For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. —Romans 8:16-17

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As believers, we are God’s children—heirs to his eternal inheritance. When we view ourselves and others around us as God’s heirs, we live differently. In this message from guest pastor Layne Schranz, we learn what it means to be an heir and how we live as heirs to God’s kingdom.

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I am loved.

• Christianity is not about following an angry ruler but a loving father.

I am adopted.

• Christianity is not a religion to follow by a family to belong to.

I am an heir.

• Christianity is not about an earthly payment but an eternal reward.

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HOW DO HEIRS LIVE?

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Heirs are family first

• As family, we walk in an extra level of grace and forgiveness.
• Abiding in the Father doesn’t happen by listening to messages on Sundays. It happens through relationships built between Sundays.
• We are called to make allowances for each other’s faults (Ephesians 4:2)

Heirs embrace correction

• Correction comes from the Holy Spirit.
• The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ is change. God corrects us because he loves us too much for us to stay the same.
• Encouragement makes us feel good, but correction helps us grow.

Heirs honor

• Because God is a God of honor, and since heirs aim to be like the Father, we should be people of honor.
• Honor looks past the individual to the position they occupy. Every believer holds the position of child of God, so we should honor everyone because of that position.
• Honor is life-changing when you give it, but dangerous if you need it.
• Honor is for humans, but glory is only for God.

Heirs build the house

• Heirs invite others into the vision. 
• The church is not something to consume. If we truly view it as our inheritance, we should build it up, care for it, and invest in it.
• We build the house with our time and our generosity.

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Dinner Party Questions

• How does being an heir change how you view yourself? How can you increase your honor for other heirs this week?
• How do you typically experience correction? Do you view it as rejection, or are you able to embrace it?
• How are you building the house? What has God gifted you with that you can use to care for and invest in God’s church?

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