“And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” —Romans 8:17
The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, reveals the great mystery of our adoption as children of God. To be an heir of God is to receive an inheritance not of fleeting earthly riches but of eternal communion with Him. This inheritance is given to us through Christ, in whom we are made partakers of the divine life. It is not an abstract promise; it is the very reality of our salvation, accomplished through the Incarnation, Cross, and Resurrection of our Lord.
From the beginning, God has prepared this inheritance for those who love Him. In the Old Covenant, the tribes of Israel received their inheritance in the land, but the Levites were given something greater: the Lord Himself as their portion. This foreshadowed the New Covenant, in which the faithful are called to inherit not merely the things of this world but God Himself. The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place of material splendour; it is the unending life of divine grace, where the righteous behold the face of God and dwell in His glory forever.
Through Christ, we are made joint heirs, sharing in His divine inheritance. He is not only our Redeemer but our elder Brother, who has opened the way to the Father. The inheritance of the Son becomes our inheritance, not by right, but by grace. Theosis, the transformation of the human person into the likeness of God, is the ultimate fulfilment of this inheritance. It is the purpose for which we were created, the destiny for which Christ came into the world. Yet, this inheritance is inseparable from the Cross. Saint Paul teaches us that to share in Christ’s glory, we must also share in His sufferings. The path to the Kingdom is the path of the Cross, for it is through suffering that we are purified and made ready to receive the fullness of divine life. As the Lord Himself said, “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38). Suffering is not an obstacle to our inheritance but the very means by which we are conformed to Christ. It is in bearing our trials with patience and faith that we enter into the mystery of His redemptive love.
The Christian life is one of pilgrimage, a journey towards the heavenly inheritance that has been prepared for us. The trials of this world remind us not to set our hearts on transient things but to lift our eyes to that which is eternal. “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure” (Proverbs 4:25-26). The saints who have gone before us bore witness to this truth, enduring suffering with joy because they knew their true home was not of this world.
To live as heirs of God is to embody the virtues of faith, hope, and love. It is to renounce the passing pleasures of this world and seek first the Kingdom of Heaven. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). The Church, through the Holy Mysteries, sustains us in this journey. In the Divine Liturgy, we are given a foretaste of our inheritance, receiving the very Body and Blood of Christ, who is the Bread of Life. Through prayer, fasting, and the ascetic life, we grow in our likeness to Christ and prepare ourselves for the joy of the Kingdom.
This inheritance is certain, for it is secured by the promise of God. No earthly trial, no suffering, no power of darkness can take it from us. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Therefore, let us walk in faith, bearing our crosses with patience, and fixing our hope on that which is to come. “The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words” (Psalm 119:57). May we, as His children, persevere in this hope, knowing that our true home is with Him, in the unending light of His glory.
May God bless you +
Fr. Charles
17 November 2025
