Our Birthright

birth·right
/ˈbərTHˌrīt/
noun, a particular right of possession or privilege one has from birth

In my last blog post I used the word birthright in reference to our God-given privilege and equipping to love others, even strangers, in a neighborly way.  The next day I used the same word in a Facebook comment stating that "beauty from ashes" is our birthright.  Having not used that word in many years and then using it twice in two days...it has my attention.

Right off the bat it reminds me of the first time I heard the word... as a child in Sunday School.  The account of the lives of Isaac and Rebekah's sons, Jacob and Esau, in Genesis is one that I heard many times in my childhood growing up in church.  Jacob took advantage of Esau's exhaustion and hunger after a day working outdoors and asked for his birthright in exchange for a bowl of stew. Like a poster-child for the word "hangry," Esau foolishly agreed.  The privileges that were Esau's simply for being the twin who came out of his mother's womb first were transferred to Jacob.  Turns out, that was a really big deal.

A birthright has to do with both position and inheritance.  As children of God, when we are reborn into His family by grace through faith, we are automatically recipients of both position and inheritance. Positionally in Christ, we are:

• Foreknown
• Chosen
• Called
• Reconciled to God (brought near and given access)
• Redeemed
• Adopted
• Co-heirs
• Justified
• Sanctified
• Accepted
• Forgiven 
• Complete
• Sealed

Our inheritance is just as astounding. Children of God receive:

• Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm
• The gift of the Holy Spirit
• The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control)
• God's grace, mercy, power, encouragement, comfort, faithfulness, loving-kindness and favor
• Jesus's intercession
• An eternal home in heaven 
• Spiritual gifts to help build up the church
• and so much more... beauty from ashes, hope, a purpose, the list goes on and on.

The way the story of Esau reads, it hammers home the point that Esau "despised" his birthright.
“Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me now.’ So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright” (Gen. 25:32-34).

Commentaries on this describe that expression as meaning that Esau allowed his immediate discomfort (legitimate short-term hunger and exhaustion) to become more important to him than his long-term position and inheritance...to the extent that he might as well have despised it... it was just getting in his way of having what he really wanted in that moment.  The life lesson for us comes when we look over the list above and reflect on how rich our inheritance is and how privileged our position and then examine the ways we've "despised" one or both by satisfying immediate, temporary cravings instead of walking by faith.

Thankfully, our birthright as children of God isn't up for grabs based on our whims or failings, but even though it is secure, the love of God compels us to want to live worthy of the position and the inheritance that are ours.  

For more information about a Believer's position in Christ including all of the scripture references for the lists above: www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/core-christian-beliefs/the-believers-position-in-christ.html