In the usage of St. Paul, again, the ' inheritance ' often signifies the object of believing hope generally (Ac 20^- 26'8, Eph !"• ", Col 1" S*"). Also, believers are said to be heirs of 'eternal life' (Tit 3'), or, more frequently, of ' the kingdom ' (1 Co 6'- '" 15*', Eph 5'), Doth expres.sions being employed in the indeterminate manner common in the Gospels and elsewhere. When he treats of the idea more at large it is in connexion with one or other of two lines of thought. The first of these concerns his anti-Judaic polemic. Quite in the manner of the author of the Ep. to the Hebrews he insists upon the divine 'promises' as lying at the basis of all true faith and hope toward God. The possession of these ditterentiates the Jew from the Gentile (Ro 3^-') ; the covenants are essentially 'covenants of promise' (Eph 2'-); while the entrance of the law itself in the course of their historical fulfilment is to be regarded as a mere episode, by no means designed to supersede the promises, but rather to make more manifest the grace they contain and which bestows the inheritance (Ro 4). The import of the promise, however, is stated as being that Abraham should be 'heir of the world' (v.'^), an interpretation of the original covenant expressing in a remarkable way the universal purpose which lav within it. But in this sense the covenant is fulfilled only in Christ (Gal 3"), with whom again, in St. Paul's thinking, believers are indissolubly bound up (Gal 3", Ko 4'"'S") ; and perhaps, although it must be confessed he does not do this explicitly, it is under this point of view that we ought to bring his references to the inheriting ot ' the kingdom.' It is Christ who, as Abraham's seed, has in the first instance assumed the rule of the Messianic kingdom (Gal 3"), and believers, as reckoned within that seed (Gal 3-*) and called to His fellowship (1 Co P), may be said to share in His rule (1 Co 4*, Ro 5"), in which, in accordance with Eastern modes of thought, the prerogative of judging is included (1 Co 6-'- ^ ; cf. Mt 19-»).
More distinctive of this apostle still, however, ia his attaching of the idea in question to that of the sonship of believers. For his doctrine under this head see art. Adoption. What is of importance here to note is, that in his view sonship carries
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with it an indefeasible right to the inlieritanco — ' if son^^, then heirs' (t;al 4'). As W'eiss expresses it, 'as justiMcation is tlie security for life, so its result, adoption, is the security for participation in the divine 56fa as the second chief part of Christian hope in which the whole blessedness and glory of the future eternal life is comprehended in one great view ' (0/). cit. § 97 (<-•))• As Son, Christ is destined to glory, and first through His resurrection attains to it (Ro 1^) ; and so also believers, who bear ' the image of tlie heavenly,' are in the resurrection conformed to the ' likeness of the Son of God,' so that he becomes 'the iirstborn among many brethren' (1 Co 15'", Ko 8-^). The transformation of the ' body of our humiliation,' accordingly, holds an emphatic place in the inheritance which St. Paul teaches ( I'h 3-') ; while along with this goes a perfect inward assimilation to the mind of the Lord, and bejond it lies that which the apostle describes as ' plory ' (see art. under that title), a spiritual condition to which God's children are destined (Uo &■" '.)-'), in which the mystery of their adoption is finally disclosed (Ko 8", Col 3*), in the freedom and blessedness of which creation generally will share (Ko 8'"), and which constitutes the ultimate aim of the divine counsel (I Co il'). Of the inheritance thus conceived, the Spirit, who attests our adoption (Ro 8'"), is meanwhile the seal and earnest (Eph I'M™).
i'inally, in the Apoc. the faithful are said to ' inherit all (or ' these ') things ' (iF). M'hat these 'things' consist of is to be gathered from tlie book generally. Chicdj' they appear to embrace 'life' — that life 'which is lil'e indeed '(cf. i lie re- curring representation of the idea in such figures as the ' tree of life ' '22'-, the ' water of life ' 22', the 'crown of life' which the conquerors carry oU' 2'° 3", the 'book of life' in which their names are written 21-'' etc.) ; perfect holiness (2" 3*- » 4* 6" 7" 19«); immediate fellowship with God(7"'2P- ■■«22^), and the vision of His face (22'). A royal dignity (22') and glory ('2^) also pertain to that which awaits the believer, along with deliverance from all pain and want and death (7"" 21*). It is a bles.sedness (14" 19' '22'*) which is comi>lete and eternal. Alex. AIartin.
INIQUITY.— See SiN.
INJURIOUS. — Like the Fr. >n;«rie«a;, 'injurious' formerly had the meaning of ' insulting,' as well as its mod. meaning of 'hurtful.' Hence in Sir 8" and 1 Ti 1" the adj. v^fKcrHi! which means 'in- solent' is tr'' in AV 'injurious.' The same adj. occurs in Ro 1^, where AV has ' despiteful,' RV ' insolent.' RV gives ' insolent' in Sir, but retains 'injurious' in 1 Ti. The meaning of the Kng. word may be illustrated from Shaks. // Henry VI. I. iv. 51—