Solomon, the man of wisdom, teaches, “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.” (Prov. 20:21). Sad instances of this abound in the world as men driven by covetous desires lie, cheat, steal, and defraud the very members of their own families in order to possess the wealth left behind by a departed parent or relative, only to discover by personal experience that the Bible is true when it warns, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Tim. 6:10). Surely, the truly wise man will devote his love and affections to that which will not become a destroyer of his body and soul. To this end the questions of the preceding pages have been asked to stimulate the reader’s thoughts upon his own greatest need, reconciliation to God his Maker. The moral law of God, the Ten Commandments, were set before him as binding upon his conscience, the absolute standard of right and wrong for every man for all time. In light of this holy law, the universal conclusion must be, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Eccl. 7:20). If the Bible contained nothing but the laws of God, fallen, sinful man could anticipate nothing but wrath from his Maker, but the scriptures are also a book of good news, the gospel of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Read again the enlightening prophecies of His sufferings and death for His people recorded by Isaiah, and His own authoritative claims to diety recorded by the Apostle John.
To possess knowledge about Jesus Christ is necessary to believe in Him, but knowledge of the truth alone does not secure the forgiveness of sins nor qualify one to inherit eternal life. Christ taught, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:3). The great Apostle Paul, when he was yet known as Saul the persecutor, was confronted by the risen Christ in a blinding light from heaven, and caused to cry out, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). The answer to his prayer was soon given him as he was commissioned a preacher by Christ, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:18). In Ephesians 1:18,19 Paul explains what happens when one’s eyes are opened spiritually, and he becomes an heir of heaven: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” Whereas the pursuit of heaven as opposed to the pursuit of the things of this world was before a thing of scorn or indifference to the unconverted soul, it has now become his desire and delight. Sin is no longer looked upon as a pleasure loved and cherished, but as a loathsome thing not to be brought out of its dark haunt. The service of sin is now seen to be the service of the devil, and is rejected in favor of a life of holiness together with those who fear the Lord. This transformation is entirely the result of the mighty power of God put forth in raising Christ from the dead, and has as its end, as Peter says, “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (I Pet. 1:4,5).
Dear reader of these pages, much more could be written of the glorious inheritance and the joys of heaven awaiting God’s children, as well as of the grace, mercy, and peace they experience in walking with Him by faith in this world. If you are yet a stranger to God and outside of Christ, will you not now without delay trust in Him, believe His Word, and receive His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins? “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” (I Jn. 2:25).