Romans Series # 36 May 01, 2002
Title: You Can Know You Are God’s Child
Website: www.newlifeinchrist.info
Email: pastorsarver@yahoo.com
Introduction: Welcome to New Life in Christ. We are currently in Chapter 8 of Romans as we continue with message #36 of our verse-by-verse study of the Book of Romans. Romans Chapter 8 is written to give assurance and certainty to the Christian about life’s most important issues: forgiveness, approval of God, eternal life, etc.
Tonight we will discuss the issue of being a member of God’s family. The Bible text tonight will answer two questions. First, “How can you be sure or certain that you are a child of God?” Second, “What does it mean to be a child of God?”
Read Romans 8:12-17
Opening Prayer
Paul’s main emphasis in this passage is on giving the Christian assurance about their relationship with God. In summary he wants the believer to know that...
When You Are Trusting In Christ You Can Be Certain That You Are God’s Child.
This is a vitally important assurance to have because that knowledge or security in our relationship with God affects our present confidence and intimacy with God, and it also affects our hopeful expectancy for the future. Knowing who we are in Christ impacts every part of your life. When you know that you are God’s child you will relate to him without fear or distance (Romans 8:15.) When you know that you are a child of God you will have a hope for the future they cannot be diminished by present suffering (Romans 8:17-22)
So we see that it is vitally important to know that you are God’s child but how can you know? The Bible clearly teaches that some people are not God’s children! In John Chapter 8 Jesus clearly taught that some people are children of Satan and some people are children of God. While it is clear that God is the creator of all people, it is also clear that not everyone is in a Father/child type of relationship with Him. How can you know for certain that you are God’s child? Paul gives us to ways we can know that we are God’s children. The first of these is found in verses 12-14.
Read Verses 12-14
What is Paul’s basic point in these three verses? We can summarize his basic point as follows:
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
In other words, if you are a child of God your life will give evidence of that fact. Please note that Paul is not telling people to try hard to do the right thing in order to be a child of God. He is not giving instructions on becoming a child of God but rather he is giving a test for determining if you are a child of God.
Illustration: In our society there have been a few cases were infants have allegedly been given to the wrong parents in the hospital shortly after birth. When there is a dispute about the paternity of a child, we do not do depend on the word of the people involved in the dispute, or the word of the child involved, or the “feelings” of anyone involved concerning the truth about paternity. No, we rather do a blood test, which will determine with certainty the relationship and paternity of that child. In other words we look at the evidence for confidence and assurance.
It is the same way for a child of God. If you are His child, you will have the evidence of that fact. What is the evidence? A new direction in life.
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
Before we became children of God we demonstrated that we were the "children of the Devil" by our general life direction, which was turned toward sin. (Ephesians 4:17-19) We lived in this way because we were indebted to or slaves of the flesh. When we are born again as children of God we possess the Spirit of God and therefore we have "an obligation but it is not to the sinful nature to live according to it."(Verse 12)
If we practiced a lifestyle like the rest of the world we would be demonstrating that we are still controlled by or obligated to the flesh. Those controlled by the flesh do not have the Spirit at all. (Romans 8:9) Those without the Spirit are not the children of God.
Read Verse 13
This verse is not written to scare genuine Christians who may be struggling with sin and therefore believe that they may not be right with God. Paul’s whole purpose in this chapter is to give certainty about our relationship with God, not uncertainty. Keep in mind that Paul was also speaking to those who had not entered into a relationship with God through Jesus. Many of them still felt confident in themselves and the Law so Paul reminds them and us that those who “live according to the sinful nature will die.” (Verse 13)
Those who do not have the change of life direction that comes from the Spirit’s indwelling, leading, and power should not consider themselves to be children of God. The children of God will, by the Spirit, “put to death the misdeeds of the body.” In other words, they will have a new direction and practice in life.
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
Now all Christians have struggles, moral weaknesses, and failures as the Bible clearly anticipates and thus gives the remedy of confession and repentance.
(1 John 1:9-2:2) These fears have caused some genuine Christians to doubt the relationship with God. They feel that they may be "living according to the sinful nature." Paul was in no way inferring that those Christian who struggle with some sins are not children of God. After all there is "Now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." (Romans 1:1) The word "live" in verse 13 is grammatically a Present Subjunctive Active. This verb tense refers only to continuous or repeated action. Paul is saying that those who practice sin as a lifestyle, as their general direction in life, will die but that the Christian will live because the Spirit in them leads them in a new direction of holiness. The following quotes from John McArthur’s Commentary may be helpful in understanding this spiritual truth.
Quote: “The apostle is not warning genuine believers that they may lose their salvation and be condemned to death if they fall back into some of the ways of the flesh. He is rather saying that a person whose life is characterized by the things of the flesh is not a true Christian and is spiritually dead, no matter what his religious affiliations or activities may be” “If a professing Christian habitually lives in sin and shows no concern for repentance, forgiveness, worship, or fellowship with other believers, he proves that he claims the name of Christ in vain.” Source: Page 422,423 of The McArthur New Testament Commentary Romans 1-8
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
The new desire to obey and please God, the new choices we make, and a new to life direction indicates our paternity.
Read Verse 14
Paul’s logic is that, if you are going in a new direction in life, it can only be because of the Spirit’s leading. Therefore you can be confident about your relationship with God because “those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." To be led by the Spirit of God does not refer to some mystical experience in which the Holy Spirit gives detailed guidance in your life such as telling you what brand of green beans to buy at Publix. To be led by the Spirit in verse 14 is synonymous with living or walking by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowering you and leading you to change your life to a godly life is what being led by the Spirit in this context means.
If the Spirit is leading you in this way, you can be certain of your relationship to God as His child. Paul’s main point is that the Christian can be absolutely certain of their status as children of God because we know that we have the Spirit in us, which is the evidence of being God’s child. We have passed the paternity test!
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
What does it mean to be a child of God? What is the practical application of this truth? This is the issue Paul addresses and verse 15.
Read Verse 15
We can summarize Paul’s main point in this verse as follows:
2. Christians, As Children Of God, Can Be Confident and Close In Their Relationship with Him.
Illustration: In Disney’s animated movie Toy Story, Woody (a plush toy cowboy) confronts Buzz Lightyear (a toy astronaut) with the fact that he is only an action figure and not really a space hero. Early in the movie Woody shouts, "You’re not a space ranger! You’re an action figure—a child’s plaything."
Only after failing to fly, Buzz realizes the truth of Woody’s statement. Grief-stricken and disillusioned, Buzz hangs his head in resignation, declaring, "I’m just a stupid, little, insignificant toy."
Woody later seeks to comfort his friend by underscoring the love of the boy who owns them both. "You must not be thinking clearly. Look, over in that house, there’s a kid who thinks you’re the greatest, and it’s not because you’re a space ranger; it’s because you’re his."
As Buzz lifts his foot, he sees a label affixed to the bottom of his little shoe. There in black permanent ink is the name of the little boy to whom he belongs. Seeing the image of his owner, Buzz breaks into a smile and takes on a new determination and confidence. Source: Toy Story (Disney, 1995), rated G, directed by John Lasseter
This is what happens to us when we are certain of our status as children of God. We are no longer fearful of being rejected because of our inadequacies but rather we are confident and secure in our relationship with God. When you receive the Holy Spirit you did not “receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear." What is Paul referring to here? He is talking about those who are not certain about their standing with God. They may be religious and outwardly moral but they are also fearful of judgment because they are not sure where they stand with God. Christians do not need to have this uncertainty. Christians can be sure that they are children of God and therefore can have confidence, not fear! An illustration may help bring this spiritual truth to life.
Illustration: Let’s say we have this family with six kids, three daughters and three sons, a mother and a father and also a live in housekeeper (sound familiar?) The children in that household can live with absolute confidence. In they misbehave - they are still a part of the family. If the family falls on hard financial times they will not be kicked out of the house to save money. They can be confident and secure because they are children belonging to the family, but this is not true of the housekeeper. She is only a servant and not a child. She has reason to be a “slave to fear.” Her acceptance is based on performance and therefore her confidence is uncertain. If she messes up she may be fired. If hard times come she may be let. Her relationship is based on performance and need.
Your acceptance by God is not based on performance but on your status as children of God. Therefore you can have confidence.
2. Christians, As Children Of God, Can Be Confident and Close In Their Relationship with Him.
“You have not received spirit of fear but you received the Spirit of sonship.” The word "sonship" should be translated as “adoption.” Adoption in New Testament times was a common practice. Those who were adopted were considered to have all the benefits of children born naturally. They could and should share the same confidence as the rest of the family and children.
At the same time the word "adoption" reminds us that we are not children of God by nature, but by grace. We were brought into the family by God’s love. Jesus, on the other hand, is the Son of God by nature and therefore He has the full Divine Nature of the Father. We must always keep in mind the distinction between Jesus’ Sonship and ours! There are similarities (intimacy, inheritance), but they’re also important differences (Deity.)
As children of God we not only have a new confidence but we also have a new closeness. We can now cry “Abba, Father.” (Verse 15) This was a term of intimacy and endearment with the reverence due a father. This was a term that no slave would ever use, but only one who was close to his or her father. Paul is saying that we can enjoy a real, intimate, and personal relationship with God, as His children. This closeness and intimacy we have as children of God is much different than the formal way many people approach and address God. Many people have been taught that God is distant and aloof and the idea of a direct, personal relationship with Him is unattainable. The Bible teaches us that this is a false belief and that all Christians can and should enjoy a close relationship with God.
He is your Father and as such He will listen to you, comfort you in time of trouble, speak to you and guide your life, and pour out His great love in your heart.
Conclusion: Are you in God’s Family? You do not have to say, “I hope so” or “I think so” - you can say, “I know so!”
When You Are Trusting In Christ You Can Be Certain That You Are God’s Child.
1. You Can Know That You Are A Child Of God By Your Life Direction.
2. Christians, As Children Of God, Can Be Confident and Close In Their Relationship with Him.
You are in the Family. You can be sure of it!
