It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

What a blessing to be born again! To have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is to “live with great expectation.” Instead of living with uncertainty about the future, those who are born again have great expectations about what the future has in store for them. They expect the future to be glorious—a priceless inheritance is being held in reserve for them. They believe that when they reach the end of their days, something more awaits them. Death is not the end of the matter. There is something beyond death—an inheritance so valuable that you can’t put a price on it and you would never sell it for any price.

This priceless inheritance is being held securely in heaven. Each and every believer has an individual place in heaven that is being held in reserve. Jesus Himself said this. It is the place He said He was going to prepare (John 14:2). It is a special place in the holy city, the New Jerusalem, and it includes everything heaven has to offer.

This priceless inheritance is pure and undefiled. Like everything in heaven, it is above and beyond the reach of that which is sinful and evil. It is also above and beyond the reach of change and decay. That is, unlike earthly inheritances, it will never fade away or vanish. It is an eternal inheritance that the born again will enjoy forever.

Were it not for the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead, we would not be born again–and we would not have our special inheritance. Even though life here has trials and hard providences, keep in mind what God has promised you. Keep in mind the priceless inheritance that awaits you in heaven. Praise the Lord!

By John Huisman, Friend of Bible League International