Sonship Through The Spirit
June 21, 2022
Commentary
Paul now draws application from his previous discussion that each believer has a responsibility to live each day in the control and power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 12-17). It is not enough for us to have the Spirit; the Spirit must have us. Furthermore, each Christian is to refuse to follow the inclinations and desires of his sin nature. The result of a sinful manner of life is death (v. 13). This does not mean that a believer who sins will face eternal death in hell, but instead that he will not enjoy his spiritual life.
Three characteristics of those who are adopted into the family of God.
1. They are led by the Spirit (v. 14). The Holy Spirit places believers into the family of God.1.
2. They are loved by the Father (vv. 15-16). Through the miracle of regeneration, we are brought into the closet intimacy with the Father.1.
3. They are lifted by the Son (v. 17). Adoption into the family of God involves being lifted by Christ so that we can share both His suffering and His glory.
We come into God’s family by Spiritual birth. But the instant we are born into the family, God adopts us and gives us the position of an adult son. A baby cannot speak, walk, make decisions, or write checks on the family bank account. However, the Christian can do all these the moment he is born again. In New Testament times, adopted sons enjoyed the same privileges as natural born sons. As children inherit their parents’ estates, each child is an heir, and the children together are coheirs. In the same way, Christians are God’s children, and they are heirs and coheirs with Christ.
Application
How do I put to death the wrong things I do in my body? Do my thoughts and the way I spend my time match up to what I believe God wants me to do with my life? Why or why not?
Romans 8:12– 17 (NET)
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) —if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.