CHILDREN OF GOD — LED BY THE SPIRIT
Romans 8:12–17
Paul has just told Christians something remarkable:
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
— Romans 8:9
And he has pointed them toward resurrection:
“He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.”
— Romans 8:11
Now Paul draws a conclusion.
“So then, brothers, we are debtors...”
— Romans 8:12
So then.
Because of what God has done in Christ...
Because the Spirit dwells in us...
Because resurrection lies ahead...
How should we live now?
WE DON'T OWE THE FLESH ANYTHING
Paul says:
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”
The flesh has no rightful claim on us.
Paul has already said Christians have been:
set free from sin,
set free from the law of sin and death,
and are:
not in the flesh but in the Spirit.
So why go back and live as though nothing has changed?
We don't owe the flesh our obedience.
“IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH...”
Then Paul gives a warning:
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die.”
— Romans 8:13
We should not rush past that little word:
If.
Paul is writing to Christians.
And he gives them a real warning.
“If you live according to the flesh you will die.”
But the verse continues:
“But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Again:
If.
Paul places two ways of living before them.
Live according to the flesh → death.
By the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body → life.
Grace has not made the way we live unimportant.
“BY THE SPIRIT”
But notice something equally important.
Paul does not simply say:
Try harder.
He says:
“If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body...”
The Christian is active:
“you put to death.”
But the Christian does this:
“by the Spirit.”
Paul holds those two things together.
God's Spirit is at work.
And Christians are called to act.
We don't need to choose between the two.
Paul doesn't.
WHO ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD?
Paul continues:
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
— Romans 8:14
Notice how Paul identifies God's children.
They are:
“led by the Spirit of God.”
Being a child of God is not merely a label.
The Spirit who dwells in God's people also leads them.
And Paul has just shown us what that includes:
putting to death the deeds of the body.
NOT SLAVERY — ADOPTION
Paul now changes the picture:
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear...”
— Romans 8:15
Paul has talked a great deal about slavery in Romans.
Slavery to sin.
Slavery to righteousness.
Slavery to God.
But here he introduces another family word:
Adoption.
“But you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’”
Christianity is not simply a change of rules.
It is a change of relationship.
God is not merely Judge.
For those in Christ:
He is Father.
“ABBA! FATHER!”
Paul preserves the Aramaic word:
Abba.
Then gives its meaning:
Father.
This is the language of relationship.
Those who were under condemnation in the earlier chapters of Romans can now cry:
“Abba! Father!”
Something enormous has happened.
The sinner has not merely escaped punishment.
The sinner has been welcomed into God's family.
THE SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS
Paul continues:
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
— Romans 8:16
Notice how often the Spirit appears in this part of Romans.
The Spirit:
dwells in us,
gives life,
helps us put sin to death,
leads God's children,
and:
bears witness that we are God's children.
Romans 8 is not merely about escaping condemnation.
It is about a new life in the Spirit.
CHILDREN — AND THEREFORE HEIRS
Paul isn't finished:
“And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ...”
— Romans 8:17
There is another important if:
“If children, then heirs.”
Children inherit.
And Paul says God's children are:
“heirs of God”
and:
“fellow heirs with Christ.”
But then he adds something we might not expect.
GLORY — BUT FIRST SUFFERING
Paul continues:
“Provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
— Romans 8:17
Paul doesn't promise Christians an easy life.
Belonging to Christ does not mean suffering disappears.
Christ suffered.
Those who belong to Him may suffer with Him.
But suffering is not the end of the story.
Paul points toward:
glory.
And that word becomes the bridge to the next section.
NOTICE THE “IFS”
There is something worth noticing in these few verses.
Paul says:
“If you live according to the flesh...”
and:
“If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body...”
and:
“If children, then heirs...”
and speaks of suffering with Christ so that we may also be glorified with Him.
We should allow Paul's conditional language to stand.
He is giving Christians tremendous assurance.
But he is not telling them that how they live no longer matters.
God's children are called to walk by the Spirit.
ASSURANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY BELONG TOGETHER
Sometimes we separate things Paul keeps together.
We emphasize God's grace and become uncomfortable with warnings.
Or we emphasize human responsibility and lose sight of God's work.
Paul does neither.
The Spirit dwells in God's people.
The Spirit leads them.
The Spirit bears witness that they are God's children.
And those same people are told:
“By the Spirit...put to death the deeds of the body.”
God acts.
We respond.
Paul holds both together.
FROM SLAVES TO CHILDREN
Look at how far Paul's argument has traveled.
Once:
slaves of sin.
Now:
children of God.
Once:
condemned.
Now:
no condemnation in Christ.
Once:
captive to sin.
Now:
led by the Spirit.
And God's children have something waiting for them:
an inheritance.
But before the glory comes suffering.
And that's exactly where Paul goes next.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Ask the passage:
Do Christians owe anything to the flesh?
No.
What happens if we live according to the flesh?
Paul says:
“You will die.”
How do we put the deeds of the body to death?
By the Spirit.
Who are God's children?
Those who are led by the Spirit of God.
What have they received?
The Spirit of adoption.
What are God's children also?
Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
And where is Paul taking us?
From present suffering...
to future glory.
The very next words are:
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
— Romans 8:18
That begins our next study:
SUFFERING NOW — GLORY TO COME
Romans 8:18–30
TEXT B4 TRADITION
Read First. Conclude Later.
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