Rom 8-Abba Father-5-privileges-3

| Abba Father – Part 5Even More Privileges of Sonship! Romans 8:14-17

February 11, 2007  (New Century Version) 14The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. 15The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.” 16And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God’s children. 17If we are God’s children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. (English Standard Version) 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For 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!” 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.  PRAY Scripture Memory:The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. –  Romans 8:16 Clarification:☞ Adoption implies Sonship. Sonship is used generically.Intro:By adoption, we are Sons and Daughters of GOD! – a 6 week series on adoption / a 3 week series on the privileges of adoption…Two weeks ago:1. How God is like our human fathers2. How the Holy Spirit impacts God’s children Last Week:☞ Six truths regarding the covenant of grace, to which we are heirs: This Week:3. The difference it makes to be a child of God☞ Four truths for those who know God as Abba, Father:☞ Four differences it should make that we are heirs of all things: Two weeks ago we looked at this from the perspective of how God the Father and God the Holy Spirit treat us as dearly loved children.Last week we looked at these benefits from the perspective of the Covenant of Grace.This week we want to look at who WE are in light of that, and how it should impact us. Four truths for those who know God as Abba, Father:Because God is our Father:1. We no longer have to fear (v. 15)15For 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!”Fear of what?Ø    We don’t need to fear condemnation.1 John 4:16-18 – God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.There is big difference between a healthy fear of God and this kind of fear. Ø    We don’t need to fear punishment from God.Important to understand the difference between punishment and discipline.>     Punishment may, indeed, be something we have reason to fear. Discipline, is not.>     Punishment is retributive. Discipline is corrective.>     Punishment is meant to hurt. Discipline, while it does hurt, is meant to heal, to grow.>     Punishment comes from God as judge. Discipline comes from God as Father. We deserve punishment from God. It would be just. Discipline has nothing to do with getting what we deserve.Ø    We don’t need to fear death.Heb. 2:14-15 – 14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.To live is Christ, to die is… (Phil. 1:21)1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT) – That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”No more sorrow. No more death. No more regrets…There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4) Because God is our Father:2. We are no longer slaves (v. 15)We are truly free.John 8:32-36 – Jesus said…, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.Ø  From the covenant of worksØ  From eternal condemnationØ  From the ceremonial lawRomans 8:1-2 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.Ø  From the power of Satan2 Timothy 2:26 – Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.Ø  From the dominion of sin – We are free to do what is RIGHT.Romans 6:18, 20 (NIV) – 18You have been set free from sin & have become slaves to righteouness.20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.Galatians 5:13 (NIV) – You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.1 Peter 2:16 (NIV) – Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. |   | 3. We are Sons & Daughters of GOD! (v. 16)The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 4. We are Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (v. 17)If [we are] children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.God’s children are co-heirs with Christ – Regents, with ChristAs heirs, God’s children are also owners, in a sense of all that is.i.e. a king & his kitchen utensils / or a landlord with his rented land – even though they neither use them, nor, in a sense, control them, they are still theirs. What does this mean for us in life?Ø  We are, in a sense, owners of all creation.Although we may have nothing, at the present time, even still we possess all things. (2 Corinthians 6:10 – sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.)All that we eat, all that we wear, even the sun that shines and the air we breathe, it is all ours. We “have a claim to it all, and [our] Father has given it to” us. It is here to provide enjoyment for His children. (à Brakel) Ø  Even the angels serve us.The angels are all ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14)  Ø  Christ Jesus became poor so that this all might become a reality.2 Corinthians 8:9 – For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. Ø  That which we can see and touch is far less than that which we will, one day, inherit spiritually.We spoke of that last week. Ø  That which the ungodly use resists them.All that exists unwillingly serves the ungodly; it all groans against them (Rom. 8:20, 22). (NLT) 20Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse. (NASB) 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. All that is used by the godly, however, will serve the purpose for which it was made.  Four differences it should make that we are heirs of all things:What difference should it make to us that we are “owners of all things?”1. Nothing should be allowed to become our master.Since you are master over all things, with what princely spirit you ought to consider everything as being subject to you. You ought not to permit anything—money, food, men, honor, or whatever it may be—to bring you under its power, have dominion over you, divert your affections, and thus bring you in subjection to it. (à Brakel) 2. We should be satisfied (content) with that which God gives us.Hebrews 13:5 – 5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you.”Ø    We shouldn’t be so concerned with having enough for tomorrow.For many of us, this is a matter of idolatry.Since you are master and possessor of the world, why are you so filled with care and anxiety, fearing that some day you will yet be in want? Why are you so busy in gathering money and goods, since they are all yours—all that has or has not been gathered by you? (à Brakel)Ø    We should never steal or cheat to get what we want.Since you are master over everything, take special care that you do not use unlawful means to acquire your possessions, but receive everything from the hand of your Father, however much or little He may be pleased to give you for your use; it will be sufficient for you as you use the means which He has prescribed for you. An only child is heir of all the goods that are in the house of his parents. If, however, he removes something from this inheritance contrary to the will of his parents, that is wrong. Such is the case here. You may freely eat from all the trees in the garden of this world; however, be on guard for that one tree called sin. (à Brakel) 3. We should treat everything with the respect we give we give our own thingsSince you are master over all things, use all things as a steward who will, one day, give an account to your Lord and Master. Make use of heaven and earth in this way; view all in this way, and delight yourself in that which you see, hear, smell, and taste. Our environment…See to it, however, that you treat those under you, be it animals or subordinates, well, as one who, yourself, is under God. 4. We should always remember our humble origins.Since you are master over all things, do not forget your humble origin. Know that you are a sinner, not worthy of receiving anything. Know that the Lord has granted you all only out of pure goodness and has richly given you all things to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17 – Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.). Since you have received everything, do not boast as if you did not receive it, but had all this from yourself.  Summary / Review:When we are confident that God deals with us a father does his own children, we find that we are free from fear of condemnation and of death.We find ourselves truly free; in ways we didn’t even realize we were in bondage before.We need to realize that as God’s adopted children we are now His heirs with all the rights and privileges that go with that title. We OWN everything that is around us.Therefore, we should not allow any of it to control us, being content with what God gives us. We should be very careful with everything in this life because we understand that it is ours only because it is God’s and we are His.Since you have received everything, we should never boast as if any of it were ours because we somehow earned it. A Truth to Remember:As adopted children of God we are co-heirs of all creation with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.A Challenge to Consider:As heirs of all that we see around us, we will, one day, have to give an account for how we used (or abused it). |