Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Romans 8:15
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
1. The Spirit gives life.
He gives spiritual life, bringing our souls from death to life. He enlivens us as we go through our daily lives, emanating Jesus. He empowers us to obey and to follow Jesus. He gives us the means to be righteous in our lives and in the eyes of God, so we have life.
2. The Spirit frees us.
We are no longer under a “spirit of slavery,” in bondage to sin and to Satan. The Bible tells us (most clearly in Ephesians and elsewhere in Romans) that we are either slaves to Satan or submitted to Christ. And the Holy Spirit frees us from the kingdom of death and bondage and moves us into the kingdom of Jesus where we have freedom and joy. And not just freedom, but a whole new status and identity.
3. The Spirit makes us sons.
He is called the “Spirit of adoption as Sons.” When the Spirit saves us, he folds us into God’s family. We become God’s children. The text says “sons” to emphasize our rights as children (in the first century sons bore the family name and inherited the family’s property). This is our standing with God–whole sons, whole children. What is more, the Spirit “bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.” This means that the Holy Spirit reassures us of our place as children. He speaks to our souls from the heart of God reminding us of our place and of God’s affection and promises.
4. The Spirit makes us heirs.
Our tendency is to downplay God’s great kindness and lavish loving generosity toward us. It’s easy to think, “Oh, I’m a child of God, but maybe like a red headed step child or a forgotten youngest child.” But that’s not what Romans says. It says that the presence of Christ in us means that we are heirs with Christ. We are recipients of all God’s goodness and glory and love. We will reign with Christ. We have a certain future, sealed by the Holy Spirit.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
