SATURDAY August 8, 2020
Spiritual Adoption
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:14-15
After addressing the struggles between the spirit and the flesh, Paul began to expound on the doctrine of spiritual adoption. Through adoption, we become the sons and daughters of God. We are adopted into His family. We can pray to God as our “Daddy,” asking Him for His help, and He will listen and answer us.
Previously, Paul reminded believers that they still had a sinful nature that desired to rule over them. Even though the Spirit of God is in us, we still have the danger of walking in the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Christians must never forget they are sinners saved by grace––do not forget that, please. No matter what other people think of us, we can go straight from the spirit to the flesh so quickly.
Christians are to be led by the Holy Spirit––not their fleshly desires or emotions. Before we choose to do or say anything, we need to check-in with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will warn, convict and even comfort us (John 14:26; John16:5-15). Those who do not walk in the Spirit grieve the Holy Spirit of God. If we call ourselves Christians, we must have a new walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Christians must mortify the flesh––put to death the misdeeds of the body.
This can only happen when a believer has fully submitted their lives to Jesus Christ and has allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them by His divine direction. As you have been adopted by God, no longer do you have to be in bondage to the flesh. You are now to be a different person––a Christian.
Nobody is born into this world a child of the family of God. We are born as children of wrath. The only way we enter the family of God is by adoption, and that adoption occurs when we are united to God’s Only Begotten Son by faith.
~R.C. Sproul~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
