Transformed in Christ: Assurance of the Believer's Heritage (Ephesians - Part 9)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a joy to write to you once more as we delve into the rich truths of God's Word, through Pastor Sam Merigala's sermon on "The Believer's Heritage". Let us open our hearts to understand the profound spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus, as revealed in Ephesians 1:11-14 and echoed throughout the Scriptures.

The Glorious Inheritance of the Believer

Pastor Sam begins by drawing our attention to the magnificent concept of the believer's "inheritance" or "heritage". This is not merely a future hope, but a present reality that is sure to unfold. The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaks of this heritage "in Christ". Indeed, apart from our Lord Jesus, our future holds no true hope, but rather a tragic end.

It is truly remarkable to consider that the Greek word used for "we have received an inheritance" is a single compound word, pointing to the certainty of this divine promise. This phrase can be understood in two glorious ways, both of which are central to our faith:

1. We are God's Possession: This understanding resonates deeply with the Old Testament, where God repeatedly claimed Israel as His own. For example, in Deuteronomy 32:8-9, we read that while nations were assigned to others, the Lord retained Israel as "his personal possession," Jacob as "his allotted heritage". Deuteronomy 4:20 similarly declares Israel as "a people of his own inheritance," and Psalm 135:4 affirms, "For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession". This truth continues into the New Covenant, where men and women in Christ are now God’s chosen people, claimed by Him as His inheritance.
2. We have Received an Inheritance: This perspective speaks of an "inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you," as Peter so beautifully describes it in 1 Peter 1:3-4. It is a living hope to which we are born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Sam emphasizes that both understandings are "great options!" We are both God's possession, and through Christ, we have received a glorious inheritance.

A Heritage for All: Jew and Gentile United in Christ

A pivotal truth woven throughout Pastor Sam’s exposition of Ephesians is the grand reconciliation and unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul's brilliant structuring of Ephesians 1:11-14 makes this plain: he first refers to "we" (himself and his Jewish brethren who first hoped in Christ), then to "you also" (his Gentile readers who believed), and finally to "our inheritance" (in which both groups equally share). This movement from "we" to "you also" to "our" powerfully anticipates Paul's theme of the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles, which he will elaborate on in chapter 2 of Ephesians.

The repeated phrase "in him" (verses 11, 13) underscores that Christ Himself is the great Reconciler. It is through our union with Christ, affected by His death on the cross, that the people of God become one. What was once applied exclusively to the nation of Israel – being God's "klēros" or "possession" – is now reapplied to an international people, whose common factor is their being "in Christ". This means that within the new community of the redeemed, there are no first- or second-class citizens! Gentile believers are fully incorporated into God's one people, sharing in God's heritage as completely as those of Jewish birth who first hoped in Christ.

Pastor Sam unfolds three glorious truths concerning God’s people, explaining how we became His and why He made us His:

a. God's People are God's Possession 

As we touched upon, Christ who is at the very center of God’s plan is also the One in whom we were claimed by God as His portion. Israel was God's "klēros," His heritage, a truth repeated often in the Old Testament. Now, through Christ, we – both Jews and Gentiles – are God’s chosen people, claimed by Him as His inheritance. Paul’s use of the verb klēroō indicates his conviction that all who are in Christ are now God’s heritage, just as Israel once was exclusively. We are God's "saints" (verse 1), His "heritage" (verse 12), and His "possession" (verse 14). The full and final redemption of believers signifies God taking full and complete possession of those who are already His, His prized possession.

b. God's People Depend on God's Will 

How, then, did we come to possess such a status and such a future? From a divine perspective, it is all "according to God’s sovereign purposes". Paul states that we are "predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will" (v. 11). This is a profound mystery of God's sovereign will!

Yet, from a human perspective, our responsibility is clear: "we have believed". Paul speaks of "We who had already put our hope in the Messiah" (v. 12) and "When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him" (v. 13). Here we encounter the beautiful mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility intertwined. The doctrine of election, though mysterious, does not render evangelism or faith unnecessary; rather it is the opposite! It is precisely because of God’s gracious will to save that evangelism holds any hope of success, and faith becomes possible. The preaching of the gospel is God’s appointed means to deliver those He chose in Christ before the foundation of the world, setting them free to believe in Jesus and so accomplishing His will. Our salvation begins with hearing the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, then believing in Christ.

c. God's People Live for God's Glory 

Having considered how we became God's people (according to His will), we now turn to why He made us His people: for His glory. Paul reiterates this purpose three times in Ephesians 1: God destined us to be His children "to the praise of his glorious grace" (vv. 5–6); He made us His heritage "to live for the praise of his glory" (v. 12); and He will finally redeem His people, His possession, "to the praise of his glory" (v. 14).

The "glory of God" is nothing less than the revelation of God Himself, and the "glory of his grace" is His self-disclosure as a gracious God. To live to the praise of the glory of His grace means both to worship Him ourselves through our words and deeds as the gracious God He is, and to cause others to see and praise Him too. This was God’s purpose for Israel, and it remains His purpose for His people today. Our very being and everything we possess in Christ both originate from God and ultimately return to God. It begins in His will and ends in His glory.

This divine purpose stands in stark contrast to the man-centeredness of our fallen world, where the human ego often seeks its own glory. But for the people of God, our hearts are being turned inside out; we embrace new values and ideals, living by God's will and for God's glory.

Central to the believer's heritage and assurance is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Sam highlights three crucial designations for the Holy Spirit in verses 13 and 14: He is a ‘promise,’ a ‘seal,’ and a ‘guarantee’.

a. The Promised Holy Spirit 

Firstly, the Holy Spirit is literally "the Spirit of the promise". God promised His Spirit through the Old Testament prophets, such as in Ezekiel 36:27 ("I will put my Spirit within you") and Joel 2:28 ("I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh"). Jesus Himself also promised to send the Helper, the Spirit, assuring His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans (John 14:18, 16:7). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33) and continues to be given to everyone who repents and believes today. Coming to Jesus for salvation is a coming to this truth and receiving this promised Spirit.

b. The Sealing of the Spirit 

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is God's "seal". A seal serves as a mark of ownership and authenticity. While ancient seals were often external, God places His Spirit within His people, marking them as His own, dwelling in them. Paul prays for believers to be "strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit" (Ephesians 3:16). The indwelling Spirit is proof of our belonging to Christ (Romans 8:9) and testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16). This sealing is a divine act that secures us until "the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30), assuring us that God will keep us.

c. The Guarantee of the Spirit 

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit is God’s "guarantee" or "pledge". The Greek word arrabōn, originally a Hebrew term, signifies a "first instalment, deposit, down payment, pledge, that pays a part of the purchase price in advance, and so secures a legal claim to the article in question". Unlike an engagement ring which promises marriage but isn't part of it, this guarantee is like a down payment on a house – it’s not just a promise, but the first portion of the future possession.

So it is with the Holy Spirit: in giving Him to us, God is not merely promising our final inheritance, but actually giving us a foretaste of it, though it is "only a small fraction of the future endowment". He brings the future into our present experience, allowing us to taste what awaits us. Because of the Spirit’s ministry in our hearts and lives, we can begin to enjoy this everlasting possession now. The Spirit received is the first installment and guarantee of the inheritance in the age to come that awaits God's sons and daughters. This guarantee points to our full and final redemption when God takes complete possession of His prized people.

In conclusion, Pastor Sam beautifully summarizes the work of the Triune God in our salvation and heritage: God the Father has chosen us, God the Son has redeemed us, and God the Spirit has assured us. This glorious truth should move us to nothing less than worship and praise! We were made for praise, and our hearts will only find true satisfaction when we begin praising this God.

The praise of God’s glory is the ultimate aim of the whole unfolding of salvation, for both Jewish believers (who first hoped in Christ) and Gentile believers (who were sealed with the Holy Spirit). Let us therefore join Paul in worship and declare God’s praises to all the nations, for Jesus is to be praised not only for what He has already done, but also for the prospect of His completing redemption and taking full possession of His people. Amen!