Romans 25

The Law of Inheritance, Purpose and Plan

Brian Kocourek

 

Text [Rom 4:13-14], [13]  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.  [14]  For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:     and for our subject we shall look at 3 points pertaining to the law of  Inheritance.

 

Point #1)  The first and most important point that we will look at tonight is that there must first be a will. The will shows the purpose and plan of the one who is leaving behind their possessions. It is called a last will and testament because by using the term will, it indicates the persons desire, their purpose and their plan for the distribution of their possessions and since Inheritance has to do with heritage and the handing down of that heritage to someone who can be trusted to keep the heritage alive and well. Someone who will respect what has been left to them.

 

Point #2) The law of inheritance has to do with the fact of possessions. Inheritance has to do with possessions and the lawful distribution of those possessions, to the lawful seed.

 

ACTS 7:2-6  And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3  And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.  4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child. 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land;                 Here we see that inheritance has to do with possession...

 

Point  #3) Inheritance can not be consummated until the death of the testator.

 

[Heb 6:17-20] Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:  18 That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 

[Heb 6:16-18] AMPLIFIED Men indeed swear by a greater one than themselves and with them in all disputes the oath taken for confirmation is final, - ending strife. Accordingly, God also, in His desire in His desire to show more convincingly and beyond doubt, to those who were to inherit the promise, the unchangeabileness of His purpose and plan, intervened (mediated) with an oath. This was so that by two unchangeable things { His promise(1)  and His oath(2), in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us, we who have fled [to Him} for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before us. Now we have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul - it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it - {a hope} that reaches farther and enters into {the very certainty of the Presence} within the veil. 20 Where Jesus has entered in for us {in advance}, a forerunner having become a High Priest forever, after the order {or with the same rank} as Melchisedec.

 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.

 

The eldest Son according to law was to receive one-half of the total inheritance, and the rest of the inheritance was to be split up with the other children who were proven to be worthy of the inheritance. Now, Webster defines inheritance as: The act of inheriting coming from the root word inherit, which is defined as: To appoint an heir and then to transfer property to that heir. To receive property, a title,  by the laws of inheritance from an ancestor at his death. To receive certain characteristics by heredity.   Therefore, the true definition of inheritance has to do also with lineage rights, or the rights of birth which we call the birth right.

 

 

 

E-45  Where I Think Pentecost Failed 55-1111  Notice, the 5th verse:   Having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons by Christ Jesus.   There's a great story here of the adoption or placing. Now, my Pentecostal brethren, you may disagree with this, but I want you to listen real close now these next ten, fifteen minutes.  I want to ask you something, and you Bible scholars. In the Old Testament there was a law of adopting or placing a son. You know that, how the Book of Galatians, and so forth, how the tutor raised the child.   What happened, a father had born into his house a child, a boy, and he was a son when he was born. But he was given a tutor. And this tutor raised the child and brought word to the father, all the time, how the child was progressing. And after the child become a certain age, if he had been a worthy child, if he had absolutely been all right... if he had not, then there was certain things that had to take place. And if he was unworthy, yet he was a son, he wasn't given any inheritance of his father.   But if he was a worthy child, and had been found worthy, he was taken out into a public place. And this father... Get it. Here it is; don't miss it. This father of the child... He was already born in the family (Pentecost exactly, others beside), already born into the family as a son.

 

E-34  Hear Ye Him   60-0806  For when a man owned a great, big place so nice, big farm, he had many tenants all around over this place. And he was a busy man; he had to go from place to place. And then when a son was borned in his house, they didn't have such as we have today, public schools, and so forth, like this beautiful Eisenhower a-building that we're in tonight. They didn't have it in those days. They had to hire tutors to raise their children.   Now, when a son was borned, he was a son as soon as he was born. He was a born son to that home. But yet, he didn't have any inheritance, until he come to a place that he'd proved himself a son. And then, when he was proved to be a son, then he was adopted into the family. And the law of adoption made him equal holder with his father.

 

Now, this morning as we focus upon the purpose and plan of the inheritance, we will need to look at all the necessary components which make up a last will and testament. Now, remember, last night we showed you in the third point that the will and testament is not valid until the death of the testator.[Heb 9:16-17]

 

Therefore,  to have a proper inheritance, we must have the following elements in the purpose and plan.

#1) There must be a possession to be transferred.

#2) There must be one who possesses and has a  will or desire to transfer his possession.

#3) The Possessor then must have a purpose and plan for transferring their possession.

#4) The Purpose and plan must have someone chosen, (preferably their seed) to be named heir to 

       receive what is transferred.

#5) This purpose and plan must be in writing which we call a testament or will stating how the transfer

       of property is to take place.

#6) The testament/will must state when ( a time appointed) the transfer of property to  take place.

#7)  The person in which the transfer of possession is to be made, must be confirmed capable of

       receiving such possession. (In other words, they must be deemed competent to receive the

       inheritance). Other-wise, if they are not of age, the inheritance will be kept in a trust until the

       appointed time.

 

Now, as you see, there are seven things which must be considered in setting up a will and testament to ensure the proper transfer of properties to the right party. Seven elements to complete the transfer or property. Seven is completion. Therefore, let’s begin this morning by examining the first point which is ...

 

#1) There must be a possession to be transferred. In other words, there is no reason for a will and testament if there is nothing that will transfer ownership. Therefore, there must be a possession that is worth a last will and testament. Because after all, that is what a will is all about. You are in essence saying, this is my will, this is my desire, this is my purpose and plan, this is what I want to see happen after my departing.

 

Now, therefore, what is this possession that we are to inherit. What is this property, that is so important that God has set up through the ages a great purpose and plan, and has kept guarded for us, kept in trust so to speak until the appointed time. In other words, what is it that we are to inherit.

 

 

 

Þ    Matt  5:5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Þ    Matt 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Þ    Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Þ    Mark 10:17  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  Now, this guy had it all wrong, because he actually thought that he could do something to inherit. You don’t inherit by doing. You inherit by being. Not what you do but who you are. That’s what inheritance is all about.  This guy had a works program going and Jesus didn’t buy into it.

Þ    Luke 10:25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Þ    Luke 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

 

#2There must be one who possesses Who also has a  desire to transfer his possession.

Þ    Gen 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

Þ    Gen 14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

Þ    Acts  20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Þ    Gal 3:18  For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise.

Þ    Leviticus 25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.

Þ    I Sam 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set [them] among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.

 

#3) The Possessor then must have a purpose and plan for transferring their possession.

Þ    Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Þ    Rom 9:11  (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Þ    II Tim 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Þ    Acts  26:18 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.

Þ    Deut 19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.

Þ    Eph 1:11 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:

Þ    Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Þ    Eph 1:18 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,

Þ    Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Þ    Num 26:55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

 

#4) The Purpose and plan must have someone chosen, (preferably their seed) to be

       named heir to receive what is transferred.

Þ    Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Þ    Zech 2:12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

Þ    Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Þ    Gen 15:7  And he said unto him, I [am] the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.   Notice that in choosing one others are left out/separated from.

Þ    Lev 20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people.

Þ    Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Þ    Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Þ    Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Þ    I Pet 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Þ    Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Þ    Ps 25:13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

Þ    Ps 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Þ    Ps 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Þ    Ps 37:22 For [such as be] blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and [they that be] cursed of him shall be cut off.

Þ    Ps 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

Þ    Ps 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

Þ    Ps 69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Þ    Ps 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Þ    Pr 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Þ    Pr 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Þ    Pr 11:29  He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool [shall be] servant to the wise of heart.

Þ    Pr 14:18  The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

 

#5) This purpose and plan must be in writing which we call a testament or will stating

       how the transfer of property is to take place.

Þ    Gen 15:8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Þ    There must be someone to mediate the plan. [Heb 9:15] And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Þ    Luke 12:13-14  And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14  And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

In other words, there has to be a mediator and this mediator is a judge.                           

Þ    John 12:47  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Þ    James 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

Þ    Deut 1:38  [But] Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

Þ    Deut 3:28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.

Þ    Num 33:54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: [and] to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's [inheritance] shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.

Þ    Num 34:13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This [is] the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:

 

#6) The testament/will must state when ( a time appointed) the transfer of property to 

       take place.

Þ    Eccl 3:1 To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Þ    Eccl 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for [there is] a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Þ    Eccl 8:6   Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him.

Þ    Isa 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

Þ    Deut 12:10 But [when] ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and [when] he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

Þ    Deut 2:31 And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.

Þ    I Cor 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

 

#7)  The person in which the transfer of possession is to be made, must be confirmed  capable of receiving such possession. (In other words, they must be deemed   competent to receive the inheritance). Other-wise, if they are not of age, the  inheritance will be kept in a trust until the  appointed time.

Þ    85  Rev Chptr. 5 Pt. 2  61-0618   See, lifted up above the shadows, and out of the grime, a foretaste, we have the Earnest now of our complete inheritance, because God has already pulled loose the ground roots from the things of the world and has planted us on higher grounds: lifted me up, trans-set me, transformed me from the things of the world; took out roots, branches, everything, and lifted me up out of the miry clay, out of the old muck of sin, and planted me on top of Zion's Hill, setting in the orchard of the beloved saints of God. And now we are citizens of that Kingdom, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, all filth and gaum and nastiness gone from our minds. Our water--bodies are washed with pure water and our hearts are sprinkled by the Blood of the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is abiding with His breeze blowing through our branches all day long, shoving us, and pushing us, and making us take good roots and grow down deep. Isn't that wonderful? The Earnest of our salvation...

Þ    I Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Þ    Isa 57:13  When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take [them]: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;   The son had to come of age and receive the mind of his Father.

Þ    Deut 16:20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Þ    Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Þ    Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Þ    Eph 5:5 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.

Þ    Jer 12:14  Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

Þ    1 Peter 1: 3-7  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3  Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (Reserved in heaven for you) Reserved = tereo =  to reserve or preserve, to hold in trust until an appointed time.  Now, why would the inheritance have to be guarded like this until the person comes of age?  Because they could be taken advantage of and loose the inheritance...

 

Þ    Matt 21:38  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

Þ    II Chron 20:11 Behold, [I say, how] they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

Þ    Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.

Þ    Isa 60:21 Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

Þ    Isa 65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.