We saw in the first 13 verses of Romans chapter eight that
the key theme was life. We have life because Christ has set us free and the
Spirit of God dwells in us. Now the discussion of this sections focuses on
adoption. We are the sons and daughters of God, bought with a price. Those who
are led by the Spirit of God are referred to as the children of God in each of
the four verses in today’s passage.
Read Scripture-
This is the Word of God
Led by the Spirit
(14)
The “religious” world around us has declared that all people
are sons and daughters of God. It is true that the Apostle Paul affirms that
all people are God’s offspring in the sense that He has created us all. I have
taught on several occasions that all people are made in God’s image, though it
is marred has been marred by sin. Human life should be respected and honored
from conception until death, but the New Testament is clear that only those who
are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. Those who have been born
again; those who are being sanctified; those who are being led by the Holy Spirit
are the true children of God.
Verse 14 connects to verse 13 with the word “for” (which can
also mean “because”). A great example of what the Spirit does is that He leads
us in putting to death the deeds of our bodies. That is one aspect of the
Spirit’s leading. To be led by the Spirit is to be completely directed by Him
in every part of one’s life.
To be a son/daughter of God is to have life (v13). The new
life is real life. It is life with meaning and purpose. Those outside of Christ
really have no life. There is only superficial meaning. The Bible teaches that
outside of Christ men and women are dead in their trespasses and sins. God
wants to make us alive in Christ Jesus.
The Spirit of
Adoption (15)
We have not received a spirit of bondage. Before we learned
that we could be saved from the wrath of God by placing our faith in Christ,
our minds were guilt-ridden and fearful. Our hearts condemned us and our minds
were alienated from and enemies of Almighty God. But thanks be to God that He
is both just and the justifier of all those who trust in the One He has sent.
Our fear has been replaced by freedom in Christ Jesus (v2).
Adoption in the Roman culture was purposeful. A man would
adopt a son to carry on his name and to inherit his estate. An adopted son
would be equal in every way to a naturally born son and would share in all
things with the other siblings. Adoption had a significant place in Roman
culture to say the least. The people of the Roman church would have known well
what the Apostle was talking about. They had been chosen by God on account of
Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and they had been given a unique status in the
kingdom of God. They were and we are the children of God; born of His Spirit.
This Spirit of adoption prompts us to call out to God by
calling Him Father. Those who are not God’s children; those who are not indwelt
by the Holy Spirit; those who are in fear of Almighty God would never call Him
Father. Only those who have the Spirit of adoption cry out to Him in this way.
The historical evidence seems to show that Judaism did not promote a sense of
closeness with God. Yet, Jesus always referred to God as Father in both His
prayers and in His teaching. In Gethsemane He called out to God with the
Aramaic word “Abba” and the Greek word “Pater” meaning “Father, Father.” We are
able to call out to God, even cry out to Him like a confident, enthusiastic
little child as opposed to a fearful slave of an oppressive owner.
We are Children of
God (16)
By the instigating work of the Holy Spirit we are able to
call out to God by calling Him Father. This is the Spirit bearing witness with
our spirits that we are the children of God. The Holy Spirit has a ministry of
assuring the believer inwardly. There are external truths that can be seen and
prove all sorts of truths about the faith, but there are things known within
the Christian that cannot always be outwardly articulated. The Holy Spirit
ministers to my soul in ways that I could never describe, and He has done the
same for those of you who have come to faith in Christ. This reminds us of
Romans 5:5 which says, “Now hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
who was given to us.” It seems that these inward evidences are most
notably experienced in prayer. This is just another reason that Christians
should develop a healthy prayer life both in public and in private.
We are Heirs of God
(17)
If we are children of God, then we must be heirs of God.
Remember back to verse 15 and the idea of adoption. To be adopted in the
ancient world was to be chosen. It was to inherit an adopting father’s estate.
The Apostle has talked about what it means to be a child of God in the here and
now, but he must also tell of what it means to be a child of God in the
eschaton. Also remember that the New Testament teaches that the Holy Spirit is
the deposit of our inheritance. Thus, Paul continues his teaching on the
Christian life in the present and into the future by showing how involved the
Spirit of God is. “. . . the same indwelling Spirit who assures us that we are
God’s children also assures us that we are his heirs” (Stott, 235).
Of course the promise comes with a condition. That last
phrase of our passage today declares what the whole New Testament teaches. We
are not promised health, wealth, and earthly prosperity in the here and now;
but we are promised that after a life of suffering a glorious future awaits us.
If we share in Christ’s sufferings, we will share in His glory.
Conclusions and
Applications
In this passage we are given several ways of knowing that we
are sons/daughters of God.
The children of God are those who:
1. Are led by the Spirit of God
2. Do not fear, but call out to God by saying, “Father”
3. Are borne witness to the fact in their spirits by the
Holy Spirit