Heirs with Christ Through Suffering
"Whom he hath appointed heir of all things." As he is heir of all things, so "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:29, 26. "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." Rom. 8:17. There are several of such "if's" as this, in Paul's writings. "We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3:14. "To present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight, if ye continue in the faith." Col. 1:22, 23. "It is a faithful saying, For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." 2 Tim. 2:11, 12. We can deny him in refusing to suffer for him, as really as in any other way. And these promises are to those who suffer for him. We are joint-heirs if we suffer with him. We shall reign with him, if we suffer with him. Blessed suffering! "There is suffering ere the glory,
'There's a cross before the crown." It was so with the Master, and the servant is not greater than his Master, neither is the disciple greater than his Lord. And, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18.