WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES?
1. There is the advantage of knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were WANTED.
2. There is the advantage of having been personally SELECTED by their parents.
Illus: Have you ever seen anyone go to a dog pound and adopt a little puppy? Once that little puppy is selected, he immediately begins to lick his owner, and he wags his tail for joy.
As Christians, we know how that little dog feels.
In this passage of scripture, we are going to be talking about two things about being ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD.
1. How we can know we are the ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD
2. How GOD NOW WANTS TO LEAD US as His Children
HOW CAN WE KNOW we are the children of God? Paul says in verse 14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.”
Many folks today say they are the children of God, but according to what this Bible teaches, they are not led by the SPIRIT OF GOD. So according to the Word of God, that means they are not the adopted children of God.
They might be TOLD THEY ARE, and they might THINK THEY ARE, but according to the scriptures, they are not! The Bible is explicit on this, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.”
Notice some things about THE ADOPTED CHILDREN of God:
I. WE ARE LED BY HIM
All those who claim to be the adopted children of God are not led by Him. For example-
1. SOME ARE LED BY PREACHERS
Some of you might be saying, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT? Didn’t the apostle Paul say, “Follow me as I follow Christ." Yes, he did, and you can never go wrong following someone who is following Christ.
But the PROBLEM IS THIS; everyone who is saying, “Follow me as I follow Christ,” is not following Christ.
In all professions, SPORTS, POLITICS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, PLUMBERS AND PAINTERS, you will find GOOD and BAD. And if you unfortunately get tangled up with these bad characters in a BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP, or a SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP, you are in for some serious trouble.
Illus: Some people have lost their entire life’s savings by getting involved with some of the Elmer Gantries that exist today.
Christians across this nation need to grow spiritually, so they can know scripture well enough to be able to recognize these “Hucksters” that are deceiving so many.
Some are led by the WRONG KIND OF PREACHERS, and …
2. SOME ARE LED BY PERSONALITIES
Illus: Years ago, Pepsi Cola signed a big contract with Michael Jackson to advertise their soft drinks.
NOW WHY WOULD THEY SPEND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DO THIS? Because they knew they would get that back and a lot more, because all across this nation, children have been brain-washed to follow WHATEVER IS POPULAR.
Many people are lead by BAD PREACHERS and by people who have great PERSONALITIES. This was something Paul was concerned about, so he tells us how we, the ADOPTED children of God, should be led.
Look again at verses 14-15, we read, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 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.”
Notice, in these scriptures-
A. WE ARE LED BY HIS SAYINGS
Verse 14 says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
The Spirit of God gives us the inspired Word of God. The Spirit of God and the Word are in UNITY. You cannot find any contradictions between the HOLY SPIRIT and the LORD JESUS. The adopted child of God knows this, and looks to the Spirit inspired Word of God for guidance.
Illus: Wilmington said, "There is one characteristic quality of all who are truly born again. That quality is that in their thoughts, behavioral patterns, and lifestyles, they are constantly and habitually led by the Spirit of God."
Some legitimate questions we need to ask ourselves are:
• HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG?
• HOW DO WE KNOW WHO TO FOLLOW?
To know what IS SIN and what is NOT SIN, we have to be led by God’s inspired Word.
Generally, we see two kinds of people.
(1) THOSE WHO ARE LED BY A PREACHER
In 1 Cor. 1, Paul instructs these carnal-minded Christians. He begins by pointing out, in verse 12, "...every one of you saith, I am OF PAUL; and I OF APOLLOS; and I OF CEPHAS; and I OF CHRIST."
After revealing their ridiculous position to them, he then asked them a series of questions in verse 13.
• "Is Christ divided?”
• “Was Paul crucified for you?”
• “Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"
Notice, Paul said in verse 12, "...every one of you saith..." Every one of those Christians was wrapped up in a preacher, but there were some who recognized that PAUL, APOLLOS, and CEPHAS, were only chosen vessels that God spoke through, and no more.
They recognized that those men were not worthy of worship, that only the Lord Jesus Christ was, and they stated they were FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.
Even though all those he mentioned were great men of God, Paul wanted the carnal minded Corinthian Christians to realize that not one of them was worthy of the kind of ADORATION THEY WERE BESTOWING UPON THEM!
Then we have some who take the OTHER EXTREME.
(2) THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
They say the Bible says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
They will say that they are a child of God, and do not need:
• A CHURCH
• A PREACHER
• THE BIBLE
They say they are led directly by the Spirit of God.
Those who say this, or think it, need our prayers, and our sympathy. Why? They are ignorant of God's Word, and God's will. God will never lead you, by His Spirit, to do anything that His Word does not teach.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
• It declares to us that God calls men to preach His word
• It declares to us that God anoints them to preach His Word
God’s Word teaches that He leads His people by His Word, and by preachers who preach His Word. Since we then depend on preachers to preach the Word of God, WE NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT PREACHERS.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN A MAN IS PREACHING THE TRUTH, AND IS WORTHY OF OUR SUPPORT?
1. BY WHAT HE PREACHES
God calls men to preach His Word, and basically they do the same thing a surgeon does.
Illus: When a person has a disease, what does the surgeon do? The surgeon, dedicated to the profession of medicine, locates the problem, and places that diseased person on the operating table, and uses his surgical skills to remove that thing that is causing the problem.
This is why God calls men into the ministry. He trains them to be skillful with His Word, so they are able to DETECT THE PROBLEM, LOCATE IT, and take the "sharp Sword of the Lord" and CUT IT OUT!
Humor: When I am preaching the Word of God, and some folks start to moan and groan, I know that it is because God, through His Word, is working on them through me.
This is the only way sin can be dealt with effectively.
Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
A minister can only be effective as He preaches the Word of God.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN A MAN IS PREACHING THE TRUTH, AND IS WORTHY OF OUR SUPPORT? If you are led by the HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED WORD OF GOD, YOU CAN TELL BY WHAT THEY PREACH.
But also, you can tell-
2. BY WHAT THEY DO
He should TALK IT, but he should also be able TO WALK IT!
Illus: He should not be like some of these parents who tell their child, DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO!
The man that is in the pulpit telling others how to live, should already be living what God's Word says.
Illus: The pastor who tells everyone how great God is, should not be like the Cadillac salesman who drives a Toyota.
Matthew 7:20 states, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
God gives us a sure way of knowing if a man is right with Him. We can observe:
• HOW HE LIVES
• IF HE PAYS HIS BILLS
• IF HE BEATS HIS WIFE
• IF HIS LIFE IS ABOVE REPROACH
• WHAT HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN IS
We can know a man is a man of God by what HE SAYS, and by WHAT HE DOES!
We are led BY HIS SAYINGS, but also we are led-
B. BY HIS SPIRIT
Look at John 1:12, "But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
Paul says the Spirit of God now dwells in us, we have that special relationship as Father and child. We have become “The Adopted Sons of God.”
Now as we talk to Him in this relationship of His being our loving Father, we can bring anything to Him without fear. WE ARE LED BY HIM.
Look at Romans 8:15, "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."
We are never driven as brute beasts, but are led as children. WE ARE LED BY HIM, but also-
II. WE ARE LOVED BY HIM
Look at verses 16-17, we read, “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.”
Our position as adopted children of God, provides for our leading, and it also places us in the position where...
A. WE ARE HIS HERITAGE
Look at verse 16, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
How can we know that we are the children of God? Because we have two things.
1. WE HAVE HIS WORD
It tells us what we are to do to be saved, and says in Romans 10:9, if we obey, "...thou shalt be saved." It does not say PERHAPS, or MAYBE.
We know that we have been adopted into the family of God by faith in the promises of God.
WE HAVE HIS WORD, but also-
2. WE HAVE HIS SPIRIT
We have the Spirit of God within us, bearing witness with our spirit that "...we are the children of God." The Spirit is the earnest, or the guarantee that we are the children of God.
Eph. 1:13, states, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."
He loved us enough to place HIS WORD and HIS SPIRIT within us. WE ARE HIS HERITAGE. Also-
B. WE ARE HIS HEIRS
Look at verse 17, we read, "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."
• Paul has shown us that we are the children of God, because He loved us enough to adopt us
• Now he shows us that since we are the children of God, we are now the HEIRS OF GOD THE FATHER
1. AS HEIRS WE SHARE THE INHERITANCE OF HIS GLORY
Look at verse 17, we read, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ..." This is absolutely astounding! We will be given the privilege of sharing in all things with the Son of God Himself.
Something we need to understand however, is that although we will share IN THE INHERITANCE, we will not share EQUALLY when it comes to HIS GLORY. He alone paid the price of redemption, and He alone receives the glory.
When it comes to sharing in His inheritance we are not really sure what all this entails. We do know this; IT IS GOING TO BE WONDERFUL!
Look at 1 Cor. 1:9, "...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
AS HEIRS WE SHALL SHARE IN HIS INHERITANCE OF HIS GLORY.
2. AS HEIRS WE SHARE THE INHERITANCE OF HIS SUFFERINGS
Look at verse 17, we read, "And if children...that we suffer with him..."
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS?
• Because our “son-ship” comes from what Christ did for us on Calvary.
• Because our rewards will come from what we do for Christ after we have been saved by His marvelous grace.
We can talk all day about how we are the heirs of His glory, and people will rejoice. But the smile leaves their faces when we start to talk about our opportunity to suffer with Him.
If we truly KNOW and LOVE the Lord, we will want to suffer with Him also. Why?
Illus: When you love someone, you are willing to share in their suffering. Suppose your child was suffering with a high fever. Would you not be willing to take that child's place if it were possible? Every loving parent would be willing to do that.
We, who love the Lord, are willing to share in His sufferings.
Conclusion:
I. WE ARE LED BY HIM - VERSES 14-15.
A. WE ARE LED BY HIS SAYINGS
B. WE ARE LED BY HIS SPIRIT
II. WE ARE LOVED BY HIM - VERSES 16-17.
A. WE ARE HIS HERITAGE
B. WE ARE HIS HEIRS
