Word of Encouragement (5/6/2021)
Today, we will reflect on the second thing Paul prays that we would know: “what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (v. 18).
You may think that we have dealt with this yesterday in conjunction with “the hope of His calling.” We talked about God calling us as His sons in Jesus Christ and the inheritance we are entitled to as His children through our union with the Son of God. That is certainly what this second element is about. But there may be more. Notice how Paul speaks of “his [God’s] glorious inheritance in the saints,” not “the saints’ glorious inheritance in God.” Could it be possible that Paul is not speaking so much of the inheritance we will receive from God as the inheritance God will have in the saints?
The latter option may sound strange to us, initially. But when we survey the Bible, we will see that it is a perfectly legitimate option. Consider what God said to Moses before He entered into covenant with the Israelites at Mount Sinai: “...if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples...” (Ex. 19:5). He also said, “But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day” (Deut. 4:20). And God said through Joel, “I will enter into judgment with [all the nations] there [the Valley of Jehoshaphat], on behalf of my people and my heritage [or, inheritance] Israel” (Joel 3:2). What is the main idea behind us being God’s inheritance? It is that God will make something valuable out of His people, worthy of His delight and joy.
We find similar ideas present in Ephesians. Paul concludes this prayer with these words: “And he [God] put all things under his [Jesus’] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (1:22-23). Here, the church’s future is presented as something, which will be filled with the fullness of Christ. Paul expresses the same idea in Ch. 4 when he says that Christ gave to the church various teachers of God’s Word to equip the saints “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (4:13). He also says in Ch. 5 that Christ gave Himself up for the church “so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (5:27).
“What are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints”—this is worth knowing, isn’t it? The inheritance we will receive from Him will make us rich in glory, too—so much so that God will delight and glory in us. Think about that! This is not because we are worthy in ourselves, but because we, made rich in glory in Christ Jesus, will be a testament to His marvelous work of redemption. When God finished His work of creation, He surveyed all that He had made and saw that it was “very good.” But when He is done with His work of new creation, God’s pleasure will be even greater and our perfection will bring Him the greatest joy. That is the good work He has begun in us and He will not stop working until He brings it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). For such people, the world is not worthy of their affection and hope. Its glories and treasures are beneath us. Let us glory in God and His grand plan for us!