Life as an Heir of God: A Look Into Romans 8Узор

Day 2: You Inherit Everything

Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. (Romans 8:17 NLT)

Inheritance is a big deal to God. Numerous Old Testament laws safeguard the inheritance of God’s people—their piece of the Promised Land—to ensure every family’s share. Almost all of God’s promises were intended to bless not only the generation that received them but also many generations to come. Even Abraham, our father of this faith, looked ahead to a multitude of descendants and a city built by God, though he died long before the promise could be fulfilled (Genesis 12:1-3; Hebrews 11:10, 13, 29-40). God transcends generations and wants each one to build on what has gone before and set the next one up for even more.

In the New Testament, Paul designates all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, as heirs of Abraham’s promise (Galatians 3:29). But our inheritance goes further than that. Here (and in Galatians 4:7), he says we are also co-heirs with Christ. Since Jesus stands to inherit everything (Hebrews 1:2), we stand to inherit everything with him. Even now, the Son and his co-heirs are invited to ask for the nations of the earth as an inheritance (Psalm 2:8)—a critical invitation for fulfilling our global mission.

Earlier in Romans, we were rebels worthy of condemnation. Now we’re co-heirs of the entire Kingdom, wherever Jesus reigns, which will be everywhere and over everything. (He’s already sovereign everywhere, but it’s clear that much of this world hasn’t yet submitted to his reign.) We come to find out that we will one day reign with him (Revelation 5:10), and in some respects we already do (1 Peter 2:9). We’ve gone from death to life, futility to fruitfulness, slavery to freedom, condemnation to a coronation. It’s a glorious journey.

Re-Envision Your Inheritance

We were created to bear God’s image, which includes not only his righteousness but also his glory. Paul recognized this calling in describing our transformation “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV, NASB). You’ll notice in that passage that this transformation doesn’t come from striving to do better or be Christlike. It comes from gazing at Jesus with unveiled faces. The Spirit enters into that face-to-face communion with abundant power to change.

As a royal heir of the Kingdom, see yourself as a bearer of God’s glory (John 17:22), and spend far more time being fascinated with his goodness than trying to live up to it. The living will come, but not without the vision that empowers it. Like a young athlete mimicking his hero or an intern mentored by the CEO, you grow into the image you set before yourself daily. You aren’t only inheriting the Kingdom; you’re also inheriting the nature of the King.