“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)
This Scripture has two main ideas. The first one is that if we are God’s children, we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That is an awesome statement Paul made. Let’s look into it.
First, we are God’s children. Scripture confirms that various times by different authors inspired by the Holy Spirit. John is one of the first to make it clear that if we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, God makes us His children. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:” (John 1:12) That word “power” means privilege, ability and the right. Paul stated earlier that those who are led of the Spirit are God’s children. It’s not merely believing in Jesus and receiving Him, but also allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our lives. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14) This means that as we listen to the Holy Spirit, Who is always giving us a choice to go our way or to follow Him, we obey His leading even if it doesn’t make sense to our human reasoning.
So, it’s established that we are children of God. If we’re God’s children then we inherit with God’s only begotten Son, Jesus. Paul further explains how it is that we become heirs of God. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:4-7) It’s in the rebirth of our spirit that we become heirs with Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1Peter 1:3-4) This is an inheritance that is not earthly. It’s spiritual because it’s incorruptible. It’s eternal while an earthly inheritance will be destroyed along with the earth. And it’s reserved for us in heaven, for life after our existence here on earth.
But another thing Romans 8:17 mentions is suffering with Jesus. Right away, I know, there is an immediate revolt against this. I’ve mentioned in other lessons how this suffering is for the Gospel. This can take many forms. Let’s look at what the Scriptures say about our suffering with Jesus. Immediately we see that it’s not only a certainty to suffer with Jesus, but also a privilege to suffer in His behalf. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake;” (Philippians 1:29) If you haven’t been suffering for Christ’s sake, it may be you are not revealing who you are to the world. Even in this day and age, thousands of years after the crucifixion of our Lord, just mention the Name of Jesus and adverse attitudes will come to light. The surprising thing is that some of the conflict may come from fellow brethren, who deny Christ to others to avoid conflict. They are more concerned with following the norm than with sharing the Truth and planting the seed of hope of Jesus to a lost world. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” (1Peter 3:15-17) Those words “good conversation” means good behavior. Our actions speak louder than words sometimes. And although that is true, some use it as an excuse not to speak the Word of God. I believe it takes both. At some time, people have to be confronted with the Truth of the Word because it’s the Word of God that has power to change people.
Another thought about suffering: “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1Peter 4:1-2) Peter also tells us to suffer for the sake of Christ. But more than that, Peter is talking about dying for the sake of Christ. A question that is often in my mind is if I would die for Christ. Will we have to face that possibility? We need to think in these terms. If we can’t even give up flesh desires, how will we be able to die for the sake of Christ?
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