‘If children, heirs also’
[Romans 8:14-17]
Look at Romans 18:17 – “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” We are children and heirs of God. Who are God's children? The children of God are guided by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. Look at Romans 8:14 – “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Through the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of adoption, we cry out to God, “Abba! Father!” Look at Romans 8:15 – “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” The Holy Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Look at Romans 8:16 – “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” Who, then, are the “heirs” (v. 17)?
First, Jesus, the begotten Son, is the heir of Heavenly Father.
In Matthew 21:33-39, we find the parable of the farmer in the vineyard of Jesus. In the parable, when the time for harvest is near, the landowner of the house sends his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce, and then sends another group of slaves larger than the first. Then at last he went and sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.” And the vine-growers took the son, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. In this parable, the landowner of the house is God the Father, and the heir son is Jesus Christ.
Second, children of God are heirs of God.
As children of God led by the Holy Spirit, we will inherit God's inheritance as God's heirs. Look at Matthew 25:34 – “Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” When the Lord, the Son of Man, comes in his glory with all the angels, that is, when the Lord comes again, he will sit down on the throne of his glory and gather all the nations before him, and separate them from each other, just as sheep and goats are separated, the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his right hand (vv. 31-33). The Lord will say to those (the sheep) on his right hand, “you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (v. 34).
Third, children of God are joint heirs with Christ.
So Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us “brothers.” The reason is because we are brothers who have one God the Father with Jesus Christ. Look at Hebrews 2:11-12: “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.’” Here, “the one who makes men holy” is Jesus, and “those who are made holy” are the believers in Jesus. Here, “the same family” refers to Jesus and us the believers have one God the Father. Jesus is the true Son of God the Father, and we the believers are adopted children of God.
The Apostle Paul says, “if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17). Here, “be glorified with him” refers to the glory that we the believers will inherit. This glory is the full and perfect glory that we will enjoy in the future life, as if seeing face to face. This is the hymn “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee” verse 1: “Jesus, the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills my breast; But sweeter far Thy face to see, And in Thy presence rest.” Also, in this world, this glory is like looking in a mirror, and it is a glory that we enjoy partially. As we enjoy this glory on this earth, we reveal the glory of God. In order for us to be glorified with Him, we must suffer with Him (Rom. 8:17). Look at Acts 14:22 – “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’” We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God. But the Bible says that the many afflictions we must suffer are the grace of God. Look at Philippians 1:29 – “For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Believing in Jesus Christ is also the grace of God. Look at Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Also, look at John 1:12 – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” Suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ is the grace of God. See the hymn “I Know not Why God’s Wondrous Grace” verse 3: “I know not how the Spirit moves, Convincing men of sin, Revealing Jesus through the Word, Creating faith in Him.” The forefathers of faith who went ahead also enjoyed suffering in order to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Look at Acts 5:41-42: “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” In Acts 4, even though the apostles were imprisoned while preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ (v. 3), and were warned and threatened, ‘Neither speak nor teach in the name of Jesus at all’ (vv. 17, 18, 21), they did not stop preaching the gospel (v. 33; 5:42). Legend has it that all the other apostles were martyred except for the Apostle John. The apostles did not avoid persecution and suffering, but rather rejoiced. The Bible says that those who want to live a godly life will be persecuted. Look at 2 Timothy 3:12 – “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” There is a difference between the laws of this world and the laws of the kingdom of heaven. As citizens of heaven, we suffer hardship, persecution, and even death rather than being welcomed and respected in this world. The saints who are spiritually mature not only prepare for these difficulties, persecutions, and hardships, but also rejoice and rely on the Lord, so they endure and overcome them well, and do not stop preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ like the apostles.
We are children of God, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Therefore, we must suffer together in order to be glorified with Christ. When we suffer for the sake of Christ, we should pray to God, calling Him “Abba! Father!” under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Surely our Heavenly Father will help us, protect us, deliver us, and give us victory in the end. Also, we should rejoice in the suffering we suffer for Christ's sake. It is because after suffering we will be glorified with Christ. And like the apostles, we must continue to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter what persecution there is. Therefore, I hope and pray that at the time of the Lord's return, we may enter the afterlife and receive the full and perfect glory together with Jesus Christ to fully enjoy it.
(v. 1) When all my labours and trials are o'er
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,
Will through the ages be glory for me.
(v. 2) When, by the gift of His infinite grace, I am accorded in heaven a place,
Just to be there and to look on His face,
Will through the ages be glory for me.
(v. 3) Friends will be there I have loved long ago;
Joy like a river a-round me will flow;
Yet, just a smile from my Savior, I know,
Will through the ages be glory for me.
[Chorus]
O that will be glory for me, Glory for me, glory for me;
When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me. Amen.
[Hymn “When all My Labours and Trials are O’er”]