In the Cross of Christ I Glory!

"Glory" with Christ follows "suffering" with Christ.

June 24, 2018

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  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 8:16-17

What wonderful words of assurance from God’s Word!  A genuine child of God can know without a doubt that he belongs to God.  This was John’s message in 1 John 5:13, and Paul’s message here in Romans 8.  Notice the progression of these two verses…

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…”  The Holy Spirit who saves us, is the One who testifies to our spirit that we are born again.  Just as there are people who think they are Christians because of their “works,” but are not saved, and have no witness of the Holy Spirit in them; so there are believers who are genuinely saved, but may be living in such a way that they “quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), or they “grieve the Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 4:30).  When the Holy Spirit is grieved or quenched it is difficult for Him to witness to our spirits.  Our sin blocks His testimony and we have no assurance of salvation.  What a miserable state for a believer!  On the other hand, when we are living for the Lord, dealing with our sin God’s way and are striving to lead a righteous life before Him, His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we belong to His family.

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…”  Every child of God is an heir of God.  We have a relationship with our God because we are His children.  We are joint-heirs with Christ not because of anything we have done but because of God’s grace in placing us into His family.  I’m a child of the King!

“…if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  Notice the order here, it is very important: suffering then glory!  There is no glory with Him if there is no suffering with Him.  It is interesting that during His temptation, Satan offered1 Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world, He could have them without having to suffer the cross.  It seems he offers believers what they want without suffering too, but he’s a liar and never to be trusted.  The believer has no inheritance and no glory without suffering with Christ.

Don’t buy into the devil’s lie that you can have glory the easy way.  There is no such thing for believers.  “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world,” (Galatians 6:14).

 

 

1.  It is interesting that Satan offers to give what does not rightly belong to him…  Beware his “tricky schemes!”