you too can inherit God’s kingdom? Will you trust in Jesus as He trusted in the Father and say “Nevertheless not my will but thine be done” as Jesus did so you too can receive eternal life? If you will then you too can have the firstfruits of the spirit that is the only requirement needed for the redemption of your body. So that you too can bear the image of the heavenly at the resurrection. And be therefore an heir to God’s kingdom.

If you will then you too can have the eternal life that Jesus died and rose again to provide you with. If you will, then please pray with me now and you will have the firstfruits of the spirit. The birth of a spirit in you that makes you a spiritual man. Dear Jesus, thank you that you died for me. Thank you for joining me in my death so that you could conquer my death by your resurrection. Thank you that when I believe in you just as you believed in the Father I can join with you in your eternal life. That by the faith of Christ God considers me righteous just as you are righteous. And ready for the quickening of my mortal body at the resurrection so that I can inherit the kingdom of God. In Jesus’ name amen. 

If you prayed with me then you have become a child of God. And as His child, you are now an heir to His kingdom. And will be changed in what Paul called “the twinkling of an eye” in 1Cor.15 at the resurrection from mortal to immortal. And if you prayed then please leave a message in the comment section below so we can rejoice together. And come back to this channel often and hear the word of God preached so that you can grow in your new life in Christ into the man or woman of God He always intended for you to be. Free from the power of death and the slavery of sin.

May God richly bless you in your new life in Christ! 

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