"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:17
This is the especial blessedness of being a child of God�that
death, which puts a final extinguisher on all the hopes and
happiness of all the unregenerate�gives him the fulfillment of all his hopes and the consummation of all his happiness�for it places him in possession of the priceless inheritance God has reserved for His children�which is kept in heaven for them�pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!
In this present earthly life, we have sometimes sips and tastes of sonship, feeble indeed and interrupted�yet are they so far
pledges of an inheritance to come. But this life is only an
introduction to a better. In this life we are but children�but in
the life to come, we shall be put into full possession of the eternal inheritance. And what is this? Nothing less than God Himself. "Heirs of God!" says the Apostle. God Himself is the inheritance of His people�yes, He Himself in all His glorious perfections�all the love of God�all the goodness of God�all the holiness of God�all His happiness, bliss, and blessedness�all His might, majesty, and glory�in all the blaze of one eternal, unclouded day! This is the saint's inheritance! Let us press on by faith and prayer to win this eternal and glorious crown!
Let me disagree that "God Himself is the inheritance of His people".
Why?
God's people are not only called His "portion," His "special treasure, but also His "inheritance."
This suggests that an "inheritance is obtained through DEATH: so God's inheritance is secured to Him through the death of His beloved Son.
An "inheritance" is for possession, it is something which is entered into, lived upon, enjoyed.
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance" (Psalm 33:12).
The "nation" here is identical with the holy nation i.e. Christians," the "chosen generation, royal priesthood, peculiar people" of 1 Peter 2:9. This favored people was chosen by God to be His inheritance.
Just as a man who has inherited a house or an estate takes possession of it and then makes improvements, so God is now fitting His people -believers- for Himself. He who has begun a good work within His own is now performing it until the day of Jesus Christ (RETURN of the Son of God) (Phil. 1:6). He is now conforming us to the image of His Son. "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me" (Psalm 138:8). Nor will God be satisfied until we have been glorified. The Lord Jesus Christ "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body!" (Phil. 3:21) "When he (the SON of GOD) shall appear�we shall be like Him!" (I John 3:2)
Revelation 21:1-4: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever."
3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called CHILDREN of God!
Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He (JESUS) is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:17
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, �Abba, Father.� 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs�heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
