Lesson 104
Romans
Chapter Eight
Freedom in Christ through the Holy Spirit
The Dynamic for living the Christian Life
Review:
Spiritual Application of the Truth
of Adoption
What a great illustration! Severed from all old relationships in Adam and
placed into a new one, into Christ; and in that relationship God is our Father
and we are "His sons."
It is the Holy Spirit who has an important role in adoption; As the "Spirit of adoption."
1. Adoption is the act of God placing "His born ones" into an adult standing in the family. [part of our new position]
2. Since we are now adult sons we are able to draw on the Fathers wealth, the spiritual blessings in Christ, and are able to exercise all the privileges of sonship.
3. There is also a future aspect to our adoption; related to the return of Christ and our receiving our resurrection bodies. Rom 8:22-23
3. 8:15b The intimacy of sons;
"by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
- Intimacy of
our relationship with the Father since we're sons is seen in the term; Abba
- This term Father is important to us; it is
the proper term for addressing God in prayer.
John 17:1, 5, 21, 24, 25.
- What about the unbeliever who calls out to the Father; John 8 deals with this!
4.
This verse expresses Paul's understanding of just how emphatically personal the Holy Spirit is!
- The H/S witnesses together with our spirit not to our spirits of the fact of the new birth, that we belong to God, that we're sons.
- What we have here is the fact of the witness of the Holy Spirit with our human spirit that we are children of God.
- What is being confirmed here?
- So what's the bottom line for assurance?
5. 8:17a The heirship of sons
- As a believer, as a son, you are an heir of God, not only that, you are also fellow heirs with Christ!
- This is what adoption is all about; God has placed us as sons, with all the rights privileges and benefits and blessings that comes from being God's son; this includes an inheritance;
present [Eph 1:3; and future [1 Pet. 1:3-4]
- If you think about what this context is saying, that your a born one of God, that your His son, that your one of His heirs it will put into perspective all the cares of this life.
Ø Elements involved in Heirship!
1. Heirship is determined by relationship!
2. Heirship is initiated by death. Heb. 9:16-17
3. Heirship is also defined as a partnership Rom. 8:17
- In fact vs:17 says there are 3 partnerships
1 - fellow heirs sugklhrono,moj
2 - suffer with sumpa,scw
3 - glorified with sundoxa,zw
4. Heirship, future aspect, is described by Peter in 1 Pet 1:3-4.
#1. Imperishable - nothing can destroy it; therefore knows no termination
#2. Undefiled - no tarnish or stain/dim purity; knows no imperfection
#3. Not fade away - no change in value or glory; knows no change over time
#4. Reserved in heaven - [perf.tense] secure forever!
5. Heirship is characterized by suffering, 8:17b
6. Heirship is culminated by glorification - 8:17c
What about this suffering here?
- Suffering is not a condition of heirship but what is being said here is that suffering will be a part of the relationship as heirs!
- Jesus predicted this suffering before the Cross. John 15:18-21; 16:1-3
- He also gave
them great hope 16:33;
- This present suffering is a God-given privilege. Phil. 1:29; Acts 5:41
- How you deal with it has an impact on your reward when He returns! 1 Pet 4:13