An Eternal Inheritance Reserved In Heaven Part 3 "INHERITANCE OF SALVATION"

A promise that cannot rot, cannot stain, and cannot fade is hard to imagine in a world where everything breaks down eventually. We open 1 Peter 1 and slow down over verses 4 and 5, where God sets an eternal inheritance before His people and ties it to a living hope secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter first writes these words to believers who are scattered, suffering, and pushed aside for their faith, and we lean into why that same Scripture still steadies hearts under pressure today. 

We talk about salvation with clarity: it is more than forgiveness and far more than “fire insurance.” The new birth brings us into a real relationship with Christ, and the future portion of salvation includes an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading. To help us see how concrete that hope is, we draw from Revelation 21 and 22 with its picture of the New Jerusalem, the glory of God, the Lamb as the light, the river of life, the tree of life, and the promise of no more curse, tears, death, or pain. These are not poetic extras; they are anchors for suffering Christians. 

Then we press into one of the strongest comfort lines in the passage: we are “kept by the power of God through faith.” Using John 10, we connect assurance of salvation to God’s guarding hand, not our ability to earn or maintain our standing by works. If you’re weary, doubting, or walking through trials, let this Word lift your eyes. Listen, share with someone who needs hope, and if the message helps you, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find it.

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
If you haven't received Jesus Christ by Faith, as your personal Lord and Savior; I strongly encourage you to do so before it is eternally too late!!!

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Email: jeffthomas4Christ@yahoo.com
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Transcript

Welcome And Series Context

Salvation Is More Than Escape

Reading 1 Peter One

The Inheritance That Cannot Decay

Heaven’s Picture From Revelation

Kept By God’s Power Through Faith

A Clear Call To Come

Contact For Prayer And Next Topic

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Hello and welcome back to this another edition of Words from the Word of God. Thank you all so much for joining us as we continue in our series. It's been some time since we joined together to search this out again, but we have begun a series entitled Receiving So Great a Salvation. And that comes to us from 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1. And we're working our way through currently through the first 12 verses only. And the Lord leads. We may go further than that, but right now we're working through the first 12 verses. As we continue in this sacred portion of Scripture, the Lord lifts our eyes once again to the greatness of his salvation in Christ Jesus. These words that Peter have written for us here were first written to, as we just look at the context a little bit. They were written to scattered and suffering and persecuted, troubled believers, men and women who had been pushed aside, who had been ostracized. We must understand that their faith caused them not to be able to be employed and not to be able to get a job in their society. Also, that many times they couldn't have any contact with their family because they were ostracized from their own family because of their faith in Christ. And these are the believers that Peter's writing to. And what he's saying here is they, as though they're pushed aside and misunderstood and pressured for their faith, it is to steady their hearts. The Holy Spirit is is writing to them through Peter's quill to steady their hearts and sustain their faith through these truths that we are reading today. But not only did he speak to those believers then, but he speaks to us over 2,000 years later today with the same power. The Lord has already revealed the mercy that brought us into the new birth, where it says there he hath begotten us again into a lively hope, a living hope. And he goes on to say by it's by the abundance of his mercy, but he secured a living hope, which is secured, and he lets us know there in the end of verse 3 is secured this living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And as before we move further, the Lord gently reminds us what this means and why it matters. To be saved, and I hope we understand this as born-again believers, and I pray that you are truly a born-again believer. If not, I believe if you have yet to give your heart and life to Christ, I pray that something will be said today and something will be read from the Word of God that will truly ignite the Holy Spirit, convicting power in your heart, that you would come to know Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior before it's eternally too late. I do believe that the return of Christ is uh not far away for his bride, his body, the church, the true church, uh, which is he is the head cornerstone. And I do believe his return is soon to take us home to be with him. And the tribulation period, of course, will start thereafter. But what we must understand, this is what I want you to understand. If you you are saved, if you become saved today, it's more than just to be forgiven, it's more than just to have fire insurance, but not to go to hell, because that's your destination, condemnation and damnation eternally. Uh in hell, if you die right now, you go to the uh Hades part of uh Sheol, which is the hell itself. And that's where, if you remember in Luke, Jesus taught of the rich man and Lazarus. When both died, Lazarus was carried into Abraham's bosom by angels, and the rich man in hell lifted up his head and looked up, and he talked about the torment that he was in. So that's the temporary dwelling place. But then eventually, after the tribulation period, after the uh uh everything is said and done, you will be standing before the great white throne judgment where you will be judged by the works that you have done. Every one that you've ever done that's not covered by the blood of Christ, and the absence of your name written in the Lamb's book of life will be seal your fate eternally into the eternal lake of fire that burneth with fire and brimstone that never is quenched. And that's what awaits you. But salvation is not merely to have fire insurance, and that's what I meant by that. It is to be brought into a relationship in Christ, united with him in his death and resurrection, and made alive by his spirit, born again, born from above, born of the spirit. Jesus said, Lest a man be born again, he cannot see or enter into the kingdom of heaven. And not only that, but we're placed into a hope, a hope that is living, not a hope like an earthly hope, that we hope really, really, really believe that something's gonna happen that we hope it happens. No, the hope that we receive in Christ is to know, to know everything that God has promised in his word will, has, and always will come to pass, and his word will never fade. His word is eternal. This living hope is not a wish, it is not an uncertainty, it's not a fragile expectation, it is the sure and settled confidence that everything God has promised is already secured in his son. Because our hope is living because Christ is living. Our hope is certain because Christ is certain. Our hope is eternal because Christ is the eternal Son of God, and everything in Him is eternal. And now the Lord draws our attention to the eternal blessing prepared for his people today in verses four and five of this great scripture. The blessings that are not earthly, not temporary, not fragile, but eternal, heavenly, and secure by the very power of God, as we'll find out today. These blessings belong to us because we are in Christ. It is nothing based upon our merit, and praise God for that, because if you're like me, you fail him every day. Therefore, it's not on our merit, because our merit falls grossly short of the glory of God. Paul says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And that that tense used there in that scripture, Romans 3.23, it's basically that it carries out the present tense, which means we are continually coming short of the glory of God. John would tell us in his first epistle that if we say we have no sin, our sin nature, we deceive ourselves and his truth is not in us. But if we do sin, he is just and faithful, forgive us our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. But he also goes on to say, uh, and there in verse 10 of chapter 1 of 1 John, if we say we have no sin, uh his word is not in us, and we make God a liar. So we must understand that it is not by our merit, it's not for any cause of us, it is that we are in Christ and Christ alone. Every spiritual blessing the Father gives, he gives through his Son. The Lord speaks through his word today in verses 4 and 5. If you will, go ahead and let's read the first 12 verses. I want to read these each time. We go into a segment of this series, that way we found the authority of God's word upon everything that said. If you will join with me if you've already turned there, uh to 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 1. He says, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. 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. These are the scriptures, next two scriptures that we'll be covering today, versus four and five, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, praised God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye're in the heaven is through manifold temptations. That word temptations there at the end of verse six is defined here in the first part, the first few words of verse seven, that the trial of your faith, that's what temptations are as the believer. Yes, we have temptations from the enemy to sin, but when it speaks of the temptations that we go through as we walk for Christ and walk for God in this life, that talks about our trials and our tribulations of our faith. But he says right here that the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise, honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen ye love, and whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister these things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into, and may the Lord bless the reading of his word to our hearts today. The Lord speaks through his word here in verses four and five. Let's read those verses again to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Praise God. What the Lord speaks through verses four and five. He's revealing the future portion of salvation, the inheritance of salvation. He's taken us through the setting of salvation, the source of salvation in the first three verses. Now he brings us into the fullness or the inheritance of salvation prepared for all who are in Christ. That is very significant and very important to understand. These blessings that we will talk about today are not, cannot be purchased, they cannot be earned. They must come through salvation, through faith and repentance in Christ and Christ alone. And we must remember that these words were first written to the scattered and suffering, troubled believers, men and women who had been persecuted, greatly persecuted for their faith. And you may be going through some trial and tribulation. If you're like me, you go through it every day. And many times you just want to throw your hands up, but that's what these scriptures are for, just like all the word of God, to steady our hearts in the midst of the storm. Like Jesus walking in the midst of the storm on the water. He said, Peace be still, and it was calm. He just like Jesus calmed that storm, he calms the storms of our life. The Spirit gave these truths, and for that very purpose to steady their hearts and to steady our hearts in our faith in the midst of anything, any circumstance, trial, or tribulation that we face now and then, back then and now over 2,000 years ago. That's why God said His Word is eternal, because it's ever relevant to no matter what generation, no matter how old you are in life, it always applies to the smallest child born just seconds ago, to the uh the man or woman that is passing away and taking their last breath now. The word of God will apply and it goes on throughout eternity. His word is eternal. Jesus said the heavens and earth will pass away, but my word shall not pass away. But let's look at these verses to an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and it fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last day. The Lord sets before us the word inheritance. This is not an earthly possession. It is not temporary, it is not a temporary blessing, it's not something that can be touched by time or diminished or anything of decay. He reveals that this inheritance is the portion he has prepared for all who are in Christ Jesus. You know how that's you hear how that phrase keeps coming up. In Christ, in Christ Jesus, in Jesus. It is the fullness of salvation, is what we're looking at today. This is when we are standing in glory. This what's awaited, this is what awaits us in glory. This is the final revelation of our faith, the final receipt of what our faith will bring us into. The glory of the age to come, the presence of Christ, and the everlasting joy of being with Him in glory. Praise God. The Lord declares that this inheritance is incorruptible. That means nothing can weaken it, nothing can erode it. Time, uh, weather, no matter what it may be, because the conditions there will be perfect, and we must understand, and we'll probably repeat this several times, there there will be no curse. There will be no curse upon sin. Sin will not be present. Right now we're saved from the power of sin, but we still have the presence of sin. When we are home in glory, praise God, we'll be out of the presence of sin will not be with us any longer. We will be holy and sanctified completely in his presence. John says, We know not yet what we are, but when we see him, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that haveth this hope purifies himself as he is pure, meaning that we sanctify ourselves by living in obedience to the word of God. We live unto the obedience of what we're told and instructed in the word, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul. And the second commandment is like unto the first, to love thy neighbor as thyself. Upon these two hang all the law and prophets. So where is your love? Where is your unity in the body today? Are you living in the obedience of those commands? Are you living, because John would tell us, uh, we obey his commandments because his commandments are not grievous, because if we love not our brother who we can see, it's that John asked us. He said, if you don't love your brother who you can see, how do you love God whom you have not seen? So it's very important that we live in obedience, not just claim the name of Christ and live like we want to in sin and everything else. If you walk like the world, talk like the world, look like the world, more than likely you're in the world. If the world loves you, you might ought to check up because, hey, they don't love someone that's a stranger walking through their strange land. They they love the person that fits in with them. But when you go to talking about salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, let me tell you something, brothers and sisters. The hatred will come, the persecution will come. But we must understand that this inheritance is held, it's incorruptible, it is undefiled. And we'll get into that in a minute because it's held by the hands of the eternal God and secured by the work of Christ. Undefiled. He reveals this word undefiled to us. That means there's no impurity that can touch it, nothing of the curse, no sin stains it, no corruption enters it. It remains it in the purity of God's holiness, prepared for a redeemed people washed in the blood of Christ and made new by His Spirit. The Lord lifts our eyes to see that it fadeth not away. Earthly beauty fades. We can all attest to everything that we hope for in this life. Our homes, our cars, if they're not maintained, nature will overtake them and they will decay, rust and corrosion. The life of a car dies, the life in batteries die. We say, oh, we want the next best thing, the next best technology, but then that technology fades and another one comes on the scene. It's always moving and failing. But we'll praise God what He has for us or waiting for us in glory. And we'll look at that in a minute in Revelation 21 and 22. It will not save. God gives, what God gives remains in everlasting brightness, because God and the Father and Christ Himself, the Lamb of God, are its light and its glory. The Holy Spirit gently gives us this vision as John received it in the book of Revelation as he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos. If you turn over there and we don't have time to read it today, but Revelation 21 and 22 tells us that that new Jerusalem, the heavenly city that comes down out of heaven. And John is taken into an exceeding high mountain where he is able to see the outside. Then he takes us into a description of the outside, and then he takes us into the inner walls of the city and tells us what it's all about there. He said, It's like this, it's like that. Gold, streaks of gold of clear that's clear as glass, uh, you know, the the stone. Stones that line the foundations there, that the names of the apostles are in the twelve, the twelve names are in the foundation there, and that there's three uh gates of pearl. Each gate is a pearl, uh, that the walls are fifteen hundred miles long, fifteen hundred miles wide, and fifteen hundred miles tall. It's a cube, but he describes the glory of it. He tells us there what incorruptible and undefiled and fate and unfading means, what that truly means. Brothers and sisters, when we get home, we'll understand finally what our eyes and our ears were made for, and what our mouth was made for, what our voice was made for as we praise the God and Father and the Lamb forever and ever. But the word here in Revelation 21, I'm gonna give you a list of some things that reveals to us there in that beautiful place and this beautiful inheritance that awaits us. The Lamb of God is the light thereof and the Father. The glory of God fills the city. The Lamb and the God, the Father, are the temple thereof. Not only that, but the throne of God and the Lamb are there. The river of life flows clear and crystal from the throne. The tree of life is on either side, bearing fruit without ceasing. There is no more curse, there is no more night, there is no more death. He wipes away all tears from our eyes. And I love the end of that verse 21-4, Revelation 21-4. It says, No more pain. Trust me, brothers and sisters, when you suffer with debilitating migraine pains like I do every second of every day, you praise the Lord for the day that you can honestly confess and praise. There is no more pain, no more trials, no more tribulations. Whatever we experience here is not worthy to be compared with what awaits us there. This is this is the inheritance that he speaks of. The new heaven, the new earth, the home of the righteousness, the place Christ has prepared for his people. He said in John chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am they may be also. He's testifying not only of our heavenly home that he's prepared, but he's coming back. He's coming back to receive us, to rapture us out of here. That's one of the promises of the pre-tribulation rapture. The Lord declares that this inheritance is reserved in heaven for you. It is kept under his watchful care. It is held where Christ is. It is secured in the presence of God, and it is reserved for all who belong to who? Jesus Christ. Not because, again, not because of our merit, not because of our works, but because the Father has given all things into the hands of his son, and all who are in Christ shall in what shall share in what he has secured for us. You don't have to turn there, but I'm gonna look, I'm gonna give you a scripture here that's blessed to my heart. The Lord uh not only preserves this inheritance, he preserves the heirs. He declares there in verse five. Let's read it together so we get the significance of these. He says, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and it fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by who? Who are kept? The strangers traveling through, the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, and the obedience unto the obedience and sprinkle of the blood of Christ, the ones who grace had been given to, and that they experienced that eternal peace. And who have blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because of his abundant mercy, he's begotten us again at the ones who have a living hope unto a living hope, because our living hope is connected to this inheritance, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, fadeth not away, the reserved inheritance for you who are kept by the power of God, who we are, those that are in Christ, through faith unto salvation. Wait a minute. Does that say through works? Does that say through that we can pay our way to it? Does that that say we need to work and work and work to make it so? No, it says through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Folks, this inheritance he preserves for the heirs, the inheritance for the heirs. He declares that his people are kept by his power, the same power that raised up Christ from the dead, the same power that sustains the universe, the same power that brought us into the new birth is the power that keeps us, guards us. That word there is guarded. We are guarded. We are kept, we are we're we're looked over. Jesus said in John chapter 10, I want to read a couple of verses here, and I know I'm going a little bit long, but bear with me. The Lord's blessing today. Jesus said in John chapter 10, uh, verse 27 through 29, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. Praise God. We are kept, we are guarded, we are held to by God's mighty hand in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Lord brings us into a fuller picture of this born-again believers. You know, the Lord declares that He this keeping is unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last day. That means salvation has has a beginning when we first believe, a continuation as we're continually sanctified and trying to become and striving to become formed into the image of Christ Jesus our Lord. It has a continuation. And then, praise God, what we have here before us today, it has a completion. It said, in this salvation, it's ready to be revealed at the last time. When Christ appears, we will appear with him in glory, and we, oh, praise God, will be him for be with him through all eternity. The Lord has begun the work in us at salvation. The Lord sustains us by his Holy Spirit as we live for him, and the Lord will complete the work in us when Christ appears in glory. Here the Lord brings us gently into his word. Listen, Colossians 3 tells us that our affections are to be set on the things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God because our life is hidden with Christ in God. Ephesians chapter 1 tells us we are already blessed, he's already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and that the Spirit, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, and that he is the earnest, the down payment of our inheritance. Romans chapter 8 tells us he who spared not his own son will freely give us all things, and that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed. The Lord reminds us again of this in Revelation 21 and 22 that our inheritance is not vague, it's not symbolic, it's not abstract, it's real, it's radiant, it's eternal and filled with the glory of God the Father and the Lamb forever, praise God. Christ is our security, Christ is our hope, Christ is our assurance, Christ is our future. The inheritance is ours today. If you're born again into the family of God. But my friend, if you're here in the sound of my voice and the Lord is speaking to you today, you have not received Christ as your Lord and Savior, and the Lord is speaking to your heart today, and you have yet to come to Him. He reveals that there is an inheritance prepared, a salvation ready to be revealed, and a future secured by God Himself. But this inheritance belongs only to those who are in Christ Jesus. Well, that's not fair. Well, let me give you another verse. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The exclusivity of salvation is through Christ alone. But the inclusive nature of salvation is to whosoever will. But you must, you must receive my son as Lord and Savior. I gave him that if you will believe in him, you shall not perish, you shall not be condemned, but you shall have everlasting life. The Lord tells us in one of my favorite verses, striah chapter 1, verse 18. He says, Come now. That is not a phrase of time. No, that's a phrase of appealing phrase. He said, in other words, it says, Come please, come please, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. My friend, today, don't worry about cleaning yourself up. Don't worry about making yourself better. All that happens after you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. The most important thing you can do today is receive Christ today as your Lord and Savior. He says, Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And also those who believe in him gives he the power, the authority to become the sons of God, the sons and daughters of the most high God, born again. Jesus said, Lest the man be born again, he cannot see, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Born from above. And he then Nicodemus will say, Well, how can these things be? Jesus will go on to tell him one of the most profound scriptures that we know, John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Friends, you can have an inheritance that's guaranteed by Christ, secured by the eternal purpose of God. He calls you to come today. Come in repentance. Come in faith. Come to Christ. That means coming in repentance means that you're turning from the world of sin that you're in. You're turning from wherever you're at. Don't worry. It's not about cleaning yourself up. It's just about confessing yourself as doing wrong before God. I am a sinner. Lord, I know I'm a sinner. I'm broken. I cannot come to you except I receive you, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart and let live in me. Come and let me be born again of your spirit, because I know you are the crucified, risen Son of God. And I ask you to be Lord and Savior and Redeemer of my life today. If you can do that today, and I can't pray you into heaven, and you have to do it from your heart, and you have to turn. You have to make a decision today to turn from what you're in, the world you're in, and that's repentance. And come to God by placing all of your trust, all the weight of your faith and trust upon Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead. His blood can cleanse all of your sin today. All you have to do is receive him. The door is open, the Savior is willing. The promise is sure to come to Christ today before it's eternally too late. Folks, the Lord has revealed something massive to us today, the eternal blessing prepared for his people. An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for all who will come to Christ, and it's kept by his power, and we are kept by his power. If you will only be saved today, sinner friend. Today is the day of salvation. You're not guaranteed another second. But with closing, I ask you if you will, just come to him today. If you need prayer, my number is 864-309-9087. You need somebody to pray for you. If you want to email me, it's Jeff Thomas for the number for Christ at Yahoo.com. Very easy to remember. And not only that, but you can uh text me on Facebook, uh, private message me as Jeff Thomas and also through our Facebook ministry, words from the Word of God, or you can leave a comment with your information in the comment section under this message, and I would be glad to talk with you, pray with you, lead you into some more scriptures, and we will pray together, and I pray that you'll be saved today before it's eternally too late. In our next message, I want you to join us as we continue in this passage. See how the Lord uses trials to refine our faith as believers and draw us nearer to Christ. Until then, may the Lord strengthen you, every believer, and save every lost soul. Thank you for joining us for this edition of Words from the Word of God. Look so forward to the next time that we can share a word from the Word of God. God bless you all.