|
Open A
Print Ready Copy
A New Ancestor and Heritage In
Christ
by Lani W. Finley
Erwin W. Lutzer sums up our new heritage in Christ in the
following statement,
But
because of Christ's death, believers are transferred
from being "in Adam" to being "in Christ". God breaks
your past ties and Christ becomes your new ancestor.
That's why Paul refers more than 100 times to believers
as being "in Christ". It is the basis for a whole new
life. ...God identifies all believers with Christ, not
in some mystical or theoretical way, but by changing our
legal relationships. 1 (Emphasis Mine).
The New Testament is in fact, the
Last Will and Testament
of Jesus Christ. It is not just a collection of stories
about church history. It is a binding legal document,
which grants to the
Believer all of God's promises that He has made in His
written Word. The New Testament is the most
powerful Legal Document that has ever
been created. It was authored by Spirit of Jesus Christ
and written in His blood. It grants to His heirs, all the
rights, privileges and possessions that are now enjoyed by
God and Christ.The New
Testament is also our Legal Adoption
Papers. "For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom 8:14). We
are now legally the Children of Our Heavenly Father. A
true follower of Christ is no longer the legal child of
Adam and is no longer subject to the eternal penalty that
was passed on to all generations. Christ now lives in us
and has become our New Landlord.
Our old landlord, Satan the Devil, has no legal claim to
us, or our bodies. We are now free to serve God. Christ
has reinstated our family relationship with our Heavenly
Father and we are now entitled to all the gifts,
privileges and Kingdom rights of our new spiritual family.
Webster's Dictionary
defines heritage as: "something transmitted by or acquired
from a predecessor and property that descends to an heir."
Let us look at the contrast between our heritage in Adam
and our new heritage in Christ. |
Inherited From Adam
...............Inherited From Christ
- Mortal death
.........................The Resurrection
- Eternal death
.........................Eternal life
- Sin and guilt
..........................Grace and forgiveness
- Separation from God
.............Reconciliation to God
- Unrighteousness The
.............The "Righteousness of Jesus"
- Condemnation
.......................Justification
- Cruelty and ruthlessness
.........Mercy and compassion
- Sickness and disease
..............Healing and health
- Fear, despair and sorrow
........Faith, hope and joy
- Hate and destruction
..............Love and peace
- Born corruptible
....................Born Children of God
|
| This
list just begins to establish what a wonderful legacy that
we have in Jesus. Our future does not lie in the bleak
inheritance we received in Adam. We are no longer associated
with earthly things. God's Word tells us that our
citizenship is now in heaven. "For our citizenship is in
heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil 3:20 NAU). The true Believer's ties
with Adam have been severed and he is now, in Christ.
The apostle Paul
confirms our better
heritage in Christ. "But now He has obtained a more
excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of
a better covenant, which has been enacted on
better promises" (Heb 8:6 NAS). God
has guaranteed our rights of son ship in the pages of His
Holy Word. He recorded it in writing and signed it with the
blood of His Son. This is our
better heritage in Jesus.
Back to beginning of booklet |
|
|
