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“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Romans 8:17-18.

These verses were part of may Bible reading on Tuesday 18th July.

As we said in our first part of this article, Romans chapter 8 is brimful of a gloriously heart-warming setting forth of the sweetest Gospel truths. This is a truth that can’t be overestimated!

Each statement of the Holy Ghost inspired apostle is a miniature Bible in itself!

These two verses contain so much but I do wish to set froth a few considerations that were suggested to my soul as I read them.

I. THE SUFFERINGS EXPERIENCED ARE AN ASSURANCE OF SHARING IN CHRIST’S GLORY.

Paul states the truth most emphatically in 2 Timothy 2:12.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.”

1. To refuse to publicly own Christ, when it will cost us a measure of suffering, if only by loss of social standing, is tantamount to inviting the Lord to deny us! Dr John Brown commented on these words, ‘There is a secret and silent denying of him, when men are ashamed of him, and do not confess him, . . . There is a partial denying of Christ, which was Peter’s case, though his faith in him, and love to him, were not lost.’

Such a denial will cost the one guilty of such, the fulness of the blessed presence of the Lord. This may be seen in David’s ‘denial’ of the Lord when he engaged in wicked activities and was mercifully brought to recognise the cost of those actions. (more…)

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” Romans 8:17-18.

These verses were part of ay Bible reading on Tuesday 18th July. Romans chapter 8 is brimful of a gloriously heart-warming setting forth of the sweetest Gospel truths. This is a truth that can’t be overestimated!

Each statement of the Holy Ghost inspired apostle is a miniature Bible in itself!

These two verses contain so much but I do wish to set forth a few considerations that were suggested to my soul as I read them.

I. THE PRIVILEGED POSITION AND STANDING OF THE CHRISTIAN

“Children, heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”.

1. There is a reference first of all to our spiritual birth. That is when it all began. Before we were ‘Born again’, were “the children of disobedience . . . the children of wrath,” Ephesian 2:2-3.

We were sinners in rebellion against God and destined for hellfire! We were totally undeserving of the kindness of God which plucked us “a brand . . . out of the fire?,” Zechariah 3:2.

2. As children born into God’s family, we became heirs of God. We were born into an unspeakably rich inheritance!

What has been made over to us and which we have begun to enjoy to a small degree, cannot be valued in human terms. Just the knowledge imparted to us by the Gospel has been valued by David, as “more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb,” Psalm 19:10.

If that is the value of the ‘the letter’ telling us of our inheritance, what must not our inheritance be worth?

Again its value is seen in that it is an eternal inheritance. Hear Peter’s words on this matter. (more…)

This message was preached on Wednesday evening, 19 August 2026, by Rev. Ivan Foster (Rtd) at Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church.

View a video of this sermon below:

 

“‭And‭ I say‭‭ also‭ unto thee‭, That‭ thou‭ art‭‭ Peter‭, and‭ upon‭ this‭ rock‭ I will build‭‭ my‭ church‭; and‭ the gates‭ of hell‭ shall‭‭ not‭ prevail against‭‭ it‭,‭” Matthew 16:18.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I am sure I am correct in calling this verse a ‘keystone’ of Bible truth! It is central to the revelation that God has given us in His Word.

Here is revealed the indestructible foundation upon which all that God purposes to do is built and founded.

The devil

It is no wonder that the devil, through the lies of the Roman Catholic Church, attacks this verse and would pervert its meaning to the utter misleading of any who will listen to her deceits!

We need go no further than this verse for a refuting of that lie.

The Greek word for ‘Peter’ is Petros. It is a masculine Greek noun meaning a stone or small rock, a mere fragment of a ‭rock‬.

The Greek word translated ‘rock’ is Petra. It is a feminine noun meaning a solid rock, cliff, or massive bedrock foundation. It is a reference to the confession of Peter a few moments before. “Thou‭ art‭‭ the Christ‭, the Son‭ of the living‭‭ God‬‬‬‬‬‬‬,” verse 16.

Effrontery

The devil’s effrontery is seen in that despite this clear distinction between Peter and the Rock upon which the Saviour would build His church, he dares to have his minions fly in the face of these truths and seek to promote a most damnable lie. (more…)