How can we live daily as "heirs according to the promise"? Key verse “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29) Our identity as heirs • We are counted as Abraham’s seed through faith in Christ, not by ethnicity or personal merit (Galatians 3:7–9). • God calls us “sons” and therefore “heirs” (Galatians 4:6–7; Romans 8:16–17). • The Holy Spirit is the “pledge of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13–14), reminding us daily that the promise is secure. Inheritance received, not achieved • Salvation and sonship come by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). • The promise was guaranteed long before the law (Romans 4:13–16). • Because the inheritance is a gift, we live from gratitude instead of striving for acceptance. Walking by faith each day • Trust God’s Word over feelings or circumstances (2 Corinthians 5:7). • Speak truth to yourself: “I am an heir; nothing can separate me from Christ” (Romans 8:38–39). • Reject legalism; rest in Christ’s finished work (Galatians 5:1). Empowered by the Spirit • “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). • Cultivate the Spirit’s fruit—love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22–23)—as evidence of the family likeness. • Depend on the Spirit for boldness to witness (Acts 1:8) and strength to persevere (Ephesians 3:16). Living with kingdom priorities • Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). • Invest time, talents, and resources where moth and rust cannot destroy (Matthew 6:19–20). • View trials as refining tools preparing us “for an inheritance that is imperishable” (1 Peter 1:3–7). Serving the family of fellow heirs • Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). • Use spiritual gifts “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). • Show impartial love; every believer shares the same inheritance (James 2:1). Looking ahead with hope • Our future includes “the redemption of our bodies” and creation’s liberation (Romans 8:23). • God has sworn by Himself; His promise is “an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:17–19). • Live alert and eager for Christ’s return, “longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). |
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