Our Abiding Inheritance
By A. M. Dart
“BLESSED are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” This earth is not a safe place to dwell under existing conditions. One’s life is endangered by evil men, by storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, disaster by sea and land, not to mention sickness and disease in numerous forms. Indeed, where shall we stop if we begin to enumerate the dangers to life in this world? But when “the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped”; when the lame man shall “leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing”; when “the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water”; when righteousness covers the earth as the waters cover the sea,—it will be quite a different place. Then “the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” See Isaiah 35. The apostle Peter speaks of our inheritance as “incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” Now to come into possession of such an inheritance means that the possessor shall be “incorruptible and undefiled”; so we read: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood [mortal state] cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” 1 Cor. 15: 50. So in considering our inheritance, we must solemnly consider the steps to be taken to become pure. There is one source only of purity—one fountain alone into which we may plunge to gain this much to be desired end. Paul was sent to the gentiles “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.” Acts 26: 18. This inheritance is obtained only through forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sin includes the forsaking of sin. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Rom. 6: 1, 2. Sin is death. Col. 2: 13. As we would avoid one, so must we avoid the other. Not in this mortal state do we reach our inheritance. But “behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. . . . So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor. 15: 51-54. Thus He who “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will,” prepares an “incorruptible and undefiled” people for an “incorruptible and undefiled” inheritance. “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.” Acts 20: 32.