1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; 7because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be. 8Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 10If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 15For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. 19For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. 24For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 25But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.
26In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. 27He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.
31What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 33Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36Even as it is written,
“For your sake we are killed all day long.
We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Joint Heirs with Jesus
Joint Heirs with Jesus
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16-17 WEB)
God is a God of promises and covenants. Scripture is filled to overflowing with the promises of God. This gives us hope. Scripture tells us that every believer is a joint-heir with Christ. We can benefit from being an heir if we are willing to show up and claim our benefits. A Last Will and Testamentis a written document in which the “Testator” tells the world exactly what he or she wants done with what they have accumulated in their lives after they die. If you are named in the will, you are a beneficiary. The first deposit of your inheritance as a believer is the Holy Spirit. You receive the Holy Spirit when you respond to the love of God and place your faith in Jesus as your Savior. You will receive many benefits as part of your inheritance, but there are four that are mentioned in Scripture repeatedly: hope, love, joy, and peace (among others).
Faith is the trigger that must be pulled to get the process going. The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is the hypostasis that brings forth hope. (Hebrews 11:1) Think of that Greek word as meaning it is the “foundation” or the “platform” upon which our hope is built. It is having full faith in God to be Who He says He is and believing that He will do what He says He will do. Scripture tells us that the world has no hope, and therefore, it cannot offer us an answer to hopelessness. The believer’s hope isn’t like merely “hoping that it will rain”. It's so certain the rain is coming that you’ve gotten your umbrella out and put on your raincoat. The key to unlocking hope again in your heart after you’ve lost hope is to get back into God’s Word, understand the promises of God, and claim the inheritances that are rightfully yours. Jeremiah tells us that we can hope because God’s mercies are new every morning. He’ll be there to get us through whatever we come to. (Lamentations 3:23)
Sometimes we can lose our hope and wonder how we can ever keep going. Isaiah tells us that if we “wait upon the Lord,” He will refresh us and restore us. “ 31But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”. (Isaiah 40:31) If you’re feeling a little hopeless today, remember that you can have hope because God is faithful. You may feel forgotten. You have purpose because He is not done with you yet. Glorify Him, and if you feel you’ve lost all hope, trust in the fact that you will find hope again. Wait on Him and trust Him, and your hope will return.
Copyright © 2026 Faber F McMullen III. All rights reserved.