Heirs in and with Christ
Tom Pender
Introduction
I can remember when my dad used to work for a major international company that designed shoes. Because of his work, he got an employee discount. What this meant was that before school would start (and because we didn’t have to wear uniforms in the schools I attended in the United States), we would go to the factory store and stock up on clothes and shoes. This meant I could always have the up to date footwear and make the other kids jealous at how we could afford it. What I also remember is that my cousin would come and join us on the trip to share in the benefits. He liked to get the rare stuff to stand out.
I was also reminded of the days out at company picnics where, as a family, we would get to go and enjoy food and fun, playing a huge park with lots of activities and fun that didn’t cost us anything. I assumed that was a normal part of life, that it happened for everyone. I didn’t understand at the time the special significance of accessing something beyond me because of what my father did. It wasn’t until recently I was struck by a passage of scripture that tied into this.
Reading through my bible study time, I came across a passage about being an heir and it made me stop to think: What does it really mean to be an heir? We come across this at different points and can sometimes take it for granted. It was when I looked up Romans 8:17 that I started to dig:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (NIV)
Simply put, heirs are people legally entitled to the property or rank of another person upon that person’s death or a person who inherits and continues the work of a predecessor. (Oxford dictionary). That is fairly straight forward, and we all get that. But explore what it means in the context of Romans. What impact does this have on us today? Why should we be concerned with understanding this idea?
As heirs, we have been adopted by God.
The Jews have always placed a great importance on lineage. Looking at Matthew 1 as an example, it wasn’t just to prove who someone was descended from, it was also to remind of the rights that a person held because of the family. Family truly meant everything, which is why some people, when hearing Jesus, responded that he was the son of a carpenter so why should they listen.
Looking through the Old testament, you see how the lineage was used to divide up the land. How important it was to know to which tribe or clan you belonged for what was your birth right. The issue really came up when in Numbers 27, there were only daughters left to inherit. The law at that time was that the inheritance was only passed onto the males in the family. Along comes Zelophehad and his daughters.
Because Zelophehad had died in the wilderness, the daughters wanted to know what would happen to them. This was fair as if they didn’t get the inheritance, it would pass to another family which wouldn’t have given equal shares. When the daughters questioned Moses about it, they were able to clear some things up with God laying out the new idea that daughters could be included if there were no sons and how to find out who gets the inheritance if there were no children.
This is all wonderful, but how does it apply to us? We aren’t direct decedents from God so how can we be entitled to an inheritance? It is because we are adopted! But wait, it doesn’t end there because you must understand the importance of adoption at the time this was written.
There wasn’t a word or idea for adoption in the Hebrew times. In fact, there is a dispute among historians about what references support the idea in the ancient texts. It is accepted that it was considered a great thing to adopt/raise an orphan as your own. The Hebrew idea of adoption would have meant that your biological parents still had rights over you and that you were part of that line, not the one that took you in.
What we see Paul using in Romans is the Roman idea of adoption in which the adopted child is freed from the rights of the biological parents and taken into the new family, to partake of what they have. There is a beauty in this – instead of having the right of sin and punishment because of our natural, biological lineage, we have been adopted into God’s family, saved from sin and able to partake in the joys of everlasting life! Instead of an inheritance of pain and suffering, we get joy and gladness! Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5 all discuss this idea.
As heirs of God, we can be saved and share in Heaven
So, building on the idea that we have been adopted into God’s family, we are then able to share in the inheritance that comes from that. Romans 9: 4-5 highlights what the chosen children of God were going to inherit, mainly the promise of salvation. Verses 6-13 then opens up the rest of it: that even though the Jews were the chosen ones, the promises extended to those that God has chosen to call His own.
Thinking back to my cousin and our school shopping, he wasn’t a direct descendent of my father. In normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have had any right to share in the gifts. Because my father chose to love my cousin and brought him with us, my cousin was “adopted” into the family. What a greater thing it is for us to be adopted into a family that has the promise of freedom from sin and the gift of everlasting life! Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
We don’t have to look at this as though we are just an addition into the family. We have been redeemed. As the dictionary defines it, redeemed means God has paid for us to regain us. As we were lost in sin, we have now been bought with Jesus (Ephesians 2:5) We don’t have to worry about what we wouldn’t have because we can rest in the assurance that we share in the glory and wonder of Heaven. We can take heart that by accepting God’s gift, we are free to be children of God and not slaves to sin.
As co-heirs with Christ, we share in His work and glory.
Jesus, God’s own son and first borne would be entitled to the inheritance. Of course he is! The wonderful bit of the passage in Romans is that not only are we heirs who get to receive salvation, we get to share in the portion that Jesus gets. This doesn’t happen much in our lives, if ever.
Think about any story of inheritance. Different items are given to different family members. In some instances, things are shared evenly out with the different family members. Each person ends up with something they can call their own. In some cases, one person ends up with more, like in the case of families with only one direct heir. In that case, only person enjoys the benefits that brings. How wonderful it is then that we are co-heirs with Christ!
Jewish law meant that a double portion was given to the eldest son. Roman law meant all children got an equal share. Paul was confirming for the readers that we will share with Christ.
The tough part comes from sharing in his work, but this shouldn’t come a surprise. By sharing in his work, we will share in the suffering. We are called to be like Christ and to be taking up our cross daily. This isn’t an easy thing to do. We will experience pain, we will be persecuted, we will experience difficulty. But we will also get to share in the glory of Heaven, awaiting all sons and daughters of the most high God. It isn’t about looking at the reward that comes at the end of it. It is more important to realise that God loves you enough to want you back. If He loves you that much, would you not want to show your gratefulness back? Wouldn’t you want to express your thanks by doing what God asks because you now love him?
By turning to God, repenting of our sins and focusing on what He calls us to do, we can experience the fullness of the joy that belongs to the children of God. We can walk with assurance of salvation; we can walk with assurance of joy despite the darkness. We can rejoice during the chaos because we know that that is not our inheritance. We don’t have to settle for what this live has because we know we are inheriting something so much better.
So, what does this all look like lived out?
- Accept God’s gift of salvation by turning from sin, repenting of it and living your life for Christ.
- Walk in the joy that you are a legitimate child of God, redeemed fully. You will share in the joy of salvation and the joys of Heaven.
- Talk in a way that demonstrates your adoption – speak of the love and joy of God, of his calling on your life and on what it means to be a child of God.
- Encourage one another as fellow heirs – one is not greater than the other. Share the gifts you have been given and support each other in how you grow daily. It isn’t a race to be won by one person. We are in this together and share in the grace of God.
What a great knowledge we have in knowing that the sacrifice of Jesus not only freed us from sin and death but made us heirs to the kingdom of Heaven! Hallelujah!
Prayer
Father God, thank you for the ability to call you father. In times when so many are without families or feel so apart from them, thank you that you are always there. Thank you that you have called us to be sons and daughters.
Thank you that we know you have the best in the store for us. That you have redeemed us from a life of sin and death. Thank you, God, that we can share in the joys of heaven, not as onlookers but as rightful heirs and co-heirs with Christ.
Father we pray that you open our ears and hearts to those around us. Help us to be the examples you want us to be and to be aware of how we can encourage our brothers and sisters. Help us to remember to speak as children of God and not of children of the world. Help us to live out a life that reflects the saving work you have done in our lives – not only in what we do but in how we act and speak.
Thank you so much for the gift of your Son. Thank you that we are free to be your children and no longer conforming to this world. We pray for all those in our communities who do not yet know you that we may have opportunities even now to share your love and your message of hope. Help us to be aware of times and places where we can demonstrate you them and spread your message.
We pray for all of those we know who are suffering currently and pray for peace and hope. Restore to them the joy of your salvation. Restore in their hearts and minds the peace that brings hope and the knowledge that you are with them.
We give you thanks and praise for everything.
In your name we pray, Amen.
Lyrics
Blessed Assurance
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.
- Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. - Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
A mighty Fortress is our God
A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.
Before the throne of God above
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose Name is Love,
Whoever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while with God He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One with Himself, I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.