Categories: Bible Lessons Leave a comment

#DailyDevotion We Share In Christ’s Suffering To Share In His Glory

#DailyDevotion We Share In Christ’s Suffering To Share In His Glory

Romans 816This Spirit assures our spirit that we are God’s children, 17and if children, then heirs, God’s heirs, and joint heirs with Christ since we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory.

The Holy Spirit assures our spirits that we are God’s children by pointing us to trust in what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. If we believe Jesus, who he is and what he has done for us, we are God’s children for only the children of God would do that. If we reject the full work of salvation of Jesus, try to add to Jesus’ work as if it were not enough or not believe he is truly God’s son from all eternity we would not be God’s children.

Now if we are children of God then we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Now being an heir usually means someone has to die in order to receive what belongs to the one who is deceased. But Father cannot die. How is it that we are his heirs then? Jesus is the Father’s heir also. How can he inherit what is the Father’s if the Father does not die? Truly Jesus died but we are not inheriting from him; we are co-heirs with him. For this I will point you to the parable of the Prodigal Son. The son wanted his inheritance before his Father’s death, so the Father distributed his goods according to the custom of the time between his two sons. In similar fashion, Jesus upon his resurrection and ascension inherited the kingdom of God from the Father and all that is the Father’s when he sat down at the right hand of God in power and glory.

Now before he was raised and ascended Christ Jesus suffered and died. We who are his disciples, who have become his friends by the shedding of his blood will also share in Christ’s sufferings. This should not surprise you. He said if we would be his disciples we must pick up our cross and follow him. Paul says in 2 Cor. 15“As Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so Christ makes our comfort overflow.” Paul and Barnabus preached to the believers in Acts 14:22 ““We must suffer much to enter into God’s kingdom.”

Now if we share in the suffering of Christ we will also share in his glory. Paul writes 2 Cor. 417“The light trouble of this moment is preparing for us an everlasting weight of glory, greater than anything we can imagine.” Peter also tells us, 2 Peter 14“so that after you have escaped the corruption that lust brought into the world, you might by these promises share in the divine nature.” So indeed, in and through Jesus we are heirs of God and coheirs with him. Our inheritance is God’s kingdom. Our inheritance is God’s glory, his righteousness, his holiness, knowledge, his wisdom, dominion and power. See what things Christ Jesus promises to those who will endure all for the faith in his promises to the Churches in Revelation and what is promised in the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter five. Whatever is God’s by nature he bestows upon us his creatures by his grace; we are made participants or communicants of it.

Heavenly Father, through our sufferings for the faith in Christ Jesus we are also to be made participants in his glory. Grant us your Holy Spirit and faith in Jesus Christ so we may indeed be your children and heirs of your kingdom on the day of Jesus’ revelation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Share this post
Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *