ALL THINGS ARE OURS

"If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." —Romans 8:17 [KJV]

If a child, from a spirit of untowardness, runs into and rolls itself in the dirt, would not that parent be a monster of barbarity who, instead of cleansing it from its filth, should dash out its brains? Yet there are those who dare assert such to be the conduct of God towards His children in Christ. For they say, though a man be a child of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, yet he may so fall into sin, that God may consign him eternally to hell for it; but, like Paul, such speak "ignorantly, and in unbelief." 

While we wish them to be taught better; from such miserable teachers, and such false doctrine, we pray "Good Lord deliver us." What! Can any of God's children be in such a filthy, polluted condition, that He has not wisdom enough to know them? Is there not love and power enough in His Spirit to lead them to the fountain of Christ's blood, that they may wash and be clean? Or has not the blood of Jesus virtue enough "to cleanse them from ALL sin?" It is plain, such notions come from the father of lies; for they deny the reign of grace, and flatly contradict the glorious truth here asserted. 

First, "If children," how come any sinners, who are by nature children of wrath, to be children of God? "God predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself," etc.—Ephesians 1:5. They are begotten and born into this state by the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in Jesus; they enjoy the knowledge and comfort of it. Secondly, "Then heirs" to an immortal inheritance of free gift by free grace. Thirdly, "Heirs of God." Marvellous assertion! Legality stand off! Unbelief avaunt! O, we can never reach the height, fathom the depth, measure the length, comprehend the breadth of our heirship. In one word, we are heirs to all that God is in Himself; has engaged Himself to do, to make us wise and happy in time and to all eternity. 

Is God our portion, then take thy pen, O every child of God, and thou, my soul, and write ALL THINGS ARE OURS—I cannot enlarge; enumerate them at thy pleasure, dwell on them with joy that gratitude may fill thy soul, and excite love and praise to thy God. Fourthly, "Joint heirs with Christ." O soul, if thou art one with Christ by faith, thou art one with Him as co-heir to all that His Father and thy Father has to bestow; an heir of all things in God, in earth, in heaven. O believer, what blessed reasoning is here! What glorious inheritance art thou born to! Born again to possess by faith now; hereafter in full sense and fruition in heaven. As well might Satan deny the certain perseverance of the Son of God; as soon pluck one of His glorified members out of glory, as to attempt to deprive any one heir of God of the full enjoyment of his heavenly inheritance.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)