For days now I’ve been in portions of Romans 8 as my bedside companion and in particular “How Does The Holy Spirit Assure Us We Are Children Of God…Adopted into the family of God?” -(Please Read Romans 8:13-17)

Consider…

He “LEADS” us into …

1.- WAR!-(v13- 14)

Warring against Indwelling sin within us.

He uses the word “LEADS” and is not speaking of guidance in this verse but Governance! It’s continuance. It’s a navigational term that was used to move a boat by a sail…from one point to another… so the Holy Spirit works to move the believer more and more to Christlikeness. He “LEADS” the believer into war with your sin so that through His power you are able to put to death the deeds of the body!-{v14}. He enables the believer to do so! His power, His victory through you as you apply His power through obedience to His Word, the “Sword of the Spirit!”-{Ephesians 6:17}

  • You are not a victim to sin, it no longer is your Master, Jesus Christ is and He has supplied His Spirit to empower you and be Victorious when tempted! And if you fail and sin? Confess it, repent, and depend upon Him who began a good work IN You, He will complete it. Be encouraged!

He empowers the believer to war against sin in us and kill it! A nonbeliever has no desire to deal with internal sin, perhaps externally so as to look good to others but not root causes. The believer has the Spirit-given desire and power to obey and war against sin, those attitudes and actions that do not exalt God in us! The picture is more about Correction than protection as later on He speaks of the believer suffering! He wars against sin that mars the image of Christ in us In order to conform us to the image of Christ! He leads us into War! One piece of evidence you are a child of God is that you are warring against indwelling sin! How? Hearing and heeding God’s Word. Using His Word, through knowing and applying it, depending on His enpowering you, and this He will according to Romans 8:13-14; Phil 2:13{nlt}; 2 Peter 1:3-4}

2.-.The Assurance God is our “Abba, Father!”

Though all are created by God not all are children of God which happens only through the Work of the Spirit of God convicting and converting us! Not all are “children of God!” Created by God yes, Children of God? No! John writes in 1 John 3:7, “Little children, make sure no one deceives you, the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” There is a family resemblance. Like Father like child! John goes on to write, “The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God. By this the children of  God and the  children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”-{1 John 3:8-10}. Jesus put it this way, “Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”-{John 8:34} “You are doing the deeds of your father the devil…”-{John 8:41; “If God were your Father you would LOVE ME…”[John 8:42}; “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desire of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, he is a liar and the father of lies.”-{John 844}. This is why Jesus said in John 3 “You must be born again!” A supernatural work of the Holy Spirit is needed to be right with God. A new birth, the second birth, the first birth was physical the second  spiritual, a new heart for Godby God and  Jesu says, “But as many as received Him He gave the right to become CHILDREN OF GOD even to those who believe in His Name”-{John 1:12}

Paul writes to those who have been born again- who are “children of God,” and in whom God is their Father, “Abba, Father!”

By Birth, all of us are “children of wrath”-{Ephesians 2:3}; “Children of disobedience”- {Ephesians 2:2}And assuring us of now being children of God and brought into that family of God where we cry “Abba, Father!” It is a personal, intimate affection, that speaks of intimate confident trust with the Father. Galatians 4:4-6 also speaks of the term “Abba Father” where there it is the Spirit of God that “crys” out, whereas here in Romans 8 “we cry” out Abba, Father!”

“ABBA, Father,” which speaks of affection, intimacy, and closeness of a child and loving father! The Holy Spirit in us assured us it is so. Such as times we may be down, feeling low or anxious and we read a verse, hear a verse, or reminded of a verse and we are uplifted, encouraged, and hope fills us, this the Holy Spirit does in us as He works for our good and growth in grace in the knowledge of God, and His tender affectionate concern and care for us such as found I. 1 Peter 5:7-“ casting all of your cares upon Him FOR HE CARSS FOR YOU!”

Implications Of being “Sons of God… Children of God…”Are….”

1.- The Promise of INHERITANCE. -(v 16)

A wonderful inheritance which Peter speaks of such as that which is imperishable and will not fade away, reserved in Heaven for us, protected by the power of God!-(Read 1 Peter 1:4)

* The INHERITANCE of Full salvation in our glorified state. –

” All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” –{1Peter 1:3-7 nlt)

* The INHERITANCE of God Himself   –

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”  And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”-{Read Rev 21:3-7 nlt);

 

Another implication is…

2.- The Promise of REDEEMED And GLORIFIED BODIES!- v 17-18,23.

“So it is with the resurrection of the dead. The [human] body that is sown is perishable and mortal, it is raised imperishable and immortal. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in strength{Power}; it is sown a natural body [mortal, suited to earth], it is raised a spiritual body [immortal, suited to heaven]. As surely as there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. -(1 Cor 15:42-44- Amplified Bible).

Look at the Glorified Bodies that await us in Heaven when we see Him, He provides for each of His children…

  • An Imperishable and Immortal Body.
  • A Glorious Body
  • A Powerful Body
  • A Spiritual Body

 

The Holy Spirit also Testifies to The Believer’s SUFFERING On The Way To Glory! -(v 17)

Suffering is guaranteed in this life and followers of Christ are not immune nor should be surprised by it!

Yep, suffering along the way. So often we do everything we can to avoid it but here it is, The Holy Spirit testifying that suffering accompanies this life on the way to glory! Not just the suffering of persecution as followers of Christ which some have suffered greatly, with its various forms it can take such as physical but also verbal mocking, passed over for job promotion, mistreated, ostracised, made fun of. Plus the sufferings, heartaches, and loss of loved ones all that make up for pain in this life are part of this life as you walk through the various valleys of difficulties on the way to the Fathet’s House, and to the future glory of seeing Him and being with Him… forever!

The Holy Spirit “testifies” -(v 16) to the true child of God that they are part of the family of God having been adopted into the family by God Himself and gives several testifies of the realities of being such. Such as Leading them to War- empowers them to war against indwelling sin. Affirming that they are recipients of the affection of God as their “Abba, Father.”

And have the promise of a God-given protected, preserved Inheritance!

Also the promise of a redeemed and glorified body that awaits them to be eternally in the presence of God’s holiness to worship and serve Him unrestrained by sin, sickness, suffering, and separation forever!

But also in this life suffering is to be expected but as Paul says in Romans 5:3-4 we can know that God uses even our suffering to develop, polish, and exhibit three Godly virtues namely “perseverance, proven character, and hope” along the way and undergirding the suffering is the assurance “the Love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been GIFTED to us!-( Read Romans 5:5)

Can you look at these marks, implications from above of how to be sure the Holy Spirit works and testifies to a believer that they indeed are part of the family of God, adopted into God’s family? Perhaps write in your Bible to encourage yourself in times of trouble or as you depart this world someone picking up your Bible can be encouraged! But for now to SHARE and encourage someone else. We never just read or study for ourselves as Ezra 7:10 teaches but also to help OTHERS…

God bless you, child of God!

Aidan