We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
—1 Peter 1:4 (NLT)
We can’t put a price on our inheritance in Christ. The inheritance, which became ours when we believed in Him, cost Jesus His life. Because of Him, we now have complete access to our Abba Father. We no longer live in fear of retribution and punishment. Jesus became our punishment. He became our shame. Our guilt was nailed to the Cross. The veil that the law held tightly in place was ripped wide open. We can come boldly to our loving Father in our time of need. His grace is always there when we need it the most.
“If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29, NKJV). We are heirs to all that Jesus purchased for us. Jesus, who had no sin in His life, became our sin so that we could receive His righteousness. The innocent took our ugliness and made us heirs to the promise. This inheritance is guarded safely in heaven for us beyond the reach of change or decay. Jesus has not only given us this inheritance but has also kept it pure and undefiled. His promise is not based on what we do but upon who He is. With His last drop of blood, He earned this inheritance for us. His work on the Cross was perfect. Under the law, God had been the judge. But Jesus changed all that. Now that we are under grace, God is our Abba Father.
“Abba” is the word Jesus used when talking to His Father. There was no hesitancy in His relationship with His Father. The only time Jesus knew desertion was when He became our sin. When Jesus said on the Cross that His work was finished, He meant that the inheritance of relationship with God was now ours. What had only been His, now also belonged to us.
How we view our inheritance in Christ comes from how we see our relationship with God. Jesus has completely changed our relationship from fear of the judge to the loving acceptance of our Abba Father. But do we get that? Our sense of identity speaks of how we view God. If we cringe in fear of what God is going to do to us, we don't know God as our Abba Father. If we know that God accepts and loves us no matter what we do wrong, we experience forgiveness from our Abba Father that inspires us to live up to His grace.
Do you know God as your Abba Father? Or do you continuously fear Him as your judge? Jesus gave you His Father. Your priceless inheritance is kept safely in heaven for you. Heaven is your greatest promise, but abundant joy-filled life is also your promise. You don't need to live in fear of God. Jesus changed everything with His priceless inheritance.
©2020 Lynn Lacher
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