The Believers (1)
Message Four
Heirs of God
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture reading:
Titus 3:7 In order that having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
I. An heir refers to a person who is legally entitled to inherit the estate, assets, or ownership of another after that person dies. (Monday)
II. The literal meaning of an heir is one designated to receive an inheritance.
III. Having been renewed through being regenerated and having received the divine essence, we become heirs of God according to the hope of eternal life, qualified to inherit the estate of God the Father; eternal life is our enjoyment in this age and our hope in the coming age, enabling us not only to live God and enjoy God in this age but even more to inherit all the riches of what God is to us in the coming age and in eternity; according to this hope we are heirs of God, inheriting all His riches for eternity—Titus 3:7; Rom. 4:14; 8:17; Gal. 3:29; 4:7.
IV. The heirs of God are those who have been born into the house of God through believing in Christ to receive the promise or inheritance from God; spiritually, heirs refer to believers born into the house of God, who are joint heirs with Christ, receiving the promised salvation, eternal life, and the kingdom of God.
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V. The following are the main verses in the Bible concerning the heirs of God: (Tuesday)
A. And if children, heirs also; on the one hand, heirs of God; on the other, joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him—Rom. 8:17.
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B. You are a son; and if a son, an heir also through God—Gal. 4:7. (Wednesday, Thursday)
C. And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to promise—Gal. 3:29.
VI. Now we want to see the status of the believers as the heirs of God:
A. Christ is the Heir of all things, and the believers are destined to be joint heirs with Christ—Heb. 1:2.
B. The believers become the heirs of God through being regenerated in the resurrection of Christ—Heb. 11:25.
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C. The believers are the heirs of God and will also be glorified with Christ—Rom. 8:17b. (Friday)
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D. The saints’ enjoyment of the divine inheritance will consummate in their becoming God’s inheritance—Eph. 1:18. (Saturday)
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God—Rom. 8:14.
The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, heirs also; on the one hand, heirs of God; on the other, joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him—Rom. 8:16-17.
And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise—Gal. 3:29.
Word of Appetizer
What are the main verses in the Bible concerning “heirs of God”? What is the meaning of an heir?
“And if children, heirs also; on the one hand, heirs of God; on the other, joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him”—Rom. 8:17.
“You are… a son; and if a son, an heir also through God”—Gal. 4:7.
“And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise”—Gal. 3:29.
An heir refers to a person who has the legal right to inherit the estate, assets, or ownership of another after that person has died; in the Bible, an heir is one who legally receives the inheritance.
Spiritual Burden
In the Bible, an heir is one who legally receives the inheritance; spiritually, heirs refer to believers who are born into God’s family; as joint heirs with Christ, they receive the promised salvation, eternal life, and the kingdom of God.
“And if children, heirs also; on the one hand, heirs of God; on the other, joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him”; this indicates that there is a condition for being an heir; after being born as children, we must grow in life to become sons; we must also pass through suffering to be glorified and become legal heirs.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
An heir refers to a person who has the legal right to inherit the estate, assets, or ownership of another after that person has died.
The literal meaning of an heir is “one designated to receive an inheritance.”
In the Bible, an heir is one who legally receives the inheritance; “heirs of God” signifies inheriting eternal life, the kingdom of God, and spiritual blessings, often described as being joint heirs with Christ.
The Experience of Life
After we are saved, we are children of God, sons of God, partakers of the divine nature, and heirs of God; when we grow to reach the stage of being joint heirs with Christ, we will be glorified. When we are saturated and permeated with the element of glory, that glory will shine out through us; this is what it means for us, the heirs of God, to be glorified with Christ.
When Christ resurrected, all of us who believe in Him were included in Him; therefore, we were also resurrected with Him; in His resurrection, He dispensed the divine life into us, making us the same as He is in life and nature.
Practice and Application
The condition for being an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ, is “if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him.”… We must remember that suffering is the embodiment of grace… If we suffer with Him, we will be glorified with Him. The more suffering we pass through, the more our glory will be intensified, because suffering increases the intensity of our glory. Rom. 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed upon us.” The sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the coming glory.
After being born as children, we must grow in life to become sons; we must also pass through suffering to be glorified and become legal heirs.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1: An heir is a legal person of full age, one who is qualified to inherit the father’s estate (Titus 3:7; John 1:12-13)
(Please illustrate that believers are not only sons, but even more heirs qualified to inherit the Father’s estate.)
T2: Eternal life is not only for us to enjoy today, but also for us to fully inherit in the future (Matt. 19:29)
(Please illustrate what items are included in the hope of eternal life, which is the blessed hope.)
Day 2
T1: Believers are children of God, sons of God, and heirs of God (Rom. 8:14, 16-17)
(Please illustrate in which three stages the life of God works, the result of which brings the sons to full maturity.)
T2: If we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:16-17)
(Please illustrate what the condition is to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.)
Day 3
T1: Believers are heirs according to the promise God gave to Abraham (Gal. 4:7; 3:29)
(Please illustrate how we become Abraham’s descendant.)
T2: To be regenerated is the basic factor for us to become heirs of God (Gal. 4:7; 1 Pet. 1:3)
(Please illustrate that to be regenerated is to receive another life, which is the divine life, in addition to the human life.)
Day 4
T1: Our inheritance is The Triune God Himself (1 Pet. 1:3-4; Eph. 1:14)
(Please illustrate that the Holy Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance.)
T2: The Triune God is our inheritance, and we are His possession (1 Pet. 1:4; Acts 20:28)
(Please illustrate that in glory, we will enjoy God as our inheritance, and He will also enjoy us as His possession.)
Day 5
T1: Christ is the allotted portion of the saints as their inheritance (Col. 1:12)
(Please illustrate what the “portion” in Col. 1:12 means.)
T2: Heirs of God are glorified with Christ (Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4)
(What is “glorification”.)
Day 6
T1: God’s inheritance is in the saints (Eph. 1:18)
(Please illustrate that when God’s element is wrought into our being, we become His inheritance.)
T2: Our enjoyment of the divine inheritance consummates in our becoming God’s inheritance (Eph. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:4)
(Please illustrate that on the one hand, we are God’s inheritance for God to enjoy; on the other hand, we inherit God as our inheritance for us to enjoy.)
