“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
God has caused us to be born again because our first birth was an introduction into a world that is perishing, defiled and fading away (Romans 8:20ff). And not only that but our bodies, born into sin as they were, from the moment we took our first breath begun to wind down (Romans 5:12ff). Everything around us and everything within us is experiencing the consequences of sin – all is winding down. Right now my sweet one-year, having just awakened from a night of restful sleep, is crawling around on the floor behind me – exploring the world around her…and yet, standing over her growth & her development, is the reality of the curse. Her reward for being human…her inheritance as a daughter of Adam & Eve is a most certain future…perishing, defiled & fading away culminating in death.
But death does not have to represent the final sentence for her life…or mine because God, according to His great mercy provides a way for us to be born again. He’s provided a do-over if you will. Through Christ’s resurrection from the dead we get a new inheritance that’s imperishable, undefiled & will not fade away. But it’s really important to recognize the process by which this new inheritance has been offered. We’re born in sin – that is, our will is corrupt from the beginning. From the moment we leave the womb we are surrounded by the effects of the curse – pain, suffering, disappointment, loneliness & isolation. We are reminded of this reality with every earthquake, every homicide, every broken bone & every tear that flows out of loss.
Standing in stark contrast is Christ who from eternity past has been surrounded by perfection and beauty. No isolation, no separation, no loss…no death. This reality….His reality becomes our inheritance but not without cost. He takes on our pain, our suffering, our disappointment, our loneliness & our isolation. He enters into our broken world to rewrite the last will & testament. Using His blood as the ink He strikes through our birthright and writes in its place three words: Imperishable. Undefiled. Unfading.
Our inheritance will not be like what our parents leave to us – their money, their furniture and their heirlooms – all destined for use & refuse. Through the death & resurrection of Christ our inheritance becomes imperishable, undefiled & unfading! Think about that for a moment.
Imperishable…as in it will never wear out, run out, break or need replacing.
Undefiled….as in immaculate, unstained, pure & holy.
Unfading…as in ageless, enduring, death-defying & perpetual.
This truly is great news.
