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.