The Greatest gift of adoption and responsibility (8:14-17):
God promises adoption of son-ship. This is His amazing grace. This is the greatest blessing for any human being. As great as our blessing so great would be our responsibility.
Son-ship: (8:14-16):
It is a fitting and absolute statement that the sons of God should be led by the Spirit of God. The other way is not true, that is: being led by the Spirit is not a pre-condition to being a son of God. First we become the sons or children of God “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God” (Jn.1:12). We become His children first and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. A special caution is that Son-ship is NOT given to those who do mere-activities as given below:
- All those who read Bible regularly.
- All those who attend church meetings right from their childhood.
- All those who are baptised and take communion without born-again experience.
- All those who are religious and behave as a good person.
- Paul says: those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God. The leading of the Holy Spirit has already worked in our hearts:
- He gave us the repentance.
- He gave us the experience of Salvation.
- We are lead into holiness, usefulness and sanctification process began.
- The Holy Spirit guides us, draws us, speak to us with authority when we yield to Him.
The scripture does not say: that we are driven by the Holy Spirit. In many cases people are driven not by the Holy Spirit but by the evil-spirit. When Jesus sent the demons into the herd of pigs, “the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water” (Matt.8:30-32).
Then we receive the Son-ship. It is the Spirit of adoption. Then we live in intimate joyful relationship with God. The bondage and fear are gone. We can confidently even cry Abba, Father. The adopted son gains all the rights of the New Father (God almighty) and leaves out all the burdens of his old father. The old life of the adopted son has been completely wiped out or cancelled. He has no fear or slave of the old life. This is the son-ship we enjoy in the God almighty.
Further the children of God know their status as well because the Holy Spirit would continually testify or prompts them that they are God’s children. They would continue to grow spiritually and the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22) would gradually develop in their lives. Jewish law states there must be at least two or three witness to establish something (Deu.17:6). Similarly when are born again, our spirit and the Holy Spirit both witness and testify that we are the children of God.
Responsibilities: (8:17): Paul says; “we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” Being a child of God we will have inheritance also. Once a rich young ruler asked Jesus: (Lk.18:18) “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He missed the inheritance because he loved the material world. The children of God are the recipients of all spiritual blessings, share with the Lord Jesus in all the riches of God’s kingdom.
But sharing with the Lord Jesus Christ involves more than all the riches and glory. The way our Lord Jesus Christ has lived, we need to share with Him, the following are some:
- Share in His sufferings. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”(Lk.9:23, Mk.8:34, Matt.16:24)
- Share in His abuse and rejection and death. “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved”(Matt.10:22, 24:9, Mk.13:9, Lk.21:12).
Paul brings out this thought only after showing the greatest spiritual blessings of being Son-ship with Christ. Getting the adoption as child of God far outweighs all the worldly sufferings. These are the strings attached to it. If any one does not want to go through these strings he cannot qualify for Son-ship. Only legitimate children can inherit the estate. This is not an estate to which they succeed in consequence of the death of a former possessor. It is the Promised Land, given by God Himself, and divided among the children of the family.
Jesus said: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self” (Lk.9:25). Nevertheless after going through the sufferings, we will receive the highest object of joy and pleasure, the happiness and glory of a joint inheritance with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The term co-heirs with Christ will also apply that we shall rule the world along with Christ in 1000-year Millennial rule. Yes we shall be the partakers along with Him. “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years” (Rev.20:6).