Whatever we have done or whatever has happened to us, if we are in Christ then we have an amazing hope which gives us peace and joy. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:1-2)

When we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, then we escape death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23) At that time, we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph 1:13), and marked as belonging to the Lord. He has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

And He creates us to be new creatures, where our old sinful selves have passed away, and we become new by His powerful Word (2 Cor. 5:17). In our new selves, He has adopted us as heirs (Eph. 1:4-6). “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29). And we praise Him because He “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21).

And more than that, we are co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). What does that mean? We share in the inheritance with Jesus! Jesus Christ gives us His glory (John 17:22), His eternal riches (2 Cor 8:9), and all things (Heb. 1:2). We stand firmly in His promise because we know “that from the Lord [we] will receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col 3:24).

So practically in our daily lives how do we apply this great inheritance? We stand in His promise and realize that our focus must be on our eternal glory, and not on the things of this earth: “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:17-18)

We are to live in the hope He gives us out of the abundance of His grace, knowing He will provide all that we need! “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” (Matt. 25:34-36)

And our response to His amazing grace can only be: “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Col. 1:12).