If we truly are children of God then we are heirs of God and coheirs with Christ.

This concept is unbelievable in its scope. When your father dies he leaves you whatever wealth he has accumulated. How much wealth has God accumulated?

There is a somewhat deep thought here. Should I present it? I don't want people to become confused or get shunted off into a lagoon, there to paddle about going nowhere of importance.

Let's go for it.

Ordinarily you don't inherit an estate until your parents die. Has God died that His heirs should possess His wealth?

This is how it works, I believe. God has died in the sense He has chosen to appear to us in Jesus Christ and has entrusted all His wealth to Christ. It is His love that prompts such an endowment and His joy to give it.

Now Christ has chosen to appear to the world in us and has entrusted His wealth to us. It is His love that prompts such an endowment and His joy to give it.

God and Christ are still alive in their Own right but they have transferred their life in the sense we have described.

To inherit the all things of God is to receive the totality of the universe. Truly the sons of God are destined to rule all the works of God's hands.

But as always there is a condition.

Revelation informs us that it is he who overcomes who will inherit the all things of God and will be referred to as God's son. The defeated believer has no such hope.

If it were true, as taught currently, that all believers are overcomers by virtue of believing in Christ, then Revelation, Chapters Two and Three would make no sense whatever. Let us cease this foolishness for we are leading multitudes of believers astray with our people-pleasing notions!

Again we have the condition expressed in Romans 8:17: "If so be that we suffer with him."

We must share the sufferings of Christ if we expect to be glorified together with Christ. The sufferings of Christ include long imprisonments while our most fervent desires are withheld and we are compelled to remain in detestable situations. It is here, in the prisons of God, that we gain the crown of life.

There is no other way than the way of suffering denial of our desires. Numerous Christians escape from God's prisons by breaking God's laws. They believe God wants them to be happy and so they see to it that they get what they want. The result is they sin against God, compromise their integrity, and betray those who are trusting in them.

To receive the inheritance of a son of God is to acquire authority, power, and wealth not equaled by any earthly emperor of history. The stakes are as high as Heaven above.

As always is true of things of great value there is a great price tag. God is ready to bequeath to you everything He owns. But He demands in return everything you own.

In the day you can say to God, "All I have is yours," in that day God will say to you, "All I have is yours."

In the Day of the revelation of Jesus Christ, God and His wealth will be revealed to the world through Christ.

In the Day of the revelation of Jesus Christ, Christ and His wealth will be revealed to the world through us.

Thus Christ and we shall be glorified together.

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (II Thessalonians 1:10)