Posted on 07/24/2023 6:58:33 AM PDT by metmom
"[God] caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Pet. 1:3). Everyone receives an eternal inheritance—either Heaven or Hell.
We have seen several aspects of the believer's inheritance, and will see more in future days. But realize that unbelievers also will receive an inheritance, for Jesus will say to them, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. . . . And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:41, 46).
Only Christians have eternal life and a royal inheritance. When you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you became a new creation in Christ and your life began to center on Him rather than yourself. The Holy Spirit indwelt you and began to transform your attitudes and actions. That's the new birth! It's like starting all over again, only this time you're pursuing God's glory rather than worldly pleasures or goals.
Also, when you were saved you became an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17). So the new birth was the means of your salvation and your eternal inheritance.
Having said that, I must admonish you, just as Paul admonished the Corinthians, to "test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Cor. 13:5). You never want to be deluded about your relationship with Christ. When you trust in the living Lord, you have a living hope and a glorious eternal inheritance. Anything less results in an inheritance of eternal damnation.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies" (John 11:25). Be sure your faith is firmly fixed on Him.
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray for family and friends who don't know Christ. Ask the Lord to redeem them so He will be glorified, and they will become joint heirs with Christ.
For Further Study
What do these verses teach about the new birth: John 1:12-13, John 3:3, and 1 Peter 1:23?
From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Amen 🙏🏻!!!!
I commonly hear from non-believers, “Why would a loving God send anyone to hell?”
This demonstrates a lack of understanding. People are given the choice. Be with God, choosing heaven, and demonstrate that choice by a life that is lived, as best as possible, within Gods laws.
Or
Choose to not follow God and then have that choice respected in the afterlife by being separated from God. God is love, joy peace, etc. Hell is the absence of God and all of those good and moral characteristics.
God doesn’t send anyone to hell.
He provided, at great expense to Himself, a way back to Him that ANYONE can avail themslves of. If they choose not to accept that freely offered gift, then that is on them.
We were born into hell. The offer of salvation is to all, but is effective to those who believe and are delivered from hell. It makes no difference what those left behind think.
“all things shall be added to you”
I suppose that hell is somewhere in that itinerary..
“shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”
If you choose the good but are yet to receive, rejoice, for you shall.
“God has called us to be born again to a living hope”. We were born to hell. God, though His mercy, has given us a choice, to remain as we are or to choose His way. The choice is ours.
“Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to Endless Night “
William Blake
This passage of Scripture is often overlooked but it is a critical part of understanding our salvation. It's one thing to say, "I believe in God.", but it's a whole other thing to actually LIVE like we do. There are a lot of what I call "functional atheists" out in the world. They'll affirm belief in God and say they are Christians, and they may go to church regularly. But Jesus is taken down from the shelf and dusted off on Sunday but then put back up for the rest of the week and it's hard to tell any difference between them from those who have no faith. A genuine faith WILL result in a changed heart - not because we must do the work but because the Holy Spirit is within us conforming us to Christ. There may be setbacks, backsliding even, but there is evidence of progress. We should examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. If nothing has changed and we're unaffected by professing Jesus Christ in our lives, then something is wrong - and it isn't with Christ.
Amen!
Well said. Amen!!
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