OUR INHERITANCE
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” I Peter 1:3, 4
How great God is, and how incredibly good He has been to us! By His “abundant mercy,” He has “begotten us again,” birthing us into His forever family. We were all guilty sinners and undeserving of His forgiveness and redemption; but thank God, He was merciful to us. Now we are saved, made new creatures in Christ, and translated into His heavenly kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ. No one has the right to claim Heaven as his home or God as his Father unless he has been spiritually born again. We are a people most blessed and filled with hope because of “the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The power of His resurrection has given us “a lively hope.” The resurrection is the reason for our hope.
The resurrection of our Savior confirms His identity as the eternal Son of God. It gives us assurance that everything He ever said was true. It stands as our confident reminder that because He lives, we shall live also. Peter and the disciples knew first-hand about the loss of hope, having walked through the dark and trying days and despair of the cross, along with the bewilderment that followed. But, hope was forever revived in their hearts when the resurrected Lord appeared in their presence.
Hope lives in our hearts because He lives. Our future is secure, bright, and eternal. To those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, there is promised “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” A reservation is made in Heaven for us. Our text begins with the words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our hearts erupt with praise for Him when we consider His abundant goodness in our lives.
Where would we be without Him? We would be lost, separated from God, strangers to His goodness, and doomed to an eternity of deserved wrath in the fires of hell. Instead, we are on our way to Heaven. Gratitude and praise should flow from our lips for the great mercy we have been shown, the forgiveness we have been given, and the future we have been promised.