Philemon 1 New International Version -
UK (NIVUK)
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our
brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow
worker – 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow
soldier – and to the church that meets in your home:
3 Grace and peace to you[a] from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and
prayer
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my
prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy
people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in
the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing
we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement,
because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Paul’s plea for
Onesimus
8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and
order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the
basis of love. It is as none other than Paul – an old man and now also a
prisoner of Christ Jesus – 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,[b] who
became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now
he has become useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him – who is my very heart –
back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he
could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything
without your consent, so that any favour you do would not seem forced but would
be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a
little while was that you might have him back for ever – 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a
slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as
a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you
would welcome me.18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything,
charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will
pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have
some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to
you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22 And one thing more: prepare a guest room for me,
because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ
Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my
fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit.
Growing old for good, from Elim Missions
Philemon
So this incredible moving letter from Paul to
Philemon calling for him to receive Onesimus not as a slave (he had left
Philemon as such) but as a Christian brother also contains an interesting
admission.
"I'm an old man" v9
Of course we all grow old. But we should do all we
can to grow old for good.
Paul could say I'm old but:
I am someone who prays for others, v4
I have a positive outlook on life, v7
I am careful not to offend, v8
I approach in love, v9
I know hardship, v9
I am a father to the younger generation, v10
I believe in turning things round for the better,
v11
I try and see the bigger picture, v15
I am willing to pay whatever it costs for the good,
v18
I believe in grace, v25
Ten things that every old person could do well
pursuing. Ten things that I will pursue whilst I wait to be old!
Matthew
Henry's Commentary
Verses
1-7
I. In the Phlm. 1:1, 2 of the preface we have the
persons from and to whom it is written, with some annexed note or title,
implying somewhat of argument to the purpose of the letter.
The persons writing: Paul, the principal, who calls
himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ, that is, for Jesus Christ. To be a prisoner
simply is no comfort nor honour; but such as Paul was, for the faith and
preaching of the gospel, this was true glory, and proper to move Phlm. upon the
request made to him by such a one. A petition from one suffering for Christ and
his gospel would surely be tenderly regarded by a believer and minister of
Christ, especially when strengthened too with the concurrence of Timothy, one
eminent in the church, sometimes called by Paul his son in the faith, but now,
it is likely, grown more in years, he styles him his brother. What could be
denied to two such petitioners? Paul is not slight in serving a poor convert;
he gets all the additional help he can in it.
1. Here is the object of Paul’s praises and prayers
for Philemon: I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers, Phlm. 1:4.
Observe, (1.) God is the author of all the good that is in any, or that is done
by them. From me is thy fruit found, Hos. 14:8. To him therefore is all the praise
due. 1 Chron. 29:13, 14, But [or for] who am I, and what is my people, that we
should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of
thee, both wherewith to offer, and the will and heart to do it. On this account
(says he) we thank thee our God, and praise thy glorious name. (2.) It is the
privilege of good men that their praises and prayers they come to God as their
God: Our God, we thank thee, said David; and I thank my God, said Paul. (3.)
Our prayers and praises should be offered up to God, not for ourselves only,
but for others also. Private addresses should not be altogether with a private
spirit, minding our own things only, but others must be remembered by us. We
must be affected with joy and thankfulness for any good in them, or done by
them, or bestowed on them, as far as is known to us, and seek for them what
they need. In this lies no little part of the communion of saints. Paul, in his
private thanksgivings and prayers, was often particular in remembering his
friends: I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers; sometimes it may
be by name, or at least having them particularly in his thoughts; and God knows
who is meant, though not named. This is a means of exercising love, and
obtaining good for others. Strive with me, by your prayers to God for me, said
the apostle: and what he desired for himself he surely practised on behalf of
others; so should all. Pray one for another, says James, Jas. 5:16.
2. Here is the circumstance: Always making mention
of thee. Always—usually, not once or twice only, but frequently. So must we
remember Christian friends much and often, as their case may need, bearing them
in our thoughts and upon our hearts before our God.
3. Here is the matter both of his praises and
prayers, in reference to Philemon.
(1.) Of his praises. [1.] He thanks God for the
love which he heard Phlm. had towards the Lord Jesus. He is to be loved as God
superlatively, as his divine perfections require; and as related to us, the
Lord, and our Lord, our Maker, Redeemer, and Saviour, who loved us, and gave
himself for us. Paul thanks God for what he heard of this, the signal marks and
expressions of it in Philemon. [2.] For his faith in Christ also. Love to
Christ, and faith in him, are prime Christian graces, for which there is great
ground of praise to God, where he has blessed any with them, as Rom. 1:8; I
thank my God because your faith is published throughout the world; and, in
reference to the Colossians (Col. 1:3, 4), We give thanks to God since we heard
of your faith in Christ Jesus. This is a saving grace, and the very principle
of Christian life and of all good works. [3.] He praises God likewise for
Philemon’s love to all the saints. These two must go together; for he who
loveth him that begat must and will love those also that are begotten of him.
The apostle joins them in that (Col. 1:3, 4), We give thanks to God since we
heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the
saints. These bear the image of Christ, which will be loved by every Christian.
Different sentiments and ways in what is not essential will not make a
difference of affection as to the truth, though difference in the degrees of
love will be according as more or less of that image is discerned. Mere external
differences are nothing here. Paul calls a poor converted slave his bowels. We
must love, as God does, all saints. Paul thanked God for the good that was not
only in the churches, but in the particular persons he wrote to, and though
this too was known to him merely by report: Hearing of thy love and faith,
which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all saints. This was what
he enquired after concerning his friends, the truth, and growth, and
fruitfulness of their graces, their faith in Christ, and love to him and to all
the saints. Love to saints, if it be sincere, will be catholic and universal
love towards all saints; but faith and love, though in the heart they are
hidden things, are known by the effects of them. Therefore,
(2.) The apostle joins prayer with his praises,
that the fruits of Philemon’s faith and love might be more and more
conspicuous, so as that the communication of them might constrain others to the
acknowledgment of all the good things that were in him and in his house towards
Christ Jesus; that their light might so shine before men that they, seeing
their good works, might be stirred up to imitate them, and to glorify their
Father who is in heaven. Good works must be done, not of vain-glory to be seen,
yet such as may be seen to God’s glory and the good of men.
4. He adds a reason, both of his prayer and his
praises (Phlm. 1:7): For “we have great joy and consolation in thy love,
because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. The good thou
hast done and still doest is abundant matter of joy and comfort to me and
others, who therefore desire you may continue and abound in such good fruits
more and more, to God’s honour and the credit of religion. The administration
of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also
by many thanksgivings unto God,” 2 Cor. 9:12.
The
Bible Panorama
Philemon
1
V
1–3: PEOPLE Paul, the prisoner, and Timothy, his
brother in Christ, write to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and to the church in
Philemon’s house. He desires God’s grace and peace for the beloved recipients
who have laboured and fought along with him in the gospel.
V 4–7: PRAYERS Paul always thanks God for them in his prayers
because of the effect of Jesus on them, causing them to share their faith
effectively. Philemon also has given great joy because of his refreshing of the
Christians.
V
8–16: PLEA Paul now pleads with Philemon about a
runaway slave, Onesimus, who has come to faith in Christ in prison through
Paul, and whom Paul regards as a spiritual son. He explains how profitable to
him Onesimus has become. (His name means ‘profitable’.) He urges Philemon to
accept him back as a brother in Christ, and not as a slave.
V 17–19: PARTNER Paul speaks not from high ground as an apostle,
but from level ground as a partner in Christ. He offers to pay anything to
Philemon that is owing to him from Onesimus. He reminds Philemon that he, too,
has come to blessing through Paul.
V
20–22: PREPARE Paul’s letter is not instead of
personal contact, but to make that contact more meaningful. He asks for
hospitality and for prayer that he will be able to visit Philemon soon. He
looks for spiritual refreshing from Philemon.
V 23–25: PRISONERS He and Epaphras are prisoners for Christ. They
greet Philemon along with other named fellow labourers, praying that God’s
grace will be with Philemon.
Encyclopedia
of The Bible
FAITH,
FAITHFULNESS. These two concepts are central to
Biblical thought. They deal with the relationship of God and men. They are in
some respects correlative, for man’s faith is that which responds to and is
sustained by God’s faithfulness. In other respects there can be a progression
of thought, for faith on the part of man should lead to his faithfulness. Again,
the idea of faith can move from the subjective attitude of trustfulness to “the
faith”—that which God has revealed objectively through deed and word and sign
in order that it should be trusted. Associated closely with the two nouns is
the adjective “faithful” and the verb “have faith in,” “trust,” or “believe.”
In some parts of the Bible the verb is more prominent than the noun. As always
in the Scriptures, the divine initiative is emphasized or assumed, and the fact
that the living God is willing to enter into relationship with men and has
shown them that He is worthy of their trust is what gives Biblical faith its
distinctive character. Faith as it is demonstrated in the OT is a necessary,
but incomplete preliminary to its full possibility through Christ in the NT.
IV. Faith and faithfulness in the NT
A. Terminology. There is no need to emphasize the
centrality of the concept of faith in the NT. The words that are used to
express it are almost always those of the pistis group. Despite the usage of
the LXX in rendering ’emeth and ’emūnāh by alētheia,
that word and its cognates almost always denotes in the NT truth, reality, and
genuiness. There is an association with the concept of faithfulness quite
frequently because what is true is also trustworthy. By and large the field has
been left entirely to pístis and the words related to it.
1. Pisteúō.
This word often has a nontechnical sense even when it is dealing with religious
statements. So it is possible to believe that when using a hoti clause (John
8:24) or the accusative and infinitive (Acts 8:37). Likewise one may give
credence to a statement (Mark 13:21). When it is followed by a noun referring
to a thing, the object of pisteúō
is in the accusative (1 Cor 13:7). It is much more frequently found with the
dative of the thing (John 2:22) or of the person (4:21). It is used also in the
active (2:24) and in the passive (Gal 2:7) in the sense of “entrust.” More
important is the technical sense of Christian believing that it developed. It
could be used with the dative of faith in God (Acts 16:34), in Christ (John
8:31) and in His name (1 John 3:23). There were various prepositional uses of
which the most important is eis followed by the accusative (John 2:11), but epi
also is found with the accusative (Rom 4:5) and with the dative (1 Tim 1:16).
The verb also may be used absolutely (John 1:7) and the participle became a
technical term for Christians (1 Thess 1:7).
2. Pístis. This is used only rarely in the NT of
human fidelity (Titus 2:10) and of divine faithfulness (Rom 3:3). In the great
majority of cases it means human faith in God. It is one of the great
“theological virtues” (1 Cor 13:13). It can be further defined by the use of
the objective genitive or by the prepositions eís, pros, epi, or en. Faith may
be in God (Mark 11:22), in Christ (Rom 3:22), in His name (Acts 3:16). It also
may be in things such as His blood (Rom 3:25) or the Gospel (Phil 1:27). The
word pístis also may be used in an objective sense of the doctrine which is to
be believed (Jude 3).
3. Pistós. The adjective pistós also may be used
both technically and nontechnically, and in both active and passive senses. It
is commonly used of the reliability of servants or stewards (1 Cor 4:2). God is
supremely the One in whom confidence may be placed (1:9), but His word and His
promises are also reliable (Rev 21:5). Statements of Christian truth also may
be trusted (1 Tim 1:15). When pistós is used in the active sense to mean
believing, it is only as a technical term (John 20:27). It also can be used
almost as the equivalent of “a Christian” (Acts 16:1).
4. The Pauline epistles. Neither Paul the man nor
his writings can possibly be understood unless we grasp the meaning of faith to
him. Ever since his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus the
whole of his thinking and his life were dominated by the ideas of the
faithfulness of God and the need for a responsive faith in man. If there is a
systematic treatment of these themes only in Romans, their living reality
bursts forth spontaneously again and again in the varied pastoral situations
which he deals with in all the epistles. His entire doctrine of salvation, his
entire theology, could be summed up under the heading of faith, but we shall
have to concentrate on the passages where the pístis words or closely
associated ideas are present.
a. God’s faithfulness. This is the solid foundation
upon which all else in Pauline theology is built (Rom 3:3). The adjective
pistós is used six times with reference to God or Christ. God is faithful in
fulfilling His promises (2 Cor 1:18). He is faithful in continuing to work in
and to preserve those whom He has called to Himself (1 Cor 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thess
5:24; 2 Thess 3:3). Even “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he
cannot deny himself” (2 Tim 2:13). It is because He is faithful that there are
sayings about what He has done which also are completely reliable (1 Tim 1:15; 3:1;
4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8). Christian teaching as a whole can be described as
“the sure word” (Titus 1:9).
We find also in Paul a fair number of references to
ἔλεος,
G1799, “mercy.” This is the word
which renders hesed in the LXX. In the gospels its main uses are in the twice
repeated quotation of Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; 12:7, and its occurrence five
times in the first ch. of Luke. Paul uses it as a greeting, alongside grace and
peace (1 Tim 1:1; 2 Tim 1:1) and also as a benediction (Gal 6:16). Its chief
use as noun or verb (eleéō) is, however, in Romans 9 to 11. In
these chapters Paul shows how God’s faithfulness has been demonstrated despite the
unfaithfulness of Israel. The word of God had not failed (Rom 9:6). There was
no injustice with God, for “it depends not upon man’s will or exertion, but
upon God’s mercy” (9:16). He has not rejected His people (11:1). The gifts and
call of God are irrevocable (11:29). The purpose of God is “that he may have
mercy upon all” (11:32).
Another important subject illustrating the
faithfulness of God is that of His promises. This is dealt with especially in
Romans 4 and Galatians 3 and 4 where the story of Abraham is in mind. Abraham
was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Rom 4:21),
and the promise was guaranteed to all his descendants (4:16). Christians, “like
Isaac, are children of promise” (Gal 4:28).
b. Faith and the Gospel. Christian faith begins as
a response to the kerygma. “It pleased God,” says Paul, “through the folly of
what we preach (the kerygma) to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21). He
expresses the main thrust of the kerygma as the Cross (1:17, 18, 23, 24). The
Resurrection also was something which had to be believed, for if it were not
true both kerygma and faith would be futile (1 Cor 15:14). The relationship of
faith to the Gospel is dealt with more fully in Romans 10:8-17. With relentless
logic Paul shows that salvation depends upon calling upon God, which depends
upon faith, which depends upon a preacher. “Faith comes from what is heard, and
what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (10:17). Faith is defined
further as confessing with the lips that Jesus is Lord and believing in the
heart that God raised Him from the dead (10:9). Faith then involves an
intellectual acceptance of and a moral response to the kerygma and it is the
means by which salvation is experienced (1:16). It is connected with obedience
to God’s command to repent in the Gospel (1:5; 10:16; 16:26; Gal 3:2; 2 Thess
1:8). It is established by the power of God rather than the wisdom of men (1
Cor 2:5), but there was still a need of human preachers (Rom 10:14f.; 1 Cor
3:5; 15:11). Yet underlying all the human activity involved was the conviction
that faith was due to grace—that it was a gift of God (Eph 2:8).
c. Faith and justification. While Paul has a number
of different figures which are used parallel to one another in order to express
the new relationship with God which is entered by Christian faith, the chief
figure is that of justification. It means declaring a man to be in the right,
giving him a right standing with God. In the case of sinful men that can be
done only through faith in the Christ and His work of redemption. It is
something achieved by the grace of God and is a gift to be received by faith
(Rom 3:21-26). Faith which leads to justification is the correlative of grace.
Grace means divine action from sheer undeserved love, and faith therefore is
humble and thankful acceptance of something unearned. Because man prefers to
earn things in order to have something to pride himself upon, Paul is insistent
that the principle of faith understood thus is utterly opposed to the principle
of works—of earning salvation by good deeds. This was a particular temptation
for Jews who kept the law of Moses and had higher moral standards than their
contemporaries (3:27-31; 9:30-33; 10:1-8; Gal 2:16; 3:10-14; Eph. 2:8; Phil
3:9). While Paul could in one sense regard the law as a custodian “until faith
should be revealed” (Gal 3:23-26), he was anxious to show that, far from
overthrowing the law by this faith, he was in fact upholding it (Rom 3:31).
In order to show the importance of faith even in
the OT, he goes back behind Moses to Abraham. The faith principle can be found
working in his case, for Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as
righteousness” (Gen 15:6; cited in Rom 4:9; Gal 3:6). This was before
circumcision was instituted (Rom 4:10) and even over four centuries before the
law was given (Gal 3:17). Religion in Abraham’s case was a matter of promise.
God made promises to him which he believed himself, and through him they were
made to his descendants. Those descendants need now to be redefined in terms of
those who share the faith of Abraham (Rom 4:11f.; Gal 3:29; 4:28). For Abraham
did not just believe promises, he believed also in God as one “who gives life
to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom 4:17).
The equivalent for Christians therefore is to “believe in him that raised from
the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for
our justification” (4:24f.).
This then is the heart of the Gospel which had such
power in the life of Paul and others (1:16), “for in it the righteousness of
God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘He who through
faith is righteous shall live’” (1:17; citing Hab 2:4; cf. Gal 3:11). The
emphasis of the prophet may well have been more on the continuing relationship
of faithfulness than on the initial saving act of faith. The principle is the
same—faith is the only way to receive righteousness and life.
d. Faith and relationship. Justification by faith
means not only accepting a doctrine but also commitment to a person. It is
trusting him who justifies the ungodly (Rom 4:5). While the verb pisteúō is generally used by Paul in an absolute sense
(but it is followed by eis in Rom 10:14; Gal 2:16; Phil 1:29), the noun pístis is made more
specific on a number of occasions by being related to God (1 Thess 1:8) or to
Christ (Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22, 26; Eph 1:15; 3:12; Phil 3:9; Col
1:4; 2:5; 1 Tim 3:13; 2 Tim 1:13; 3:15). Close to the center of Pauline thought
is the idea of “faith-union” with Christ which is expressed by the phrase en
Christō, “in Christ.” It is in Him that men are sons of God
through faith (Gal 3:26). The Holy Spirit also is received through faith (Eph
1:13; Gal 3:5, 14).
e. The Life of faith. Baptism is the sign of
beginning the new life of faith (Col 2:11f.; cf. Gal 3:26f.) and wherever it is
spoken of, faith is assumed to be present. But faith needs to grow (2 Cor
10:15). There may be deficiencies in it which need to be made up (1 Thess 3:10)
and the aim should be fullness of faith (Rom 4:20; 1 Thess 1:5), which will
however always fall short of sight (2 Cor 5:7). Having faith will lead to
action (1 Thess 1:3). The faith of a community may become something which is
widely known (Rom 1:8; Eph 1:15; Col 1:4; 1 Thess 1:8; Philem 5). Faith will
bring confidence about death (1 Thess 4:14) and may be associated with hope (1
Cor 13:13). There are some members of the Church who may have special gifts of
faith (12:9), but a loveless faith of this kind is useless (13:2). Faith also
is involved in the question of religious scruples, which Paul deals with in
Romans 14 and 15, where weak faith signifies over-scrupulousness. It is similar
to the idea of conscience (1 Cor 8:1-13; 10:23-30).
f. Human faithfulness. The adjective pistós is used
simply for believers without distinction being made between beginning and
continuing in faith. It has the specific meaning of trustworthy when referring
to stewards of the Gospel (1 Cor 4:1f.) and ministers (Eph 6:21; Col 1:7; 4:7).
Paul can believe himself to be reckoned trustworthy by the Lord (1 Cor 7:25; 1
Tim 1:12) and to have had the Gospel entrusted (pisteúō) to him (1 Tim 1:11; Titus 1:3). He urges Timothy
to find trustworthy people to teach others (2 Tim 2:2). The idea of continuing
steadfastly in faith is found also as an important theme (1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor
1:24; 2 Thess 1:4), though the word used is more often hupomonē, “patient endurance.”
Faithfulness needs also to be shown to others, as
it is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Faith in Christ is linked
with love (Eph 1:15; 3:17; 6:23; 1 Thess 1:3; 3:6; 2 Thess 1:3). Faith and love
are two of the “theological virtues” (1 Cor 13:13). Paul sums up the
relationship of the two by speaking of “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6).
g. The faith. There are a number of occasions where
Paul refers to “the faith” as the body of Christian belief, though it is not
always possible to be sure whether pístis is being used in this objective
sense. It may be referred to as something to obey (Rom 1:5). Paul was described
by Christians in Judaea as “preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Gal
1:23). It is possible that the objective sense is intended in 2 Corinthians
13:5 and Colossians 1:23; 2:7, though in all these cases, it may refer to the
subjective exercise of faith. It is most common in the Pastoral Epistles,
though there again it is not always clear which usage is involved. There is the
mystery of the faith (1 Tim 3:9) and “the words of the faith” (4:6). It is
possible to depart from the faith or to deny it (4:1; 5:8; 6:10) or to miss
“the mark as regards the faith” (1 Tim 6:21). There are a number of other
possible references (1 Tim 1:2, 19; 3:13; 6:12; 2 Tim 3:8; 4:7; Titus 1:4, 13;
2:2; 3:15).
The negative words for unbelief are also found in
Paul, mainly in Romans and the Pastoral Epistles, but the adjective apistós is
used fourteen times in the Corinthian letters.
Dictionary
of Bible Themes
5705
inheritance, spiritual
Believers are privileged to receive a spiritual
inheritance from their heavenly Father as a result of their adoption into the
family of God through faith.
Believers have an inheritance in Christ
Jesus Christ as God’s heir Heb 1:2 See also Mt
21:37-39 pp Mk 12:6-8 pp Lk 20:13-15; Mt 28:18; Lk 19:12; Jn 3:35; Heb 1:4-6;
Ps 2:7-8
Believers are co-heirs with Christ Ro 8:17 See also
Eph 3:6
Believers are heirs under the covenant Heb 6:17;
Heb 9:15
Believers are heirs by grace Gal 3:18 See also Ac
20:32; Col 1:12
Believers are heirs through faith Gal 3:29 See also
Ro 4:13-17; Heb 11:7-10
The nature of the spiritual inheritance of
believers
They inherit salvation Heb 1:14
They inherit eternal life See also Mt 19:29; Lk
10:25; Tit 3:7; 1Pe 3:7
They have the full rights of sons Gal 4:4-7
They have the rights of the firstborn Heb 12:22-23
See also Ex 4:22; 2Ki 2:9
They inherit the earth Mt 5:5 See also Ps 37:11
They inherit the kingdom Mt 25:34 See also Lk
22:28-30; Rev 3:21
They inherit all things Lk 15:31; 1Co 3:21-22; Rev
21:7
Their inheritance is the word of God Ps 119:111
They inherit the Lord himself Ps 73:26 See also Nu
18:20; Dt 10:9; Ps 142:5; Jer 10:16; Jer 51:19
It is a good inheritance Ps 16:6
The permanence of believers’spiritual inheritance
It has been prepared from the creation Mt 25:34
It is guaranteed for eternity 1Pe 1:3-5 See also Ps
37:18; Da 12:13
It is sealed with God’s promise Eph 1:13-14 See
also Rev 7:3; Rev 9:4
The conditions of spiritual inheritance
It is conditional upon continuing obedience and
faith 1Pe 3:9-12 See also Ps 34:12-16; Ps 25:12-13; Ps 37:11,29,34; Ps 61:5; Pr
28:10; Mt 5:5; Col 3:24; Heb 6:12; Jas 2:5
It is denied to the ungodly Eph 5:5 See also Ps
37:9,22; 1Co 6:9-10; 1Co 10:1-5; Gal 5:19-21; Heb 3:12-19; Rev 21:27
The
nature of the spiritual inheritance of believers
1.
They inherit salvation
Hebrews 1:14New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to
serve those who will inherit salvation?
2.
They inherit eternal life
Titus 3:4-8New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour
appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but
because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by
the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Saviour, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs
having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you
to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to
devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and
profitable for everyone.
