Lesson for February 18, 2024
The Excellence of Heirship
Titus 3:4-7, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,Whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Kindness is the Greek word “chrestotes,” which means generosity and emphasizes the perfect character of God in designing a plan for mankind based completely on His grace. Therefore, the perfect love of God for us provides a salvation solution based solely on grace, apart from any human merit. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It was Christ’s kindness and love for mankind that caused Him to voluntarily become a human and provide the salvation solution to spiritual death, in accordance with God the Father’s plan. Paul reminded Titus that it was not on the basis of human good works (righteous acts or deeds) that people are saved, but on the basis of the grace of God. Mercy is grace in action and the Cross is the ultimate demonstration of God’s grace in action.
By the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for washing is “lutron,” which is used as an analogy for the cleansing from sin at salvation. (Ephesians 5:26-27; John 13:9-10) The moment you are saved, by a simple act of faith alone in Christ alone, God gives you a “spiritual bath,” by cleansing you from the curse of Adam’s original sin, which is spiritual death.
Regeneration is a new birth, a spiritual birth from above (from God). It is the “new creation” of II Corinthians 5:17. It is a brand-new nature, something that did not exist prior to our faith in Christ. (John 3:1-16; I Thessalonians 5:23; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:1,5) At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit makes us new creations in Christ, and this is the renewing. (II Corinthians 5:17-19)
Whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. The moment we believed in Christ as Savior, we were permanently indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26; I Corinthians 2:12)
At salvation, the Holy Spirit provides the guarantee of our inheritance by sealing us. Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, Who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Titus 3:7, “So that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Upon faith in Christ, believers are justified (declared righteous) and placed into permanent union with Christ by means of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This union guarantees us a share in Christ’s inheritance because we become Royal Family of God. Believers are not only heirs of God; they are joint heirs with Christ as His royal family. (I Corinthians 12:13; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:10-11; Galatians 3:26)
The hope of eternal life is total confidence that when you personally believed in Christ as your Savior, God gave you eternal life as a free gift. (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9) We possess eternal life the very moment we trust Christ as Savior and we are secure in Him, forever. Hope is the Greek word “elpis,” which means confident expectation. (John 5:25-26, 10:29-30, 11:25-26, 14:6; I John 5:11-13)
Our inheritance is secure forever in Christ. I Peter 1:3-5. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Our attitude toward our inheritance should be thanksgiving. Colossians 1:12, “Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified us for a share of the inheritance of the saints in light.”
Our inheritance is based on our relationship with God. Galatians 4:1-7, “Because you are sons and daughters, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son or a daughter; and if a son or daughter, then an heir through God.”
At salvation, believers become part of the most unique family in history – the Royal Family of God. As children of God, the Bible tells us that we are now related to Jesus Christ as joint heirs. This means that we share in His inheritance, which we know is going to be fantastic. Because of this unique relationship with our Savior, every believer will enjoy an inheritance beyond his imagination. However, for those who reach spiritual maturity, the rewards will be based on sonship (function) not merely being a child of God (relationship).
Our inheritance is related to our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
In eternity past, when God was designing a plan for your life, He included as part of His plan an inheritance. God was thinking of you in eternity past and predesigned a magnificent plan for your life on earth. The Holy Spirit reveals the plan of God to us so that we can glorify Christ while here on earth and enjoy an inheritance God has prepared for us for all eternity. (Ephesians 1:11)
As believers in Jesus Christ, we identify with the suffering of Christ on the Cross. The sufferings of Christ on the Cross were absolutely unique. Paul was not saying that believers will suffer in the same manner as Christ. He was saying that believers identify with Christ’s suffering by believing in Christ for eternal salvation.
The Greek word for glorified is “sundoxazo,” which means to be glorified with someone or to share in someone else’s glory. The fact that Christ is glorified means that any member of the Royal Family of God can share in His glory by passing the various tests of undeserved suffering.
Our inheritance is related to suffering. I Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.”
The Greek word for surprised is “xenizo,” meaning to think something is strange. A believer with accurate Bible doctrine in their soul should never experience shock or amazement when suffering comes their way. The Greek word for fiery is “purosis” meaning to set on fire or to burn up. It refers to intense pressure.
Which comes upon you for your testing means “face to face with testing, coming to you for your benefit.” Testing is the Greek word “peirasmos,” which has the connotation of testing to determine something. When God allows testing to come into your life as an advancing believer it is for testing, not divine discipline. This, of course means you are keeping short accounts with regard to your personal sins and staying in fellowship with God a maximum amount of time. This type of testing is beneficial to you if you pass the test by using the Bible doctrine in your soul. This is where God always turns suffering into blessing. (I Corinthians 10:13)
Something strange is the Greek word “xenos” meaning something foreign or alien. The “strange thing” here indicates that suffering is not normal to our way of thinking and our way of life, and therefore adds pressure. Happening is the Greek word “sumbaino,” which means to come together. In other words, things in your life have come together at some point to cause you suffering and bring pressure into your life.
But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. The Greek word for degree is “koinoneo” and it means to have in common, to be a sharer, or to be a partner. It means we have suffering in common with Jesus Christ. Certainly, we will not suffer to the same degree that Christ suffered. But we will have, as Christ did, undeserved suffering in life.
God wants to demonstrate that His provision of grace is so fantastic that you can share His happiness in time of suffering, in time of disaster, or in the worst possible circumstances of life. This is brought out now by the command to you may also rejoice and be overjoyed, which is the opposite of being surprised when suffering comes your way. Being able to rejoice in time of adversity is a sure sign that you have advanced in your spiritual life. Christ’s glory is actually revealed in the life of a believer as they follow the pattern of Divine Viewpoint Thinking resulting in a relaxed mental attitude toward undeserved suffering. (Philippians 4:4)
The Greek word for overjoyed is “agalliao,” which means to celebrate. If you share God’s happiness during times of disaster by applying Bible doctrine, then it is a source of celebration. Inner happiness based on Bible doctrine sustains us in any pressure or disaster as we concentrate on our eternal inheritance, which is the excellence of heirship.