Debtors & Heirs - Romans 8:11-17

Review!

2 weeks ago, Jason covered the first 11 verses of Romans 8. He talked about how we are not condemned because of Jesus, how we are to set our minds on things of the Spirit, and how we are to walk.

Tonight, we are going to talk about a debt we owe, and what that means for us.

Debtors to Christ

Romans 8:12–14 ESV

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

There are some deep, rich, wonderful truths in this verse, and a massively important doctrine.

First, we are debtors,.

A debt is when you owe somebody something. When you break something, you owe that person a replacement. When you break the law, you owe the consequences of your actions.

Paul says clearly that our debt is not to the flesh, we may not live according to the flesh.

Jesus paid that debt when He died on the cross, Romans 5:8. Our debt is then transferred to Him, because of what He’s done for us.

Our debt is not to the flesh, it’s to Jesus, because He saved us!

Our new debt means that we cannot keep living like we used to live, we owe Jesus our lives.

Living according to the flesh kills us.

Living by the Spirit leads us to eternal life.

This is the important thing. “By the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body.”

We cannot put to death the deeds of the body unless the Spirit is in us! There can be no spiritual change unless the Spirit creates the change!

When the Spirit enters us and leads us, we become sons of God. What a concept!

it’s not just that the Spirit enters us, its the way it happens, and why it happens.

Adopted Heirs

Romans 8:15–17 ESV

15 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!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Ephesians 1:5 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Galatians 4:5–6 ESV

5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Adoption is such a perfect word for the relational transition that takes place here.

Adoption means that your original family has problems, that there are some serious issues that have caused you to be adrift.

When someone is adopted, their adoptive parents choose them. The kids don’t have any say, they don’t come to the parents and ask to be adopted, they are chosen by their parents.

The choice happens, and then everything changes.

Look at what this does in our hearts!

We do not have the spirit of slavery to be afraid, or to keep on sinning.

We do have the Holy Spirit, and He assures us of our salvation.

This word “bear witness” means “to testify (as an eyewitness)”

Not through some mystical voice, nothing audible.

We know we are saved because the fruit of the Spirit is evident!

We exhibit these fruits, and are empowered by the Gospel, for the Gospel.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This is how we know we are saved, if the pattern of our lives is that of following Jesus. Look what being saved means.

Romans 8:16–17 ESV

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

We are heirs. It means that we are entitled to the inheritance of our Father.

Not only are we heirs, we are fellow heirs with Jesus!

It means that when God sees us, He sees Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1–4 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Romans 1:28–32 ESV

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

This is who we were. And God still chose to adopt us.

There is this bit about suffering at the end, we will talk more about it next week, but here’s a succinct explanation.

This suffering with Jesus is the Spirit testifying of our salvation.

It is the ultimate display of the Fruit of the Spirit, for us to suffer for Jesus. Nobody suffers unless they have to.

Application

We are debtors. Not to the flesh, not to keep sinning.

We owe Jesus everything for our Salvation and adoption.

Our salvation is evidenced by the spiritual fruit that is produced in our lives.