Understandably, many things come to mind when one hears the word “heritage” and we embrace many of those things. We take great pleasure in having the heritage of faith that has been once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3); a faith that began in our father Abraham (Gal. 3:7-9). We are also proud of our Baptist heritage. We embrace all of these things but we are most excited about the heavenly heritage promised to us along with every believer.
“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this HERITAGE, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
– Revelation 21:5-7
In the Apostle John’s revelation the LORD tells John to write down these trustworthy words; “…the one who conquers will have this HERITAGE, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” The greatest inheritance one could receive is eternal life. This heritage is only for the children of God who have ‘conquered’. This idea of conquering is a very familiar theme throughout John’s revelation.
- The one who conquers will be permitted to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7)
- The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. (Rev. 2:11)
- The one who conquers will be given authority over the nations. (Rev. 2:26)
- The one who conquers will be given hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. (Rev. 2:17)
- The one who conquers will be clothed in white garments, God will never blot his/her name out of the book of life, and Christ will confess his/her name before His Father and before his angels. (Rev. 3:5)
- The one who conquers will bear the name of God and be made into a pillar in the temple of God, the new Jerusalem. (Rev. 3:12)
- The one who conquers will be permitted to sit with Christ on His throne, as He also conquered and sat down with His Father on His throne. (Rev. 3:21)
We discover what it means to ‘conquer’ when we arrive at chapter twelve, where John sees Satan thrown down to the earth.
“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.’”
– Revelation 12:10-11
Paul says something similar when he tells the Romans that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20), which is a throwback to what God said to the serpent after the fall (Genesis 3:15).
It is by Christ’s work that we can have peace in this world as we endure trials and tribulations, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33) and has given gifts to His church (Ephesians 4:8). The only reason we conquer, and are given this heavenly heritage, is because of Christ’s work on our behalf. By Him securing us for Himself through His work, we will be carried along by the hand of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit, preserved, sanctified, and then presented to Christ as holy and blameless (John 6:37-40; 10:17-18,29; Romans 8:11,26-30; Ephesians 5:25-27).
“As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Romans 8:36-39
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
– 1 John 5:4-5
Conclusion
At Heritage Baptist Church, our mission is to see people conquer over their unbelief, conquer over sin, conquer over the fear of man, conquer over persecutions, conquer over death, and inherit this same heavenly heritage that has been given to all saints of the past. Knowing that the only way for this to happen is by pointing them to Jesus, we desire to share a bold, Christ-centered, gospel; for it is only by the blood of the Lamb that all these things are offered, received, and accomplished.
By this, we say: “For His Glory, Through the Ages.”
