One of the amazing actions of God’s grace and salvation is the adoption of sons. We are brought into an intimate fellowship with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit cries out from within us, “Abba, Father.” Abba is the Aramaic word for “Father,” and the word “Father” is the Hebrew word πατήρ (pater). In every reference where Abba Father is mentioned, these words are given, (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15; Mark 14:36). This shows in part God’s willingness to extend His grace, fellowship, and inheritance to all people. The wall of partition that divides and separates is broken down in Christ and we all are able to be made sons of God. God has planned a new and special life for the believer. This new life is filled with and led by the Holy Spirit. Living after the Spirit brings the believer into a new way of thinking and obedience to the Spirit. In the old covenant, the Law was written on tablets of stone. Now the indwelling Holy Spirit communicates God’s will and purpose by writing His law in our hearts. This level of living in obedience is a step beyond the work of salvation. Salvation is a definite work of God’s grace and mercy at the expense of Christ. Now, through this new life in the Spirit, believers are enabled to be, walk and live as sons of God.
The believer’s life is being coordinated and superintended by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is our Comforter, Guide, Helper and Teacher. He draws us into the presence of God. He indwells our lives and gives us His fruit, nature and character. He convicts, corrects, and inspires us into acts of obedience to the will of the Father. He enables us to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Father.
Paul talks about the life that is controlled by the old sinful nature.
With the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit within, it is possible for the believer to live with a new nature. If we are under the Holy Spirit’s control, we shall live. If we live under the control of the flesh, we shall die.
Can we live a life under the control of the flesh and be full of the Holy Spirit?
Do you see the complexity of this question? My immediate response is no, in no way. According to the text, the Holy Spirit can have such an impact on our lives that we can walk free from the old sinful nature.
Romans 8:2 NLT And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
My second response takes into account the fact that we have not yet been perfected.
We still have a mortal body that is subject to corruption. The Holy Spirit is continually in the process of sanctifying our lives. Our old sinful nature must die daily, (1 Corinthians 15:31).
Is it possible to be full of the Spirit and be led by the Spirit and still live under the control of the flesh?
Let’s examine this.
Romans 8:13-14 NLT For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Being filled with the Spirit and being baptized in the Holy Spirit are not the same thing as being led by the Spirit of God.
These should be in perfect harmony with each other. Everyone in whom the Holy Spirit dwells should be led by the Spirit. This is God’s plan for our lives. There should be no controversy or distinction between having the witness of the Spirit that we are saved and in being led by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:14 ESV For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
The Holy Spirit will not be a silent partner in our lives.
When the Holy Spirit is present, He will guide, teach and help us. When the Holy Spirit dwells or abides within the believer, the wicked deeds of indwelling sin will be dealt with. The Holy Spirit consistently works to mortify, subdue, or bring to death the deeds of the old sinful nature. Every true child of God wants to live in such a way that they are pleasing to God in all things. The Apostle John was inspired by the Holy Spirit to address this.
1 John 1:5-10 NIV This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
1 John 2:1-2 NIV My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
When Jesus spoke to the early disciples about the Holy Spirit, He said, “He dwells in you and will be in you.”
From within the believer, the Holy Spirit constantly works to sanctify, purify, and glorify our lives. It is possible for a true believer to fall into sin, even deep sin, but if the Holy Spirit has access to them, they will hate the sin and seek victory over it. We should shun even the appearance of evil. According to John,if we do sin we should not stay in sin but should immediately confess our sin and seek forgiveness. We should seek to please the Lord in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.
We need to understand the flesh.
As long as we are in this body, we will experience some weakness and have the possibility of sin. However, we should not make room for sin. We fail enough without making excuses or seeking opportunities for sinning. Success or failure does not depend on self-determination.
God has so made us that all of our righteousness depends on Christ working in us.
Success or failure does not depend on works of the flesh. Success or failure does not depend on our previous standing, accomplishments, or relationships with God. Success or failure depends on the conscious consistent yielding to the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Romans 8:14 ESV For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
The Holy Spirit does not lead those who do not belong to God. The “leading of the Spirit” is the influence the Holy Spirit has over the lives of believers. His influence causes us to live with the power to be a living witness of Christ in character, nature and in power.
What does it mean to be a son of God?
Romans 8:15 ESV 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!”
Take note of the fact that God did not give us the spirit of a slave.
The spirit of a slave would have make us serve God out of fear of punishment. Some had attempted to cause others to serve God out of fear of punishment. We serve because the Holy Spirit has brought us into a proper relationship with the Father. If we had the spirit of a servant, we would constantly live under the fear of dread and punishment.
We have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
We are made a part of God’s family by regeneration and the judicial act of God. We are both legally and spiritually made sons of God.
By a judicial act and by regeneration, we are made sons of God.
- Judicially, through the blood of Christ, God acknowledges that the price for our sins and redemption has been paid in full and we have been freed from the bondage to sin and are made sons of God.
- Regeneration is God’s production of new life in us through the washing and renewing of the Holy Spirit and our spiritual condition is transformed from death to life by the work of the Holy Spirit.
God takes people who were at enmity against God and enslaved to sin, and makes them His children both judicially and by regeneration.
When we are released from the slavery and servitude to sin, we are given sonship and all its rights and privileges. Our nature and character are changed. We received God’s Spirit when He adopted us as His Own children. Now we are sons of God.
Romans 8:16 NKJV The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16 GNB God’s Spirit joins Himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children.
The Holy Spirit gives us the witness with our spirit of our right standing as a son of God. The Holy Spirit joins in agreement with our own spirit. If our heart condemns us, we do not have peace with God.
God’s children know their status because the Holy Spirit testifies to our own spirit that we are indeed God’s child.
As a response to that realization, we cry out “Father, my Father.” This is not just a personal prayer, praise or declaration. This is the deep inner consciousness and witness of the Holy Spirit that we belong to our Father. This is not a highly emotional work or spectacular event. It is not something that is sought after or agonized for in prayer.
This is the realization of what has happened.
The Holy Spirit communicates this with our own spirit. This realization assures us of the glory and heritage that we receive as a son of God.
1 John 3:2 AMP Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.
We are presently an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ.
Right now, God is attending to you as His child and we are made partakers of the privileges and rights of His sons. We do not know the full glory that awaits us when we will be glorified together with Christ. There is a future glory that awaits us in heaven’s glory.
Romans 8:17 AMP And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Listen to the witness of the Holy Spirit Who is revealing your position, possession, prospect, and power.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NKJV But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
The things that God has prepared for us are not all in heaven.
Right now the Holy Spirit is searching all things, yes, the deep things of God and revealing them to us.
1 Corinthians 2:11-12 NKJV For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
The Holy Spirit is showing us what we have inherited in Christ.
We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. The Holy Spirit is showing us what has been freely given to us.
Our relationship with Christ is manifold.
- We are partakers of grace and forgiveness.
- We enjoy His love and kindness, healing, and salvation.
- We enjoy the benefits of His suffering.
- We glory in His longsuffering and patience.
- We will share in His glory.
This is not only the glory of being made part of Christ now but it is also the ultimate goal and glory of every believer.
1 John 3:2 NKJV Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
In that day the former things will be completely done away and there will be no more sorrow or sadness, but all will be joy and gladness.
Romans 8:19-21 NLT For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, creation has been eagerly expecting the day when the sons of God will be revealed. When this great day of redemption comes, not only will our salvation be complete, but all creation will rejoice in that day.
Isaiah 11:6-9 NIV The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Romans 8:22-23 NIV We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
A glorious day is coming when all creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. All creation is waiting with eager expectation for the day when we shall be changed. Until that day when our bodies will be changed, we have hope and help in the Holy Spirit.
We have “the first fruits of the Spirit”.
The Holy Spirit is the first installment of heaven’s glory. The Holy Spirit is giving us a preview of heaven. The Holy Spirit has been given to comfort and sustain us. He is pleading our cause and defending us. He is revealing and unveiling the glory of God to us.
