Ephesians 1:14: God's Own Possession

Ephesians 1:14: " ... with a view to the redemption of [God’s own] possession, to the praise of His glory."

At some point in our lives I imagine we all have dreamed about finding out that we were the heir to some long lost rich relative's estate. We suddenly were wealthy, with money to burn, only to wake up to reality far too soon. If you're like me, the only inheritance you're going to get is some old furniture and some family keepsakes. But wouldn't it be great if ...

In his preamble to the epistle to the Ephesians -  that is what vs. 1-23 really are - Paul makes a point of saying, in Christ,  the Gentiles have an eternal inheritance among all the saints. And this inheritance is guaranteed by the indwelling Spirit of God.

But what exactly is this inheritance? At this point we have to deconstruct some of the misleading, emotional feelings we have about our salvation. I hope I don't burst your bubble, but turns out the reason God has saved you (if you are a true Christ-follower in whom the Spirit dwells) wasn't for you! God did not save you so you could feel good; He saved you, and me and everyone else who has called upon the Name of the Lord in saving faith, so He could look good! He saved us for Himself! I like to remember the most important facts about my salvation by making use of this little sentence:

"I am saved from the wrath of God, by the grace of God, for the glory of God."

The prepositions make all the difference, and they keep me focused on the real purpose for which Christ died, rose again, and captured my heart through the gospel. He did it all to assemble a people for His own possession who could be the means whereby His glory could resonate throughout all creation.  And once we understand this, we can understand what the "inheritance" is that has been reserved in heaven for us (see: 1 Peter 1:4). 

Too often we think of our "inheritance" as purely personal. "I get forgiveness. I get eternal life. I get blessing." Perhaps this is the natural conclusion that we come to if we make too much out of the common statement that we need to have a "personal" relationship with Christ. The problem is that we've made it completely personal, and in so doing, have corrupted the huge biblical theme that salvation is really about being joined to a community of redeemed folk who together make up the Body of Christ. 

The inheritance Paul talks about in Ephesians 1:14 is called "the redemption of God's own possession." If we took the time we would find that this "possession" is not a person, but a people. Peter says it quite clearly in 1 Peter 2:9, 10:   "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God’s] own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God ..."

Read that description again, and notice that the words are corporate  and not merely individual: "race ... priesthood ... nation ... people for God's own possession ... the people of God."  The privileges of salvation are not merely personal. They are personal, but only because we are part of a redeemed race, a nation, a people that God Himself possesses. 

The great inheritance we have is that, one day, we will be united with all those down through time who have been called into God's family. Our inheritance centers on the fact that we will finally be fully redeemed, a perfected new race of people, living in unobstructed fellowship with Almighty God, enjoying His perfect creation (New Earth), and in all of this, displaying the glorious power of His gracious activity in rescuing us from deserved judgement, through Christ. 

And here' something to think about: the church today is supposed to be a preview of that great fulfillment! We are to be the visible Body of Christ, the touchable, knowable, race of redeemed people that are God's own possession. In fact, we already have part of our inheritance - the downpayment! - in the Spirit who indwells us. Consequently, we should act like it. 

Understand that church isn't a service, it is a people. Attendance isn't for personal benefit first, but actually for the purpose of encouraging and serving others in the Body, and the world, of displaying the greatness of a God who would rescue those deserving judgement and make them His masterpiece. And when that comes first, the personal benefit will not be far behind.

We have our priorities mixed up. We come to church for us when we should come out of gratitude to be with that race of redeemed people God calls His own. We should see the gathered church as a rehearsal for heaven, the foretaste of what it will be like when sin is overcome, and we are together praising Him with one voice. If our inheritance is about our unity, and this brings glory to God, then we had better learn better how to do it, and do it right.

Hope this helps,

David