This document discusses what it means for Christians to be heirs of God. It makes several key points: 1) True Christians are sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, having received the Spirit of adoption. 2) As sons of God, Christians have certain marks or signs including being led by the Spirit, having the Spirit of adoption, and the witness of the Spirit. 3) Suffering is part of the process by which sons of God are sanctified and prepared for their future inheritance as heirs with Christ. 4) Only those who are united to God through faith in Christ can take comfort in God as their Father. One's membership in a church does not determine their sonship to God

1. Practical Religion
Chapter 18: Heirs of God
J. C. Ryle

2. Heirs of God
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For
you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom
we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with
our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then
heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we
suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:14-17

3. True Christians Are Sons of God
“Men become sons of God in the day
that the Spirit leads them to believe on
Jesus Christ for salvation, and not
before.” ‘for in Christ Jesus you are all
sons of God, through faith’ (Gal. 3: 26).
What says the Gospel of John? ‘But to
all who did receive him, who believed
in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God’ (John 1:12).
who were born, not of blood nor of
the will of the flesh nor of the will of
man, but of God. (v 13)
… all of mankind … being
… by nature children of
wrath, the servants of sin,
the subjects of death, and
all other miseries,
spiritual, temporal, and
eternal, unless the Lord
Jesus set them free.
~ 2 LRBC 6.3

4. Adoption as Sons of God:
Five Requirements
A person is born of another family than the
one into which they are adopted
The person has no right to be adopted into
that family
There is a legal power authorizing the
adoption
The adopted person is freed from
obligations to the original family
All rights, privileges, advantages, and titles
of the new family are granted to the person
adopted as if he were a natural son
John Owen

5. True Christians Are Sons of God
We can't know if a
person is a son of God
until he/she believes
Regardless of the church
or denomination to
which a person belongs,
if they have the faith
which unites them to
God, they are a son of
God.
I warn you to beware of the
delusive notion that all men and
women are alike children of God,
whether they have faith in Christ or
not. It is a wild theory which many
are clinging to in these
days, but one which
cannot be proved out
of the Word of God.

6. True Christians Are Sons of God
Beware of a theology that
says that any belief is
valid, everything is right
and nothing is wrong; no
one is responsible for his
actions, or accountable
for his opinions; we don't
need to believe
everything in the Bible,
as it isn't trustworthy.
Where there is no faith in Christ it
is a dangerous error to say that a
man may take comfort in God as
his Father. God is a reconciled
Father to none but the members
of Christ.

7. The True Christian’s Relation to God
What are the marks and signs,
and tokens, by which the ‘sons
of God’ may be known? This is
a question which all who love
eternal life ought to ask.
Sons of God are led by the
Spirit
Sons of God have a Spirit of
Adoption

8. The True Christian’s Relation to God
Sons of God have the witness of the
Spirit
Sons of God take part in the
sufferings of Christ
Suffering is a part of the process
by which the sons of God are
sanctified.
Philip Melancthon: ‘Where there
are no cares there will generally be
no prayers.’

9. The True Christian’s Relation to God
Some will argue that they must
be able to be saved without
these marks (i.e., without the
witness of the Spirit)
Some will feel their evidence is
too weak, and will despair
Beware of
thinking you are
a Son of God if
you lack the
marks of sonship

10. Privileges of a True Christian
The Bible generally deals with the
subject in negative terms and not in
positive assertions. It describes what
there will not be in the glorious
inheritance, that thus we may get
some faint idea of what there will be.
And these are glorious things indeed.
No corruption!— No fading— No
withering!— No devil!— No curse of
sin!— No sorrow!— No tears!— No
sickness!— No death! Surely the cup
of the children of God will indeed run
over!
The very Bible itself only lifts a
little of the veil which hangs over
this subject. How could it do
more? We could
not thoroughly
understand more
if more had been
told us.

11. Privileges of a True Christian
Knowledge: 1 Cor 13:12
Holiness: Eph 5:27
Rest: Heb 4:8-10
Communion with the saints
Communion with Christ
There are many sweet, pleasant,
and unspeakable comforts in
their future inheritance, which all
true Christians
would do well to
consider. There
are cordials for
fainting pilgrims in
many words and expressions
of Scripture, which we ought
to lay up against time of need.

12. Whose Child Are You?
If you are not a son and heir of
God, seek to become one without
delay
If you are a son and heir, walk
worthy of your Father's house
Labor to feel like a Son of God
in every situation
Labor to behave toward others
like a Son of God

13. For next time:
Chapter 19: The Great Gathering
Please read:
2 Thess. 2:1
Matt. 24:31
1 Cor 15:50-57