THE INHERITORS When one dies, one hopefully has a will in place to determine what should be done with the possessions of that person.  Children, family, or friends often receive an inheritance.  This may include land, a home, automobiles, jewelry, stocks, bonds, investments, and cash.  Before these things can be distributed, there will need to be a will that is in order.  At death this will is important, but it has no value at all while the testator lives.   “For where there is a testament (will), there must also of necessity be the death of the testator (person the will is about).  For a testament (will) is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives” (Heb. 9:16-17). In Christ we are called the “children of God” in some ten passages of the New Testament.  All of humanity is given the right through Christ to become children of God (Jn. 1:12).  Once we are adopted by God through Christ, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, the HEIRS – HEIRS of God and joint HEIRS with Christ,  if  indeed  we  suffer  with  Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Rom. 8:16-17). Our adoption process is beautiful.  Today we look at legal adoptions, and we are often overwhelmed at all the red tape one has to go through to adopt a child.  The adoption process devised by our God is not burdensome and overwhelming.  It is simple and open to all who want to be adopted by God, and He can Father His children through the new birth (Jn. 3:3-5).  The adopted are encouraged by their elder brother, Jesus Christ.  Jesus is not ashamed to call you and me His brethren (brothers)        (Heb. 2:11).   We know we are brothers to Christ because He chose to relate to us by being made like us His brethren (Heb. 2:17). Christians are brothers to Christ simply because they have chosen to OBEY Him.  Jesus says, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven (not Rome) is My brother and sister and mother” (Mt. 12:50: Lk. 8:21).  Christians know —  not   wishfully think — they have a relationship with Christ.  This gives us our “blessed assurance,” our confidence, and our boldness to live the abundant life.  Now because of the Father and because of the Son, the Holy Spirit is made available to all the adopted of God.  God did His part of our adoption at the cross.  We do our part of the adoption process by obeying the Son who helps us from a human perspective to know how to obey the Father and the Holy Spirit.   Consider further these verses which assure us that our adoption by God to be His children is for real.   Paul quotes Hosea in Rom. 9:25 and says “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.”  Paul also quotes Samuel in 2 Cor. 6:18 and says, “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”  This plan of adoption being available to all was spoken of as being part of God’s long term plan.  This is no after thought.  This is what God had intended long before Christ came upon the earth.  All Christians are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26).  Under the Law of Moses, the Jews were ultimately to receive adoption by God as sons (Gal. 4:5).  In this same plan, God includes the Gentiles to be fellow HEIRS of the same church body (Eph. 3:6).  He has had this predetermined (predestined) plan to adopt His    people to be his sons by their living faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5).   Christians are the only heirs (children) God has.  From His word God defines those He considers Christians.  Churches cannot give a better definition of a Christian than God, our judge, can.  Yet today the tragic fact is that the majority of those who consider themselves Christians do not meet the Bible’s definition of what a Christian is to be.  Christians belong to Christ.  Christians are Christ’s possession for He has purchased them with His own precious blood.  If Christians belong to Christ, then they are spiritually related to Abraham and are HEIRS according to the promise made to Abraham that all the nations would be blessed through a seed (descendant) of Abraham (Gal. 3:29).  The Christian relates to God not as a slave but as a son.   Because of this, we know we are an HEIR of God through Christ (Gal. 4: 7).  God’s people are the ones who will in the future INHERIT salvation (Heb. 1:14).  You see, God’s justifying grace is supposed to make us His HEIRS; and we expect to receive from our Father eternal life (Tit. 3:7).  All of the ultimate inheritance of the children of God is distributed through the Son, the   ultimate heir of all things and through whom also God made the worlds (Heb. 1:2).   We are to inherit the gift of salvation (Heb. 1:14).  God is determined to show us more abundantly that we are the HEIRS of His promise.  God’s immutability, His counsel, and His oath assure us of these things (Heb. 6:17).  Christians are to learn from Godly men like Noah who became an heir of righteousness according to his faith.  We also are to think of ourselves as the HEIRS of righteousness which is      according to our faith (Heb. 11:7).  God has a spiritual, eternal kingdom for His     people.  James 2:4 says, “Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in FAITH and HEIRS of the (spiritual/ eternal) kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”  Are you a child of God?  If so, then this is but a glimpse of the inheritance that is yours.