Being a Child of God

We have been freed from the tyrannical slavery of fear in the flesh and have received the Spirit of safety and belonging through adoption.

Since Romans 7, we now understand the flesh in sin sells us into the tyrannical slavery of sin, but the Spirit adopts us out of slavery into safety and belonging with a holy God.

1 Peter 2:11 NASB95

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.

Yet, we still feel the pull of the flesh towards sin and can very clearly relate to the Apostle Paul.

Romans 7:24 NASB95

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

As Paul did, living in the flesh we feel the pull of our flesh toward sin. Even though our mind/our soul strives to serve the law of God that has redeemed us through the gospel, that pull remains.

Then Paul gives the answer to that dilemma. The answer is not found within any one of us, it is not found in anything we have or can do, it is found in a person.

Romans 7:25 NASB95

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

So, the rescue happens through a person, a Savior who redeems us from the tyrannical rule of sin over us. And we enter into that rescue without merit and without penance. We simply enter into it by faith, believing in the person of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us on the cross. He took our place there as He paid the penalty for our sin with His own life, so that we might, through believing, be saved from the tyranny of sin.

Romans 1:16–17 NASB95

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

Because of that faith, we have now been rescued from the condemnation that it requires.

Romans 8:1–2 NASB95

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Although sin in the flesh remains and continues to pull at us, we are no longer slaves to obey that pull.

Romans 8:9 NASB95

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Paul moves us even further into an understanding of this internal paradox of struggle within us by reminding us that we now have belonging with God’s family, an intimate and tender relationship with the Lord that now rivals the intimate relationship between an infant son and his father.

Romans 8:14–15 NASB95

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

So, we belong to God through Jesus Christ.

Now, we are no longer slaves to sin in the flesh to obey it, for we through faith in Christ have been set free.

We have the Spirit of life within us.

Yet — we still feel the battle. We understand the battle has been won in eternity, but where is the rescue from the flesh in this life?

Romans 8:11 NASB95

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Paul reminds us that the presence of the Spirit of life within us not only preserves and seals us for eternal life in death, but He is also giving life to our mortal bodies in this life. The Holy Spirit is at work within us, incrementally and increasingly setting us apart from sin’s slavery. That is called sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB95

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is clear that we are not there yet, but dear children of God, please know that just as much as the Spirit of God is at work within us to preserve us in the future, His work is also cleansing us in the present.

All of that leads us to Romans 8:12. So then, since the Holy Spirit works in such fashion within us for our souls and our bodies, we are now indebted— under obligation to live according to that Spirit.

We Are Obligated to Focus on the Spirit Over the Sin (Rom. 8:12-17)

Choosing the Spirit puts sin to death (v.v 12-13)

++Don’t fight alone in fear against the monsters of sin , cry out to your heavenly Father (vv. 14-15)

++Christ’s glory extinguishes life’s suffering (vv. 16-17)

Relate about FOMO

When you are tempted (FOMO), cry out to your Abba, your heavenly Father. Choose the Spirit of life over the sin, and know that by doing so you will put to death the deeds of the flesh.

We Are Obligated to Focus on the Hope Over the Loss Romans 8:18-25)

The glory of God outshines to darkness of loss (v. 18)

++The Spirit’s redemption growing within us evidences the full redemption to come (vv. 19-23)

++Anticipate the prize over the groaning (vv. 24-25)

The new creation has dawned in Christ, but the old creation continues (Rom. 8:18–25), so that believers long for the day when God will raise them from the dead and renew the created universe.

Thomas Schreiner

The end of the creature is the beginning of the Creator. Your extremity is God’s opportunity. Israel’s Cry And God’s Answer, Volume 45, Sermon #2631 - Exodus 2:23-25; 3:9, 10

Charles Spurgeon

In the first birth—born to sin, in the next—born to holiness; in the first— partakers of corruption, in the next—heirs of incorruption; in the first— depravity, in the second—perfection. The New Nature, Volume 7, Sermon #398 -1 Peter 1:23-25

Charles Spurgeon

In the paradox of sin’s pull, don’t loose heart.

If you have become a child of God by faith, you have received the Spirit of life.

If you have the Spirit of life within you, then know that He is at work within you.

Let the temptation of this life be not the anchor that holds you where you are, but the wave of hope that drives you towards the shore of God’s full redemption.

You are not a slave to sin, you are a child of God.