Is OUR inheritance based on what WE do? Can we lose it?

Many fear a loss of our inheritance based upon the condemnation in Ephesians 5:3-6. Yet this is not justified by Scripture.

Our Inheritance

Our inheritance is determined by our trust in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our inheritance is not determined by our actions or our works, but by our faith in the grace of God which can freely justify us through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24) It was God who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance:

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: “ – (Colossians 1:12-13)

The Bible explains that we have an immediate claim to an inheritance in the kingdom of God’s dear Son at the moment of salvation:

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” – (Ephesians 1:13-14)

This inheritance and our claim to its future possession was bestowed upon us freely as a result of our new standing in Christ (Eph 1:11, Romans 3:22; 8:23,32). Therefore if it were obtained by the grace of God, then it cannot be revoked by our works, else grace is no more grace (Romans 11:6).

Paul's condemnation of the children of disobedience

In Ephesians Paul speaks of our uncircumcised condition in time past (Eph 2:1-3), our salvation by grace not of works (Eph 2:4-9), and our new position in Christ (Eph 2:13-22). Later in chapter 5 Paul starts with ‘Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love’ (Eph 5:1). It is in this context about the believer’s walk that we find a similar passage to Galatians 5:19-21:

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. “ – (Ephesians 5:3-6)

Paul condemns the fruit of the children of disobedience. These works will invoke God’s wrath in judgment. In fact, he says in verse 5 that they have NO INHERITANCE in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

But is Paul saying that these Ephesians are indeed the children of disobedience? By no means! He has just finished explaining in three chapters about how God’s grace through Christ has given us a new position, standing reconciled with God, and having a heavenly vocation (Ephesians 2:7,16; 4:1). At the beginning of this chapter Paul calls the Ephesians ‘dear children’ of God! Let’s read on to hear Paul’s exhortation:

“Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: “ – (Ephesians 5:7-8)

Paul says that the Ephesians should not be partakers with the children of disobedience, because they are no longer darkness, they are children of light! After four chapters of describing what Christ has done for the Ephesian believers by grace Paul contrasts their new status with their old. He says that ‘ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light’. He climaxes his exhortation with ‘walk as children of light’. This would be equivalent to the parent reprimanding their children saying ‘You are too old to wine about cleaning your room, act your age!’ In essence, Paul is reprimanding the Ephesians saying ‘you have been given a free standing reconciled with God, as children of obedience, so act like it!’

It is in this context of our walk as ‘dear children that Paul makes the contrast with our old position as children of disobedience.

We are not to measure our inheritance based upon the standing of unsaved individuals. When Paul describes the children of disobedience, he is describing the state of the unsaved reprobate man. They have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ. Their actions are why the wrath of God is coming. But you are no longer a child of disobedience, you have been saved by the grace of God, we should then act and walk like the person we are in Christ – justified, redeemed, obedient, servants of righteousness (Ephesians 1:7, Romans 6:19).

By reminding the Ephesians of the wrath that God has towards the children of disobedience he is discouraging them from continuing on such a path of wickedness and destruction. The works of disobedience are unbecoming a saint of the Most High God (Titus 2:1, 7-8).