The Spirit's Ministry

What it mean to be Adopted by God?

Romans 8:12–17 CSB

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Homiletic Idea: believers have been transferred from the kingdom of the flesh into the family of God.

Introduction:

When Jesus met with a teacher of the Law, the question was asked, “What must one do to enter the Kingdom of God?”

Jesus replies to this question with stating that “Spirit give Birth to Spirit” and that one must be born again. This left the teacher baffled and filled with more questions.

What does it mean to be born again?

When someone is born every genetic detail for their life is already determined once the egg in the mother is fertilized. Eye color, Hair color, everything has been predetermined.

The characteristics the baby recieved is determined by the traits of their parents.

But what does it look like to be spiritually born, or born again?

Paul, once a teacher of the law, has found the spiritual revelation to that very question. The answer he gives is adoption.

Adoption is the the the legal transfer from one family into another. This is what describes the status of New Testament believers. god has adopted them into His family, and has put His very Spirit inside of them, because Flesh give birth to flesh, but the Lord who is Spirit gives Spiritual birth.

We who have been born again, take on the spiritual DNA of our Father, including His Spirit.

It is because God is our Father we now walk according to the way of our faith- This is being Led by the Spirit.

Because we have now been transferred from one family or kingdom, the world, to a new family and kingdom, we no longer are obligated to live according to the rules of that we were once subject too.

In Fact we are now obligated to live according to the Spirit that is in us

Romans 8:11 CSB

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

Being a Child of God means you live by the Spirit-

Those who live by the Spirit are led by the Spirit

They have died to the flesh and the ways of the world

By dying to the flesh they have life. (Rom 8:12-13)

My Favorite Illustrations Indwelling and Filling by the Spirit

Indwelling and Filling by the Spirit

The New Testament speaks of Christians being both indwelt and filled by the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between the two.

Through its wiring system a building may be indwelt by electricity. It is filled with its power only as it is allowed to work through electrical appliances: light bulbs, motors, and the like.

At the moment of regeneration the Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (see John 14:17). But the individual is filled by the Spirit when he yields his life to the Spirit’s direction and power. If you wish to be filled with the Holy spirit, you must yield your body, your total self, to Him that He might work in and through you.

God Spirit is as work in the lives of Believers

By the Spirit we:

Put to death the flesh

are Lead

are Son’s of God

Those Led by the Spirit are the sons of God-

We are Children not slaves

We are Sons and Daughters

We have the Spirit of Adoption

Those Led by the Spirit have been adopted by God

We cry out “Abba Father”

We call out to our Father

We Pray to our Father- Jesus taught us to Pray like Himself “Our Father who art in Heaven”

God is no longer a distant deity, but He has become our Heavenly Father

Children call their Dad

When they are in trouble

when they are in need

when they are hurting

when they are scared

When they need Direction

We call on our heavenly Father for all of these

The Spirit testifies to our new position.

The Spirit speaks to ur adoption.

It is the witness to the our new Spiritual condition.

As Children we are Coheirs with Christ

We walk in the footsteps of Jesus himself

He is our example of living as a son that Honors God

As we follow his example we get the same results

If we suffer, We will be glorified

Christ suffered for a moment, and is exalted forever.

Conclusion:

Everything about the believers has changed. it began with how we walk, as Paul has already laid out in Romans 8:1-11. Once we followed the ways of the world, because we were subjects to the world.

But God has made a way for us to be adopted into His family, and He has free us from being slave and He has made us His Children.

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Adoption

A new mother stayed with her parents for several days after the birth of her first child. One afternoon she remarked to her mother that it was surprising the baby had dark hair, since both her husband and she were fair. The grandmother said, “Well, your daddy has black hair.” To which the daughter replied, “But, Mama, that doesn’t matter, because I’m adopted.” With an embarrassed smile, that mother said the most wonderful words her daughter had ever heard: “I always forget.”

All Christians are adopted children of God who are accepted by God with the same unconditional love that this mother had for her daughter.