“The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son (Revelation 21:7).”
What is your heritage? Often times the word “heritage” is used today to simply refer to one’s ethnic make-up and may speak of the cultural distinctions that have been passed down to us because of it. It speaks of that which is ours because we are heirs. So, to answer this question you may tell me the percentages of your ethnic make-up and may in addition speak of the sweet rolls you make on Christmas eve.
Now while I would love to hear your answers and would love even more to taste those sweet rolls, I want to invite you to think more profoundly concerning your heritage. What are the greatest realities that have been passed on to you?
In the above mentioned text we are told what the heritage is for those who are “conquerors.” You may not think of yourself as a conqueror, but that’s who we are if we maintain our faith to the end. This is how we are described in each of the seven letters of Jesus written in Revelation 2-3. In each case Jesus gives a promise to the conquerors and here he adds another. We will be God’s sons!
All who are in Christ will inherit fully what he inherits. Jesus is God’s unique divine son, but those whom he represents receive the privilege of his sonship. The Apostle Paul writes these amazing words in his letter to the Romans: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (8:16-17).”We may think it would be tremendously fortunate if someone were to tell us that they were heirs of Bill Gates, but that would be a pittance in comparison to what is announced here. In Christ our heritage is to be called children of God and thus co-heirs with Christ. We have a rich heritage indeed!