"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. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 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."
Rom. 8:15-17
Rom. 8:15-17
In our study today, we get to look at one of the most incredible results of being saved from our sins by Jesus Christ.
We start with the reminder that, in our past lessons, we have found that the Holy Spirit of God permanently indwells each and every believer. This presence seals us until the day of our redemption. So, with that thought fresh in mind, let us tear into verse fifteen.
We start with the reminder that, in our past lessons, we have found that the Holy Spirit of God permanently indwells each and every believer. This presence seals us until the day of our redemption. So, with that thought fresh in mind, let us tear into verse fifteen.
"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."
Once again, Paul is showing us that there is a division between the unsaved person and the saved person. In this case, that division can be seen as being between two types of spirit that is imparted to the person. There is the "spirit of bondage" and the "Spirit of adoption". Notice that in the first type, the word "spirit" is small case and in the second it is capitalized. This is correctly showing how the later is of God the Holy Spirit, whereas the former is the worldly, fleshly spirit.
The word in Greek that is translated into bondage is δουλειας (douleia.) This word means slavery, either by force or voluntarily. As we have seen previously, man is filled with hatred towards God prior to God making changes in the man (which lead to acceptance of the fact that he has been called to salvation.) Since unsaved man hates God, his bondage to sin can be seen as being voluntary. Without salvation, man will always choose to pursue the lusts of the flesh.
We are told that this form of bondage is not what we have received again. So, this is a form of which we all once were very familiar with. It was the bondage to fear and to death that was the result of sin. Instead, we who are saved have received a different type of spirit.
What we now have present in our lives is the Spirit which produces υιοθεσιας (huiothesia): the placement (as sons, or as children) into God's family. Not only did God make a way to save us from the death that was due us by our sins, but He went above and beyond, and brought us directly into His family! This fact alone should give strength to a Christian. If God has done all these things to redeem a person through Jesus, to Himself, how on earth could any person say that we could do something to lose our salvation? This, like many other verses in Romans, enforces "once saved-always saved."
It is because of this Spirit of adoption that we are therefore able to cry out (Greek: κραζομεν - krazo - to cry out, exclaim) to God as a child. We have such a close tie to God through Jesus, that we can approach Him not as a slave, or as a piece of property, but as our Father. In fact, Paul uses both the Chaldee/Hebrew word "Abba" and the Greek "Pater", showing how the work of Jesus upon the cross transcends both Jewish and Gentile, and creates a new family, composed of new creations.
Verse sixteen show us that we can rest assured in our calling to be a child of God. How? By the fact that the Holy Spirit within us will bear testimony to that fact. And, that testimony is presented directly to our own reborn spirit.
In verse seventeen, we are taken through a series of step to teach us just what being a child of God brings to us.
If we are, in fact, adopted as children into God's family, then we are part of the royalty that is possessed by that family. That means that we are not just children, but we are heirs to the throne of God. Now, this doesn't mean we are going to try to move up the ladder. But, it means that we become jointly entitled to the glory that belongs to Jesus Christ. This is a solemn responsibility to each Christian. And, it doesn't come cheap. There is a requirement to this claim:
The word in Greek that is translated into bondage is δουλειας (douleia.) This word means slavery, either by force or voluntarily. As we have seen previously, man is filled with hatred towards God prior to God making changes in the man (which lead to acceptance of the fact that he has been called to salvation.) Since unsaved man hates God, his bondage to sin can be seen as being voluntary. Without salvation, man will always choose to pursue the lusts of the flesh.
We are told that this form of bondage is not what we have received again. So, this is a form of which we all once were very familiar with. It was the bondage to fear and to death that was the result of sin. Instead, we who are saved have received a different type of spirit.
What we now have present in our lives is the Spirit which produces υιοθεσιας (huiothesia): the placement (as sons, or as children) into God's family. Not only did God make a way to save us from the death that was due us by our sins, but He went above and beyond, and brought us directly into His family! This fact alone should give strength to a Christian. If God has done all these things to redeem a person through Jesus, to Himself, how on earth could any person say that we could do something to lose our salvation? This, like many other verses in Romans, enforces "once saved-always saved."
It is because of this Spirit of adoption that we are therefore able to cry out (Greek: κραζομεν - krazo - to cry out, exclaim) to God as a child. We have such a close tie to God through Jesus, that we can approach Him not as a slave, or as a piece of property, but as our Father. In fact, Paul uses both the Chaldee/Hebrew word "Abba" and the Greek "Pater", showing how the work of Jesus upon the cross transcends both Jewish and Gentile, and creates a new family, composed of new creations.
Verse sixteen show us that we can rest assured in our calling to be a child of God. How? By the fact that the Holy Spirit within us will bear testimony to that fact. And, that testimony is presented directly to our own reborn spirit.
In verse seventeen, we are taken through a series of step to teach us just what being a child of God brings to us.
If we are, in fact, adopted as children into God's family, then we are part of the royalty that is possessed by that family. That means that we are not just children, but we are heirs to the throne of God. Now, this doesn't mean we are going to try to move up the ladder. But, it means that we become jointly entitled to the glory that belongs to Jesus Christ. This is a solemn responsibility to each Christian. And, it doesn't come cheap. There is a requirement to this claim:
"if so be that we suffer with [Him], that we may be also glorified together."
We are expected to suffer along with Jesus. But, how do we do that? Well, the Greek wording holds a key. The word that we get "suffer with Him" from is συμπασχομεν (sumpascho). This can be more fully translated as "to experience pain jointly, or of the same kind." How can we do that? Like we had seen in previous study:
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Matt. 16:24
Matt. 16:24
When we deny the lustful urges to live our own life, we are denying ourselves. By doing that, we are putting our flesh to the cross. We are following Jesus by following the example He set for us. We give up this life, so that it can be used by Jesus, and thereby we gain a new spiritual life in Him. THAT is how we can "experience His pain jointly." The result of doing this is that we will be glorified along with Jesus.
Not everybody will be killed for following Jesus. Not everyone will be put to death for their witness of the Christ. But, EVERY Christian that is a Christian will put their flesh to death. It starts at the first moment of salvation, when the sinner understands their sin and what it means to them. They ask Jesus to forgive the sins. Then they repent (turn away) from those sins. That turning away is the first time the flesh is denied. And THAT is the first time that a Christian puts their flesh to death on the cross.
Every day we do this from that first time on, we share the pain jointly with Jesus.
(As a side note, please understand that when a Christian fails to put the flesh to death, this does not in any way take away from their salvation. That, as we have already seen, is an action that completely originates from God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ. A person has fulfilled the requirements of sharing the sufferings of Jesus when they first repent from their sins. But, we NEED to do this daily, moment-by-moment. If we don't then what we lose is not salvation, but the promised peace and life. A Christian that isn't walking with the Lord will not find the peace that comes from Him. And, as we have record of in Acts (Acts 5:1-11), if you are sinning to the point of becoming an obstacle, God may even take away your physical life.)
So, remember each day that the life you now live as a Christian is not your own. It belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, and should be lived accordingly. Your reward for doing so will be eternal!
Next time, trials and expectations.
Grace and Peace....
Not everybody will be killed for following Jesus. Not everyone will be put to death for their witness of the Christ. But, EVERY Christian that is a Christian will put their flesh to death. It starts at the first moment of salvation, when the sinner understands their sin and what it means to them. They ask Jesus to forgive the sins. Then they repent (turn away) from those sins. That turning away is the first time the flesh is denied. And THAT is the first time that a Christian puts their flesh to death on the cross.
Every day we do this from that first time on, we share the pain jointly with Jesus.
(As a side note, please understand that when a Christian fails to put the flesh to death, this does not in any way take away from their salvation. That, as we have already seen, is an action that completely originates from God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ. A person has fulfilled the requirements of sharing the sufferings of Jesus when they first repent from their sins. But, we NEED to do this daily, moment-by-moment. If we don't then what we lose is not salvation, but the promised peace and life. A Christian that isn't walking with the Lord will not find the peace that comes from Him. And, as we have record of in Acts (Acts 5:1-11), if you are sinning to the point of becoming an obstacle, God may even take away your physical life.)
So, remember each day that the life you now live as a Christian is not your own. It belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, and should be lived accordingly. Your reward for doing so will be eternal!
Next time, trials and expectations.
Grace and Peace....
