The part they didn’t tell you

 The part they didn’t tell you.

If you have attended church for any length of time you probably heard the first part of

Romans 8:17a. and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,

Sadly for most you didn’t hear the whole verse which shows that the first part is conditional based upon the second part.

Romans 8:17b if indeed we SUFFER with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

I put the word suffer in capitals so it wouldn’t be missed because that’s the primary reason you didn’t hear it. We don’t like to hear about suffering or about how the Christian life involves suffering.

No we want to hear the 5 steps to prosperity, the 3 keys to freedom and how great life is after we give our life to Christ. Guess what that’s true as well. The Lord wants you to prosper, to live in freedom from sin and it is a truly great life in Christ but also involves suffering.

Now don’t get it twisted. The suffering is with Christ so this isn’t talking about any suffering that comes upon you because of sin, sickness or poor choices. The Lord gets no glory from that kind of suffering nor did He suffer because of any of those things. The suffering of the Christian is to be inline with the Suffering that Jesus endured.

Look at what it says in 1 Peter 3:13-18 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

And 1 Peter 4:1-5 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

These are not all the verses in the New Testament that speak on this subject. I encourage you to look into for yourself. Your flesh will hate it but if we don’t get a understanding of what God says concerning this subject we will miss out on something very, very important. Again our inheritance is connected to our understanding and action on this matter.