THE POINT
The Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives affirms our relationship with God.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
When I was in college, I traveled one weekend from Oklahoma Baptist University back to my home in Texas. As I crossed the bridge leaving Oklahoma City, my car broke down. It was a pitch-black, rainy night, and this was well before cell phones. I walked back to a gas station to find a phone.
Although the bridge was not long, walking across it in the rain gave me a different impression. I was drenched. I could hardly see ten feet in front of me. As trucks rolled past, the wind whipped around me, and the bridge shook violently. It didn’t take long for me to feel very alone and scared.
I started to sing as I walked. I sang every Christian song I knew from choruses to old hymns to camp songs. I was still soaked, and it was still dark, but the darkness of my heart faded. I felt as if God were walking with me.
We’ve all had times when we’ve felt alone, but as followers of Christ, we’re never truly alone. We’ll learn more about the presence of God in the Person of the Holy Spirit in this session.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Romans 8:9-11
9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
The apostle Paul contrasted two ways of living: in “the flesh” and in “the Spirit.” In the first eight verses of this chapter, Paul described those who live in the flesh. People living in the flesh are focused on their own pleasures and concerns. Such behavior is condemned by the Old Testament law. Consequently, they are “hostile to God” (v. 7), and they “cannot please” Him (v. 8). The end result of this way of living is death.
Life in the Spirit is different. People who live by the Spirit have repented of their sins and embraced the gospel. Jesus took the penalty of their sin; those who belong to Him are no longer under the law. People who live by the Spirit focus on the things of God (v. 5): His goodness and grace; His mission to the world; the fellowship they have with Him. Because of their relationship with Jesus Christ, they will never experience the condemnation of God.
When Paul wrote “You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit” (v. 9), he was identifying the Roman Christians with the second way of life—life in the Spirit. He immediately followed that statement with an “if” clause: “if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.” The English word “if” sounds like it may or may not be true, but the word in the Greek carries the assurance that it is true. As Everett Harrison states, “The ‘if’ in this type of construction presupposes the truth of the statement.”1 Those who belong to Christ have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.
Question 2:
What are some signs the Holy Spirit is at work in a Christian’s life?
When a person receives Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. The Spirit comforts, guides, corrects, and assures. The opposite is also true: If a person is not indwelt by the Spirit, he is not a follower of Christ.
Paul described our bodies as “dead because of sin.” Believers have many advantages and benefits, but we cannot escape physical death. Our mortal bodies are breaking down, and one day they will perish. Death is the inevitable outcome of sin in the world, but we can experience eternal life “because of righteousness.” That righteousness is not our own; we are far from good enough to be called righteous. Paul was referring to the righteousness of Christ, and we are given His righteousness when we belong to Him.
God raised Christ to life at the resurrection, and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, He raises us to a new life in Christ. Though our bodies will die, the Spirit is an assurance that He has breathed new life into us—and we live!
Romans 8:12-14
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.
Some people believe that to be “true” to themselves, they need only listen to and follow themselves. They might say things like:
- “I just didn’t love her anymore so it would have been wrong to remain married to her.”
- “It just felt right, so I did it.”
- “I told him exactly what I think about him, and, if that is wrong, I just don’t care.”
All these statements celebrate life in the flesh. That is a life apart from Christ—a life that sees self as the highest importance. I’m obligated to no one but myself. That is truly a sad existence.
In stark contrast, the person who is in Christ is no longer under any obligation to live according to the flesh. In Christ, we find a different purpose, a new way to measure what is valuable in life. In Christ we find something far greater than living out the desires of the flesh.
In fact, Paul said, “if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die.” The person who continues to live a life characterized by sin is headed toward death. This doesn’t suggest that a person who is following Christ and commits some sin has lost his salvation or that he will die in his sin. Rather, Paul was explaining that a person who lives a life of
Engage
THE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT
Use the following scale to contrast how you feel sometimes with the reality of God’s presence. [1 = not at all alone, and 10 = continually alone] Then write a prayer asking God to align your feelings with the reality.
How I feel | The reality | |
When I’m uncertain | ||
When I’m tempted | ||
When I’m discouraged | ||
When I’m happy | ||
When I’m nervous | ||
When I’m at peace |
My Prayer:
“Don’t equate the presence of God with a good mood or a pleasant temperament.God is near whether you are happy or not.”
continual, unrepentant sin is demonstrating that he is not a genuine follower of Christ.
Paul contrasted living “according to the flesh” (v. 13) with the Christian work of putting “to death the deeds of the body.” As believers, we do not simply put our sinful desires to death and never deal with them again. Instead, we work continuously to defeat sin in our lives. But this work of killing sin is not something we can do through our own willpower. We accomplish it “by the Spirit.”
Those who live by the Spirit “are God’s sons.” This is one of Paul’s favorite metaphors to describe our relationship with God—we are adopted into His family. That’s why Paul also referred to believers as “brothers and sisters.” We are brought into an intimate relationship with Him and declared to be His children for eternity.
Children of God are those who are “led by God’s Spirit” (v. 14). As we noted before, to be a Christian means to have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, but now, Paul took the idea farther. We are also led by the Spirit. And we grow in our trust in Him as He leads us.
Question 3:
How can we better learn to recognize the leading of the Spirit?
Romans 8:15-17
15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “ ‘Abba’, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Before coming to the family connection we have in Christ, Paul wrote of “a spirit of slavery” (v. 15), a reference to the enslaving, strict obedience to Jewish law. With that spirit of slavery comes feelings of fear. Even today, many people try to “be good” out of their fear of judgment and death. In Christ, we are set free from such fear.
Question 4:
What does it mean to you that you are a child of God?
In Christ we receive “the Spirit of adoption.” The Holy Spirit does the work of adopting into the family those who come to Christ. The spirit of slavery leads to fear. The Spirit of adoption leads us to “cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ ” Instead of fear, the Spirit of adoption leads to profound joy welling up from our innermost being because of our deep connection with God.
When we are adopted as children of God, we can have confidence that we belong to God for eternity. How can we know we have been adopted? Paul asserted that we have two witnesses: God’s “Spirit himself … with our spirit” (v. 16). This is something deeper than a “feeling” that God has adopted you. Paul was describing an abiding sense of conviction that comes from your interaction with Him.
Being children of God also makes us “heirs.” So, what is our inheritance? One might consider that our inheritance is heaven, and that certainly would be true. We will also inherit all the promises that God has given to His people—and we will have an eternity to experience all these blessings.
Another way to look at this inheritance is to see it as God Himself. We receive a relationship with God, the opportunity to come into His presence, and the promise of spending eternity with Him. As children of God, we are “coheirs with Christ” (v. 17). Paul warned believers that our inheritance may also mean “we suffer with him.” Suffering is temporary, but the blessings of our adoption are eternal!
Question 5:
What are the implications for our group that we have been adopted into God’s family?
Look it up and see what you find...
3. Indwelt by the Spirit - The Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives affirms
our relationship with God.
Romans 8:9-11
You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.
Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit
gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus
from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also
bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
The apostle Paul contrasted two ways of living:
in “the flesh” and in “the Spirit.” In the first eight verses of this chapter,
Paul described those who live in the flesh. People living in the flesh
are focused on their own pleasures and concerns. Such behavior is condemned by
the Old Testament law. Consequently, they are “hostile to God,” and they
“cannot please” Him. The result of this way of living is death.
Life in the Spirit is different. People who live by the Spirit
have repented of their sins and embraced the gospel. Jesus took the penalty of
their sin; those who belong to Him are no longer under the law. People who live
by the Spirit focus on the things of God (v. 5): His goodness and grace; His
mission to the world; the fellowship they have with Him. Because of their
relationship with Jesus Christ, they will never experience the condemnation of
God.
· When a person receives Christ, the Holy Spirit
comes to live within them. The Spirit comforts, guides, corrects, and assures.
The opposite is also true: If a person is not indwelt by the Spirit, he is not
a follower of Christ.
Romans 8:12-14
So then, brothers and sisters, we are not
obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live
according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all those led by God’s Spirit
are God’s sons.
Romans 8:15-17
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to
fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we
cry out, “‘Abba’, Father!” The Spirit
himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if
children, also heirs — heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — if indeed we
suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
The Setting: Romans 8 is better understood when
read against the backdrop of the chapters that precede it. In chapters 1-5, the
apostle Paul declared that all people need salvation, and that God has provided
salvation and life through Christ. Paul explained what it meant to be saved;
what new life in Christ is like. He described it in terms of holiness, personal
faithfulness, and the assurance of victory. Paul spoke of salvation as having
past, present, and future dimensions.
In chapters 6–8 he primarily focused on how to
conform to the image of Christ while continuing to live with the struggles of
sin in this life. The late Harper Shannon, a longtime Baptist pastor and
preacher wrote, “Romans 8 is the greatest chapter in all the Word of God on the
victorious life of the Christian in the Holy Spirit. The practical application
of the Lord Jesus Christ as the remedy for the problems of sin in the
Christian’s daily life is found in the daily walk in the Spirit.” 1
The chapter begins with an amazing declaration
that gives hope to every believer: “There is now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom.
8:1). So, the contrast is between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit.
The key to victorious living is for one to be directed by the Holy Spirit.
Three ways the Spirit is active in the lives of
believers to help them grow toward Christlikeness.
· The Holy Spirit indwells the life of the
believer.
· He leads every believer.
· He affirms the believer’s relationship to God
as Father.
What is the difference between being “in the
flesh” and “in the Spirit”?
What is the Flesh?
Paul states in his letter to the Romans that
there was something “in the members” of his body that he calls “my flesh,”
which produced difficulty in his Christian life and made him a prisoner of sin.
"For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into
bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not
practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But
if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing
that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which
dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh;
for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the
good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing
it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present
in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God
in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging
war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which
is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of
this death?" (Romans 7:14-24).
The Manifestation and Struggle with the Flesh
How does the flesh manifest itself in human
beings? The Bible answers the question this way: "Now the deeds of the flesh
are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I
forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Examples of the flesh’s outworking in the world
are evident. Consider a few sad facts taken from a recent survey on the effect
of pornography in America. According to the study, every second in the U.S.:
• $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography
• 28,258 Internet users are viewing pornography
• 372 Internet users are typing adult search
terms into search engines
And every 39 minutes, a new pornographic video
is being created in the United States. Such statistics underscore the statement
made by the prophet Jeremiah who mourned that “the heart is more deceitful than
all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
The Consequences of the Flesh
The Bible says that living in the flesh
produces a number of unfortunate consequences. First, Scripture states that
those who live according to the flesh, and who never desire change or repent
from their sinful behavior, will experience separation from God both in this
life and the next:
• "Therefore what benefit were you then
deriving from the [sinful practices] of which you are now ashamed? For the
outcome of those things is death" (Romans 6:21)
• "For if you live according to the sinful
nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the
body, you will live" (Romans 8:13)
• "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his
own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the
Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7-8)
Further, a person also becomes a slave to
his/her fleshly nature: “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to
someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?”
(Romans 6:16). This slavery always leads to a destructive lifestyle and
deteriorated living. As the prophet Hosea said, "For they sow the wind and
they reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7).
The fact of the matter is that obeying the
flesh always results in breaking God’s moral law. Nevertheless, in a very real
sense, a person can never break God’s moral law, although he can certainly
disobey it. For example, a person can climb up on a roof, tie a cape around his
neck, and leap off the roof in hopes of breaking the law of gravity. However,
he will quickly learn that he cannot fly; he cannot break the law of gravity,
and the only thing he breaks in the end is himself, while proving the law of
gravity in the process. The same is true of moral actions: a person may disobey
God’s moral law through fleshly living, but he will only prove the moral law of
God true by breaking himself in some way via his own behavior.
Overcoming the Flesh
The Bible provides a three-step process for
overcoming the flesh and restoring oneself to a right relationship with God.
1. The first step is a walk of honesty where a person acknowledges his sinful
behavior before God. This involves agreeing with what the Bible says about
everyone born of human parents: people are sinners and enter the world in a
broken relationship with the God who made them:
• "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O
Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3)
• "If we say that we have no sin, we are
deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. . . . If we say that we have
not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10)
2. The next step is a walk in the Spirit, which involves calling out to God for
salvation and receiving His Holy Spirit who empowers a person to live rightly
before God and not obey the flesh’s desires. This transformation and new walk
of life is described in several places in Scripture:
• “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is
no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up
for me." (Galatians 2:20)
• "Even so consider yourselves to be dead
to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:11)
• "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you
will not carry out the desire of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)
• "For all of you who were baptized into
Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)
• "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Romans 13:14)
• "And do not get drunk with wine, for
that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18)
• "Your word I have treasured in my heart,
that I may not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)
3. The last step is a walk of death, where the flesh is starved of its desires so
that it eventually dies. Even though a person is born again through the Spirit
of God, he must understand he still possesses the old nature with its desires
that war with the new nature and the desires that come from the Spirit. From a
practical standpoint, the Christian purposely avoids feeding the old, fleshly
nature and instead practices new behaviors that are driven by the Spirit:
• "But flee from [sinful actions], you man
of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and
gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11)
• “Now flee from youthful lusts” (2 Timothy
2:22)
• "But I discipline my body and make it my
slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be
disqualified.“ (1 Corinthians 9:27)
• "Therefore consider the members of your
earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed,
which amounts to idolatry." (Colossians 3:5)
• "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24)
• "Knowing this, that our old self was
crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so
that we would no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6)
• "But you did not learn Christ in this
way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is
in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the
old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and
that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which
in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the
truth." (Ephesians 4:20-24)
Although the struggle will be very real (which
the Bible makes clear), Christians have assurance from God that He will bring
them eventual success over the flesh. "For I am confident of this very
thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
How does the Spirit lead you to live for
Christ?
How can believers distinguish between the
leadership of the Holy Spirit and a desire to live by the flesh?
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?
Believers have the indwelling Spirit of Christ,
the Comforter who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit
assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes for God’s people in
accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27). He also leads the believer into
righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18) and produces His fruit in those yielded to
Him (Galatians 5:22–23). Believers are to submit to the will of God and walk in
the Spirit.
A “walk” in the Bible is often a metaphor for
practical daily living. The Christian life is a journey, and we are to walk
it—we are to make consistent forward progress. The biblical norm for all
believers is that they walk in the Spirit: “If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, KJV; cf. Romans 8:14). In other
words, the Spirit gave us life in the new birth (John 3:6), and we must
continue to live, day by day, in the Spirit.
To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His
control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us.
To walk in the Spirit is the opposite of resisting Him or grieving Him
(Ephesians 4:30).
Galatians 5 examines the work of the Holy
Spirit in the believer. The context is freedom from the Law of Moses (Galatians
5:1). Those who walk in the Spirit “eagerly await by faith the righteousness
for which we hope” (verse 5) and are free from the Law (verse 18). Also, those
who walk in the Spirit “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (verse 16).
The flesh—our fallen nature under the power of sin—is in direct conflict with
the Spirit (verse 17). When the flesh is in charge, the results are obvious
(verses 19–21). But when the Spirit is in control, He produces godly qualities
within us, apart from the strictures of the Law (verses 22–23). Believers “have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24), and now we walk
in the Spirit (verse 25).
Those who walk in the Spirit are united with
Him and are the bearers of the fruit the Spirit produces. Thus, those who walk
in the Spirit walk in love—they live in love for God and for their fellow man.
Those who walk in the Spirit walk in joy—they exhibit gladness in what God has
done, is doing, and will do. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in peace—they
live worry-free and refuse anxiety (Philippians 4:6). Those who walk in the
Spirit walk in patience—they are known for having a “long fuse” and do not lose
their temper. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in kindness—they show tender
concern for the needs of others. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in
goodness—their actions reflect virtue and holiness. Those who walk in the
Spirit walk in faithfulness—they are steadfast in their trust of God and His
Word. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in gentleness—their lives are
characterized by humility, grace, and thankfulness to God. Those who walk in
the Spirit walk in self-control—they display moderation, constraint, and the
ability to say “no” to the flesh.
Those who walk in the Spirit rely on the Holy
Spirit to guide them in thought, word, and deed (Romans 6:11–14). They show
forth daily, moment-by-moment holiness, just as Jesus did when, “full of the
Holy Spirit, [He] left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness” to be tempted (Luke 4:1).
To walk in the Spirit is to be filled with the
Spirit, and some results of the Spirit’s filling are thankfulness, singing, and
joy (Ephesians 5:18–20; Colossians 3:16). Those who walk in the Spirit follow
the Spirit’s lead. They “let the word of Christ dwell in [them] richly”
(Colossians 3:16, ESV), and the Spirit uses the Word of God “for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Their
whole way of life is lived according to the rule of the gospel, as the Spirit
moves them toward obedience. When we walk in the Spirit, we find that the
sinful appetites of the flesh have no more dominion over us.
How would you explain adoption in the spiritual
sense?
When it comes to a believer’s relationship with
God, what is the difference between a “spirit of slavery” and a “spirit of
adoption”?
What is the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15)?
Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (KJV). This verse contrasts two spirits: an
impersonal “spirit of bondage” or “spirit of slavery” and the Holy Spirit,
called here “the Spirit of adoption.” Other translations render the phrase the
Spirit of adoption as “God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children”
(NLT), “the Spirit makes you God’s children” (GNT), or “a Spirit that shows you
are adopted as his children” (CEB).
Two different spirits. Two different mindsets
that we can have in our approach to God: we can approach Him as slaves in
bondage, or we can approach Him as adopted children. The Bible presents a high
view of adoption and uses it to parallel the relationship God wants to have
with us. The spirit of slavery views God has a slave owner and we His trembling
subjects. The spirit of adoption views God as a loving Father and we His
beloved sons and daughters.
A spirit of slavery is manifested in legalistic
religion. Many cults and even some Christian denominations put such emphasis on
rule-keeping that they instill fear and a sense of dread in their members. God
is presented as a taskmaster who is never quite satisfied with anything we do.
The bar is always set a bit too high, so people find religious activities to
keep themselves busy in the hope that God will accept them for their effort.
Even those who have been born again through faith in Christ’s sacrifice for
their sin (John 3:3) can cling to a spirit of slavery, never realizing the
freedom that is theirs with the Spirit of adoption.
This spirit of slavery was rampant within the
Jewish culture when Jesus came to earth. He soundly rebuked the religious
leaders for instilling such legalism in people with whom God desired to have a
loving relationship (Mark 7:7–9; Matthew 23:15–16). Paul cautioned the early
churches to be watchful for the return of that spirit of slavery. In Galatians
5:1 he wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then,
and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
In startling contrast is the Spirit of
adoption, the Holy Spirit of God who brings us into God’s family. Jesus invited
believers to address God as “our Father” (Matthew 6:8–9). God explained His
desire to treat His people as sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). God has
made this spiritual adoption possible through faith in His only begotten Son,
Jesus Christ (John 3:16–18; 1:12; 14:6; Romans 8:14). Based on our faith and
confession of allegiance (Romans 10:9–10), God adopts us into His eternal
family. He makes us joint heirs together with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). We
receive the Spirit of adoption when we accept, by faith, the grace that has
been offered to us in Christ (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:23; Luke 10:27). It is
the Spirit of adoption who teaches us to call out to God as our “Abba, Father.”
There is a vast difference between the way sons
serve their fathers and the way slaves serve their masters. Slaves may perform
duties; sons perform acts of love. Slaves dutifully obey; sons gladly obey. Slaves
are motivated by fear of punishment; sons are motivated by love of
relationship. Slaves ask, “What is required?” Sons ask, “What else can I do for
you?” The Spirit of adoption changes us from fearful slaves to joyful sons and
daughters. The Spirit of adoption allows us to “come boldly before the throne
of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) as a beloved child runs to his father in times of
trouble. Because of the Spirit of adoption, we can enjoy serving God without
fear or obligation. Serving in our Father’s kingdom becomes life’s highest
ambition (2 Corinthians 5:20).
