In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Ephessians 1:11.
When Adam transgressed the word of God and hearkened to the voice of Satan, he tactically lost his right and power of inheritance with other privileges he had dominion over to the person he obeyed (know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:16): thus were the blessings and power of Adam’s inheritance and dominion over all things made by God were transferred to Satan (a wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. Proverbs 17:2): being stolen by deception, Satan now rules over all things as the god of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. Note: though all things were created by God to fulfill his pleasure, but all things are not presently fulfilling his will and pleasure as the result of the bondage and corruption the world is under as the effects of Adam’s sin.
The scripture is very clear concerning different categories of glory in the world, but they are not the true and enduring riches of inheritance of Christ in the saints, lest anyone called by the Lord to possess eternal – unseen blessings and inheritance be deceived and snared by the things seen, temporal and perishable. 2 Corinthians 4:18: (a) the glory of a wife: the woman is the glory of a man. 1 Corinthians 11:7. If she is a wise woman, she is a crown to her husband: nonetheless, whosoever should love his wife like Adam and king Ahab did love their respective wives more than obeying God and doing his will is not worthy of Christ, neither is he worthy of eternal life: (b) the glory of a white, gray or hoar hair. Proverbs 16:31. But what shame and torment of eternal agony and pain awaits the man or a woman without the righteousness of Christ though he died in a good old age? Why do the wicked live to reach old age and increase in power and wealth, too? Their children grow up while they’re alive, and they live to see their grandchildren. Their houses are safe from fear, and God’s chastisement never visits them. Their bull breeds without fail, and their cows calve without miscarriages. They release their children to play like sheep; their young ones[c] dance about, singing with tambourines and lyres as they rejoice to the sound of flutes. They grow old in prosperity, as they descend peacefully into the afterlife. They say to God, turn away from us! We have no desire to know your ways. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? Where’s the profit in talking to him?Behold! Their prosperity isn’t in their control! The counsel of the wicked will remain far from me. Job 21:7-15. (d) The glory of earthly buildings or houses, and the glory of a man’s vast wealth and riches (be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Psalms 49:16-17): including the glory of man’s wisdom and achievements: thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord. Jeremiah 9: 23-24.
The mystery of our eternal inheritance is found in the peace and joy of our present satisfaction and rest in the unfailing faithfulness of the promises and loving kindnesses of God than in actual enjoyment and possession of any present or future promise (s). This was the justification of Abraham’s faith, and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
The blessings we derive from the effects of the cross of Christ is exceptionally operative and beneficial in them which are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Though the redeem are blessed with the blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:9), and are blessed with all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3), the actual possession of the saints purchased inheritance by the blood of Christ is in the future at the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians 1:14) reserved for that time when the tabernacle of God will be with man, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:3-5.
We must understand that some of the inheritance lost in Adam such as the physical, material and financial aspects of the blessings of inheritance is what the bible calls as the corruptible things such as gold and silver which was not the means of payment for the redemption of the lost souls. The body or the flesh is corrupt, as well as the things in the world of mankind. 1 Peter 1:18.
Now in Christ Jesus, there is a limit to the things we can pursue in the world. There is a limit to the things we can do or not to do in the world, so that we are not found to abuse the use of the present world and our spiritual right in the world become a sin against us (and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passes away. 1 Corinthians 7:31) concerning those things which are in the world, but are not of the Father: for the world passes away, and the lusts in it, but he that do will of God shall abide forever. 1 John 2:15-17.
Christ dispossessed Satan of the power of death and hell, having taken away the keys of hell and death from him at death before his resurrection, but what about the power to the riches, glory and treasures of darkness which the bible calls the hidden riches of secret places? Isaiah 45:3.
Presently, Christ rule and reign is limited to his elects and in his church in the world, while Satan also rules and reigns in the lives of the children of disobedience in the world. Satan blesses those who will do his will and fulfill his pleasure: though he also can give money and make a man rich, but he will never give anything richly and freely to enjoy like our God will do for his children. 1Timothy 6:17.
Whatsoever the kinds of help or blessing you seek to receive from Satan (children, husband, wife, job, promotion, money, favor, fame, power etc) you should likewise expect many sorrows and the loss of your soul in return, except you repent before it is too late. Proverbs 10:22. What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-38.
Ungodliness, dishonesty, crookedness, unjust balance, unjust weight, sinful wealth and riches flourish in the world (and Ephraim said, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin. Hosea 12:8), but those that will live godly need to overcome temptations to compromise (s) their faith, sincerity or honesty, holiness and integrity (better is the poor that walks in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Proverbs 28:6) in the face of strong oppositions in the world of mammon: no man can serve God and mammon – money. Matthew 6:24.
In our obedience, God shall supply for our need (emphasis need, not want) according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19. Sinful professional works such as bank or internet fraud, prohibited hard drugs sales, human trafficking and prostitution with their gains or profits are evil and abomination to the Lord, those that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Believers should work with their own hands, and labor to eat from their own sweat, providing things honest in the sight of all men. God promised to command his blessings upon us in our store houses, and in all that we set our hand upon to do: to excel as the head, and not the tail: to be the giver or lender, and not the debtor nor borrower: all these great and exceeding promises of God serves as the comfort of the scriptures, that by them, we might increase and abound in hope, as we continue to seek how to walk and please God in all things for other things God seems best to be added or given to us.
The bible commands the financially blessed and gifted believers in the ministry of help to practice charity with simplicity as unto the Lord (Romans 12:8), lest their blessings should become a curse if their work is done through pride, strife or murmuring.
Believers should know that the vast riches and wealth of this world will remain in the hands of the ungodly men and women until the time of reformation: arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword. From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, who have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fills with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. Psalms 17:13-14: (b) moreover, God has made the vast majority of the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him (James 2:5), lest the righteous should foolishly fret themselves against the prosperity of the wicked (Psalms 37:7): truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain; violence covers them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. Psalms 73:1-9 (c) that the only wise God of heaven will not bless nor prosper his children with anything that is likely to derail them from his will, to quench his fire in them and to diminish their first love in him (so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.Because thou says, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Revelation 3:16-17) neither with anything that will cause pride in them, lest they should fall into the condemnation of Satan: a little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. Psalms 37:16.
If we want to make heaven, we should ignore and turn away from false spiritual expectations, false pursuits, false desires and false misconeptions of wrong and sinful pursuance of the riches and glory of this present world to be content in the true and imperishbale riches and glory of Christ in his saints. False hope and faith can become a stumbling block of irreparable error of iniquity of eternal consequence for men and women of corrupt minds in the kingdom because they are destitute of the truth, supppossing that gain is godliness. 1 Timothy 6:5.
As far as this present world is concerned, all her wealth, riches, beauty and glory are false and are already faded away. They are the shakabe glory, riches, wealth, and corruptible beauties, but everthing shakable is reserved for fire, so that the unshakable might remain and oreserved for eternity with God.
Very soon, God will rain down fire from heaven to dissolve all things pertaining to this present heaven and earth, lest anyone’s heart be filled or be deceived and defiled by any of those terresterial glories against celestial glories which are the true riches of our inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. 1 Peter 1:4.
The warnings and encouragements given throughout the scripture should deter us from any insatiable desire, covetousness and surfeiting of other cares of this world with the understanding that the riches and wealth of the world are not the true and enduring wealth and riches of the inheritance of the saints in light: but call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. Hebrews 10:32 -35 (a) that earthly wealth and riches added nothing to a man’s present worth or eternal value in him – beware of covetousness, for the life of a man does not consists not in the abundance of his possession. Luke 12:15: (b) that any glorying or rejoicing and bragging in the world about certain worth of monetary currency in the bank is evil: If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. Job 31:25-28: (c) that it takes divine grace and understanding of heart to pray for moderation of life in Christ Jesus: two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. Proverbs 30:7-9.
Wealth and riches are not sinful (Ecclesiastes 6:2) if they are given by God who makes rich and makes poor. The question is how do you dispense the riches and blessings? How hardly shall they that are rich enter into the kingdom of God if they are not ready and willing to use the God given wealth for his sole glory and purpose? For it is easier for a Carmel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to neter into the kingdom of God! Matthew 19:24: (d) that the little period of our sojourning here on earth is to prepare us for our long home: to hoard nothing, but to be liberal: to give a portion to seven and even to eight; for we know not what evil shall befall the earth (Ecclesiastes 11:1): fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:32.
The basic necessity of your need in Christ Jesus is food and clothing, and you can do with or without the rest. Some of the apostles and the patriachs of old were even naked and hunger, with no certain dwelling place (even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place. 1 Corinthians 4:11), of whom the world was not worthy, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Today, majority of Christian converts have been wrongly taught and presented with false Jesus, being lied to and deceived by the preaching of sweet talk preachers of another gospel of a ‘father Christmas Jesus’ with the view that this Christ will give them a lots of money, he will build them many houses, and make their conditons of life flamboyant – this is the gospel of propserity, free from any personal price to pay or cross to bear, with no worldly lusts to mortifify, neither any crucifixion to die to the world and self. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
The true gospel of Christ calls for cross bearing, self- sacrifcing and mundane renounciation lifesytle against worldy pursuits and pleasures in order to serve and follow him fully, lest we become like the seed which fell among the thorns, but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22.
He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10. Believers should walk according to the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ; even the doctrine which is according to godliness with contentment, which is a great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:6-7.
The love of money is the root of all evil. Why? Because it is not the true riches of God’s inheritance in his saints, for they that will be rich (believers who runs after money and gain) in this world, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy 6:9.
The bible clearly warns us against the uncertain riches of this world (charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19), and except that we able to fulfill the will and purposes of God by those wealth and riches, we are able to do good, by laying up treasures incorruptible for ourselves in heaven, there is no good in them.
The life of a man does not consist in the abundance of his (present) possessions or inheritance. Luke 12:15. Believers must resist every temptation to gain the riches and glories of the world in any compromising manner against eternal reward of inheritance against their true riches in Christ Jesus: again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and says unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then says Jesus unto him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve. Matthew 4:8-10.