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REFLECTION
 
Heirs of the promise is the theme for our reflection. An heir is a person legally entitled to inherit a property after the owner’s demise, however, an heir in the context of our reflection refers to a person who is saved through our Lord Jesus Christ and has been assured of the Kingdom of God. A promise is a declaration of assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen. A promise in the context of our reflection is the assurance of eternal life or the Kingdom of God by God to those who will believe and be saved through Jesus Christ. Heirs of the promise, therefore, means an assurance of inheritance of the Kingdom of God given to those who are saved through our Lord Jesus Christ. The focus of our reflection is which human race qualifies to be heirs of the promise?

Beloved in the Lord, Jews or the Israelites had hitherto thought that the promise of salvation belongs to them because Jesus Christ is a Jew. They will later come to realize that the Jewish race was only to host the Saviour of the world, and through that, have the opportunity to be the first human race to be given the promise of being the heirs of eternal life or the King of God. However, it is only those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour will become heirs of the promise of salvation and eternal life. It is for this reason that Paul assured the Christians in Ephesus who were predominantly non-Jews or Gentiles that “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:6). Again, we shall recall that in John 3:16, Jesus did not mention that only Jews will be saved if they believe in Him but rather said “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). For the purpose of emphasis, “…whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” is the only and supreme clause that refers to a person who desires to become an heir to the promise. In other words, being a Jew does not automatically qualify one to be an heir to the promise of eternal life but “whoever” from Israel, Palestine, Africa, Asia, America, India or any part of the world “believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life” Beloved in the Lord, the good news is that if we repent and believe in Jesus and accept Him to be our Lord and Saviour, follow His teachings and become like Him in pleasing and doing the will of God, His saving grace through our faith shall qualify us to be heirs of the Kingdom of God.

 Advent season reminds us that the promise shall be fulfilled when Jesus returns the second time, therefore, we must be ready when He comes. If you are alive and reading this reflection then grace has found you. You have every opportunity to give your life to Jesus or rededicate your life to Him if you have been unfaithful in your relationship with Him all this while. John 3:17 assures us that during the first Advent, “…God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. (John 3:17). It is during the second Advent that those who will be heirs of the promise shall be separated from the heirs of the kingdom of Hell, It is for this reason Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Which promise do you want to inherit, Heaven or Hell? The choice is ours today! May the Holy Spirit continue to lead and sustain us even as we become heirs to the promise of eternal life or the Kingdom of God.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “Heirs of the promise” We have learnt that apart from the Israelites who were privileged by grace to receive the message of the promise of salvation and eternal life, whoever, wherever can also become an heir of the promise of the eternal life or the Kingdom of God if only he or she believes in Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Saviour. The promise to become a child of God or an heir to the Kingdom of God is not by biological birth, it is by faith and regeneration through our Lord Jesus Christ. Shalom.

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for extending Your grace to those who are lost and dead to sin to also become heirs of the promise through repentance, regeneration and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit continue to strengthen and sustain us so that we may never depart from the promise to become heirs of eternal life or the Kingdom of God. Amen.