And if children, heirs also heirs of God, and Christ's joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with [him], that we may also be glorified with [him].
Because we are God's children, we are also His heirs — and heirs together with Christ Himself. The verse ties something else to that title: a shared path of suffering now, leading to shared glory.
From child to heir
The verse does not argue toward heirship in stages. The relationship itself already carries it.
A Christian is an heir, as well as a child, an "heir of God" and a "fellow heir with Christ," Rom. 8:17… The inheritance goes with our being children: "if children, then heirs." The moment a person is in the position of a child, there is an heir.
The size of "heirs of God"
The verse says "heirs of God." How far does that reach?
His witness to our spirit is this — that we are children of God. But if children, we are His heirs. This accordingly leads, as connected with the deliverance of the body, to the inheritance we are to possess. The extent is what God Himself, so to speak, possesses — the universe of God, whatever will be under Christ: and what will not? As He has made all, so He is heir of all. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.
Fellow heirs: sharing His portion
"Fellow heirs" — older translations say "joint-heirs" — means the believer's future is bound to Christ's own. One writer finds the picture of it in Eve, the first woman, made as Adam's companion.
We shall see that God shows the church not only as enjoying the present blessing of communion, but also as joint-heir with Christ of His coming inheritance. When believers look at the glory of Christ, they are looking at their own glory, since they are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ." We see a picture of this in Eve. Eve was not a part of the creation, nor was she lord of it as Adam was; but she shared with him everything he inherited.
Suffering with Him, not for Him
The wording is exact: with Him, not for Him. That difference decides who the verse includes.
Note, though: this is suffering with Christ, not for Him. To suffer for Christ is a privilege, a special gift of God; Phil. 1:29. You cannot be a Christian without suffering with Christ. How could the Spirit of Christ give us a different mind from the mind that was in Christ as He passed through this sad world?
Public persecution is not the only thing in view. The grief comes from carrying Christ's life through a world set against Him.
This suffering comes from having life in Him while we pass through a world where everything is against Him… Divine life here is surrounded by all that works out its own misery, estrangement, and rebellion against Him. So if suffering is the necessary result of that, it is an immense privilege to suffer with Christ, cheered along the road by the prospect of sharing His glory.
Is the glory earned by the suffering?
Our reigning with Christ does not depend in any way on our present suffering. Instead, suffering here is the appointed path for those who will share Christ's kingdom with Him.
Glorified together
The last phrase looks past a new body. It points to a public moment, when the whole universe sees the children of God with Christ.
The glory comes in again. Tribulation is the present thing, but the bright glorious future is coming. To me it seems impossible for a Christian not to suffer with Him… This goes beyond having glorified bodies; that happens when the Lord comes, but this at His appearing. When He comes to be glorified in His saints, we shall be glorified together before the eyes of the whole universe. What a future opens up before us! Glory upon glory! It is a privilege to suffer with Him — all privilege.
Summary
- Child — it starts with relationship, not achievement. The moment someone is a child, there is an heir.
- Heir — the inheritance is as large as what God Himself has: everything that will come under Christ.
- Co-heir — like Eve with Adam, believers share everything that is Christ's. His glory is their glory.
- Co-sufferer — this is suffering with Christ. His Spirit in us cannot hold a different mind while we live in a world set against Him. Suffering for Him is a further gift.
- Co-glorified — the suffering does not buy the glory. It is the appointed road to it, and it ends in glory shown before the whole universe.