TEXT:  Rom. 8:14-17

INTRODUCTION:

A.      WHAT'S THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?  ANY WISH?

B.      THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT( 1 John 3:1 ).

I.      HOW DOES ONE BECOME A CHILD OF GOD?

A.      NOT ANCESTRY!

          1.       Will Rogers to Mayflower descendant:

                              "My ancestors met the Mayflower!"

          2.       The Jews gloried in Abraham( Mat. 3:9 ).

          3.       Raised a Christian?

B.      NOT BY HUMAN WISDOM OR A HIGH I.Q.

          ( Jer. 9:23-24;  1 Cor. 3:18-19;  10:12 ).

C.      NOT WEALTH( Mat. 19:23-24;  1 Tim. 6:9-10 ).

D.      BY BEING BORN AGAIN( John 3:3-5 ).

          1.       New Creatures( Rom. 6:3-4 ).

          2.       An Act of faith( Gal. 3:26-27 ).

II.     AS CHILDREN WE ARE HEIRS OF GOD( Rom. 8:16-17 ).

A.      GOD IS OUR BENEFACTOR( James 1:17-18 ).

B.      JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST( Rom. 8:17 ).

          1.       But we must "suffer" with him( 2 Tim. 2:10-13 ).

          2.       Glorified with him.

III.    WHAT ARE WE TO INHERIT?

A.      1 Pet. 3:7.                     GRACE.

B.      James 2:5.                    KINGDOM.

C.      Heb. 1:14.                     SALVATION.

D.      Titus 3:7.                      ETERNAL LIFE.

E.      Heb. 11:7.                     RIGHTEOUSNESS.

F.      1 Pet. 1:3-5;  Rev. 21:1-7.

CONCLUSION:

A.      DO YOU WANT THIS INHERITANCE?

B.      YOU MUST BE GOD'S CHILD!

C.      YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN( John 3:5 ).

          1.       Change of the inner man in submission.

          2.       Occurs in baptism.