Living as Children of God
Romans 8:12-17 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 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, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Intro: Isn’t if funny how when a person does well, succeeds, performs well, makes the right choices, helps others, how many people will be quick to identify an association with them? But when somebody messes up really bad, does something hurtful or really dumb, people are ashamed to admit any connection with them. Robin and I have both jokingly said, “Do you know what your daughter just did?” When she’s good, she’s mine. When she misbehaves, she’d yours.
-Well, I’m glad God doesn’t disown us when we mess up, or we’d all be homeless and rejected. However, God does require something of us. We do have obligations as His children. Today’s message from Romans 8 tells us about living as children of God. What expectations does God have for us and how does He expect us to do our part? Let’s take a look at these verses from the Bible and see if we can answer that.
1. The Obligation of God’s Children: Live according to the Spirit (12-13)
12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 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,
-Paul starts off by telling the Roman believers what they are not obligated to do: they are not obligated to be try to live for God in their own strength. If they do that, they won’t be able to please God. Look back to v. 8: Those who live by their natural inclinations can never be pleasing to God. NJB Romans 8:8.
-In fact, Paul says, if you try to live right by your own strength, your natural strength will eventually fail you and you will die. But if you accept God’s life and strength and die to what is wrong, you will live. This appears to be a reference to the resurrection of believers. Don’t rely on your natural human self because the natural human self will die. Instead, rely on the Holy Spirit who is continually imparting the life of God to you, and will do so at the resurrection, which Paul just referred to in v.11.
-The same Holy Spirit who gave life to Jesus after He died on the cross and was in the tomb, this same Holy Spirit gives life to those who trust in the Lord. So we have an obligation, not to just do the best we can, but to live by God’s Spirit, putting the wrong things to death in our lives.
-Now here’s one thing to remember: Our behavior does not save us; but, it does show to whom we belong. And that leads us to the 2nd point.
2. The Identification of God’s Children: Show Whose you are (14)
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
-Those who are led by the HS are children of God. In Bible times sons were typically the heirs who would carry on the family name and receive all that the Father had. Paul has no thought of excluding women in any of these statements. It was understood that women were recipients of God’s grace every bit as much as men were. So, ladies, please don’t take offense at being called a son. If you want, you can say, “Daughters of God who have all the same rights and privileges as a Son of God.”
-So how do we know that we are sons or daughters of God? I see at least 2 ways to identify God’s children from our passage: 1. God’s children hear and follow the HS. 2. The Holy Spirit communicates their identity to them and confirms it. We’ll talk about this in a moment. But in this verse, we show who we are by who we follow. If we follow the leading of the Spirit, we show that we are children of God. If we follow our own instincts thoughts, or ideas, we show that we are not children of God.
-A couple of weeks ago we talked about No condemnation for those in Christ. How do we know we’re in Christ? Who are we trusting in, and who are we following? The HS is faithful to lead us ever closer to God. The question is, are we following?
3. The Privilege of God’s Children: Access your Father (15)
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
-This word, “Abba” is the Aramaic word for “Papa,” a term of great intimacy and affectionate respect. It was often the first word a child would utter, but adults also used it to refer to their fathers. Even some students would use it to refer to their teachers. I think of my own kids and when they first called me “Da Da.” They had me at “Waaa,” but there is something special about when they can identify you verbally. It warms this Da Da’s heart. And now that Zoe is growing up, she calls me “Dad” sometimes, but I secretly love it when she calls me “Daddy.” Out of the other 6.5 billion people on the planet, she only calls me “Daddy.”
-Now the word “Daddy” seems a little over familiar to some, not showing proper respect to a holy, all-powerful God. I kind of like it myself because God is the best Daddy we could ever have. Most Jews did not use the word “Abba” to talk to God since it implied such close intimacy. However, Jesus used it in the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11 and in the Garden of Gethsemane when He poured out His heart to His Papa, His own Daddy.
-The important thing we need to come away with is this: When we come to God through Jesus and ask Him to forgive us and help us turn away from all of the wrong in our lives, the Holy Spirit comes to live in our human spirit and lets us know who our Daddy is! And it is the Holy Spirit who prompts us to call out to Him and brings us close to Him. For the Christian, God is not just “The Father.” He is my Father! I belong to Him and I can come to Him anytime.
-Just as a child can cry out for Daddy to help when they are scared or hurt or need something, so we can cry out to our Daddy in heaven and He will help us! We’re talking about both identity and access here. When you get the urge to pray, realize that it is the Holy Spirit living in you who is facilitating the interaction between you and your Father in heaven.
-The writer of Hebrews says it like this: NKJ Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Before there were ever wires, we had wireless access to our Father God through the Holy Spirit who lives in us – if we have put our faith in Jesus.
4. The Confirmation of God’s Children: Agree with the Holy Spirit (16)
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
-It almost seems as if Paul is dealing with people who were having an identity crisis. And so he was! The Jews had returned to Rome after being banned from the city for 5 years or so. Some of them were judging the Gentiles who had come to Christ and may have shaken their faith deeply by telling them that they weren’t really true Christian because they weren’t doing things the Jewish way, not following the regulations of the law of Moses. In ch.2 Paul says, “You are without excuse, who judge someone else but commit the same kinds of things.” Then Paul showed how we are all unrighteous, tainted by sin, and guilty before a holy God. But he also emphasizes that we are forgiven by grace through faith because of what Jesus has done for us. Therefore, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. People may heap judgment on you because of past failures, but God doesn’t do that! He says, “You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, you are more than the problems you create, you are more than the choices that you make, you’ve been remade. I’ve made you new. I’ve changed your heart. You belong to me. You are my child.”
-Listen to this song called, “You are more.”
-If you have trusted in Christ and are following Him, you’ve been remade! And that means that the Holy Spirit lives in you and is leading your life. Now it’s time to follow Him! Not in your own strength, but in the strength that comes from the life of God that you have in you now! The Holy Spirit is telling you, “You are a daughter of God! You are a son of God! You belong to God. He is your Papa!” Listen to the Holy Spirit and agree with Him. Shut out the other voices that would confuse you and discourage you and condemn you! If your faith is in Jesus for your forgiveness, then you are a child of God!
5. The Inheritance of God’s Children: Share His Suffering & Glory (17)
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
-Glory most often refers to the close, face-to-face presence of God. We will see Him face to face! Heaven is real, but none of the brightness or heavenly décor will compare to seeing the face of God! We will share in His glory! 1 Corinthians 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
-But contrary to the idea that pain is bad and suffering is for bad people, we will go through some very hard times in this life. And some of those hard times will relate directly or indirectly to our faith in Jesus Christ. Some will be in the form of persecution. Some will be in the form of personal sacrifice for the sake of sharing the message of grace with others. But in the midst of the suffering that we are promised, never forget who you are and whose you are! You are a child of God! You can live in the power of the Holy Spirit! You can be led by the Spirit! You can have direct access to your Papa as the Holy Spirit enables you to connect with Him in a childlike and intimate way. You can agree with the Holy Spirit as He confirms that you really are a child of God. And you can share in Christ’s sufferings now, knowing that you will share in His glory one of these days, face to face!
-Let me read this passage again from the Message Bible and just let it sink in:
12-14So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
15-17This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!
-Where are you today? Are you still trying to do it yourself, or are you living by the Spirit who lives in you by faith in Christ? Is the Holy Spirit leading your life, or more direct, are you following the Spirit? Following the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit shows that you are a child of God. Have you given into fears that you’re not good enough, or have you followed the urging of the Spirit to cry out to your Daddy who loves you and will help you? Are you feeling condemned, thinking that God doesn’t love you, or are you listening to the HS who confirms to us that we are children of God? And finally, how are you approaching the hard times that come your way? Can you begin to view the suffering of this life as something we are sharing with Christ now, knowing that we will share in His glory when He returns for us?
-If God is speaking to you through His word and by His HS, I urge you to respond to Him! First, tell the Lord you hear Him. Second, tell Him you can’t do this yourself. And finally, ask Him to help you, just like a loving Daddy helps his little girl or little boy when they need him. And boy do we need Him! Ask Him to help you hear His voice and follow the leading of the HS. God is always leading. And He will help us follow if we let Him.
Pray
