Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Matthew 25:34
“From the first, the inheritance promised by Yahweh to Abraham and his descendants was the land of Canaan. Israel’s possession of the land rested solely on the gift of Yahweh, and though only entered into with hard fighting, was not theirs by self-effort…The land was to be possessed forever, yet continued enjoyment and possession was conditional upon faithfulness to God…
In the NT…the inheritance is “in Christ”…Whereas the inheritance is His by right, in that He is the only begotten Son, it is possessed by the believer by grace, as he [or she] is adopted as a son [or a daughter] in Jesus Christ. The inheritance is the kingdom of God with all it’s blessings. While enjoyment of it begins in this life, insofar as the kingdom is already present, the full possession must be future.”
Walter Elwell in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker Reference Library; Grand Rapids, Baker, 2001) 607-608.
A friend of mine, John Stanley, author of Connected for Good, asked me to write on the biblical idea of inheritance for his website, Generosity Gameplan, so my meditations over the next few days reflects my research.
The world defines inheritance as “the money and possessions you leave to your children (and any grandchildren).” That is not surprising as the economy of this world presents money as the greatest thing anyone can possess, and thus, the best legacy anyone can leave.
Alternatively, the biblical account reports that God promises His people a place to enjoy a relationship to Him as an inheritance, also known as: land. Their failures are redeemed in Christ who brings everything together that is broken in God’s economy.
It’s fitting then, that Elwell would define “inheritance” from a biblical perspective, as life in the Kingdom with all its blessings, grasped only in Christ. Our enjoyment of it is partial at present and will fully be enjoyed in eternity.
Consequently, if you want to give a lasting and generous inheritance to your children and your grandchildren that is filled with blessings now and abundance in eternity, don’t give them money, give them Christ!