Michael,
Since there has been a lot of discussion here recently with verses
that pertain to our inheritance I just felt the need, once again
to ask if the clarity I try to bring to this is true or if you
have other thoughts on the matter. It seems you have a grasp
of the Hebrew culture...so I would wish to ask about the
inheritance issue.
Here are the verses you used and since they portray what I have
learned to believe, they are perfect. Am I right in this
understanding?
"1How great is the
love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are! The
reason the world does not know us is that it did not know
him. 2Dear friends, now
we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet
been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him
purifies himself, just as he is pure."
As born again
believers we are recognized as children of God, anything more
than that level of maturity( of a child) is not made
known to us until we appear before him. It is the desire to
mature and the reward that is involved with that
maturity, that becomes our hope (something known about but
not yet attained).
Therefore,
it is written,
"19Now the deeds of the flesh are
evident, which are: immorality, impurity,
sensuality, 20idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of
anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying,
drunkenness, carousing, and
things like these, of which I forewarn you,
just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things
will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law."
These verses give us a guide line as to what actions belong to
that of a child with the warning that this level of maturity will
not inherit the kingdom of God. How is this possible
Gal. 4:1 " Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all."
A child is in no position to inherit but must come to the point of
being like a mature tree if the status is to change. I don't
know if you have grown fruit trees, but they must establish
roots in their new environment before they are capable of
producing fruit. It may take a few years or it may take
many years before they are mature enough to produce
fruit. Living in the Mountains, we had friends that planted
an apple tree and the tree has grown, but it has never been able
to produce fruit. The conditions surrounding the tree are
not conducive to fruit bearing, and an immature christian of child
like faith, is in no position to produce fruit because
the root system is not well established, hence not in a position
to inherit either. But the fruit of the spirit gives us
signs that we are maturing and that we might be coming close to
the maturity necessary to inherit. Lest someone be confused,
I want to clarify that inheriting the kingdom of God is not the
same as having eternal life with God. Eternal life comes
upon acceptance of what Christ attained for us during his life on
earth and the work of Christ on the cross. The
closeness you will enjoy with the father and son, here on earth as
well as in heaven, will have to do with your progression from
child to son status.
When Christ came to earth, he came to the Jews with
the message that they could receive this adoption to sonship
Gal 4:5-9. And so it goes on. Gal. is all about
learning to live in the Spirit rather than living from the
soul. The things of the soul Gal 5:19, will not bring
maturity, but the things of the spirit will, vs 22-23.