"Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." - Romans 8:17
A person has to become a child of God first, before becoming an heir of God or a co-heir with Christ. When a person isn't a child of God, he or she cannot be an heir of God.
CREATION VS CHILDREN
God created every human being, but there is a difference between being God's creation and God's child. A simple example is a carpenter. Every chair or table that he makes is his creation. His creations do not have life. But the carpenter's son is his child. The son is the living heir to the carpenter. This is the difference between the creation and the child.Man is God's creation, but because of sin, man remains lifeless before God like the carpenter's chair. The sinner's connection is not to God but to Satan. They are the devil's children. So sinners cannot be heirs of God, or co-heirs of Christ.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44
How does a person become an heir of God?
It is only when we are children of God that we become heirs of God (Romans 8:17). A person must accept Christ and become a child of God before becoming an heir of God.
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" - John 1:12
HOW DO WE ACCEPT CHRIST?
There is a proper way of receiving and accepting Christ. The Bible states how acceptance will be done according to God's will.The very first step is to receive Christ's messenger or sent one.
"I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me." - John 13:20
Who are these people that God sends? In the Old Testament God sent His prophets to speak His message to the people, but during the New Testament and until our time, God send apostles.
"Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute." - Luke 11:49
Thus if we want to accept Christ, we must accept Him through the teaching and preaching of the apostles of God. Because only the apostles of God will be able to preach the word of God, only them carry the true knowledge about God the Father and Jesus Christ whom the Father has sent.
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." - Matthew 11:27
CO-HEIRS OF CHRIST
Thus, if we accept the sent ones of God and accept Christ through their teachings, we become children of God just as the words of God promised. And if we become children of God, we fulfill the requirements of being heirs of God.Review:
1. How is the creation different from the children of God?
2. How does a person become on heir of God?
3. Who are the people used by God to bring his message to the people?
