ROMANS UNWRAPPED 135

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God."   Romans 8v14

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PREPARING US FOR GLORY:

(2)  dignifying our position as the sons of God.

The use of the word "for" clearly links us to the previous verse.   Being led of the Spirit is the essence of the new life.   We are no longer driven by a corrupt nature, but are now governed by, and under the control of the Holy Spirit.   The word used for "led" is a gentle leading such that He never forces us to do anything against our will.   His role is to gently persuade us that life in the Spirit is far superior to anything we had before.   He will warn us, and he will trouble our conscience but His leading will be a gentle one and an effective one.   Before we consider the meaning of this we must assert that this is referring to all believers regardless of experience.   "As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God."   We should not take from this any elitist doctrine, such as has become prevalent.   In the broad term we know of as "Christianity" there are many who wish to claim a special or superior position within that circle.   There is no such thought here, this is true of all believers.  

The term "led of the Spirit" has been subjected to much abuse.   The thought here is not so much of the providential leading of the Spirit, where we should go, what we should do etc.; the thought is more of His moral governance over our lives.   We give evidence to being the sons of  God by what we do.   The phrase has come to mean, in certain minds mystical revelations, justification for strange moves, and an excuse for opting out for the need for preparation in the things of God like prayer and reading of the Word.   The leading of the Spirit is the experience of all who are described as the "sons of God."   An Old Testament illustration of this would be the cloud of glory by day and the pillar of fire by night which went before them to guide them.   We have something better even than that, we have the inner promptings of a Divine being within us every day and in every situation.   The extent to which we are successful in this, will depend on the extent to which we yield ourselves to His leading.

He is the HOLY Spirit....  and so He won't lead us into any unholy practises.   He is the Spirit of TRUTH .......and He won't lead us contrary to the truth that He Himself has declared in the Bible.   If we want to know whether anything that we do is spiritual, that is according to the mind of the Spirit, we should test it by the revealed truth in scripture.   In Galatians chapter 5 Paul teaches that the Spirit is contrary to the flesh, and in contradistinction to the works that the flesh produces, the Spirit produces fruit, and this is clearly defined in many different ways, nine to be exact.   If I am being led by the Spirit He will always lead me to be motivated by love in everything I do; there will be an inward joy in what I am doing because it is in the will of God; in everything I do I will be at peace with Him, so no pangs of conscience; I will be longsuffering towards others, because under His teaching I understand I am not perfect myself; I will be gentle towards everyone because as the gentle dove illustrates, that is the characteristic of the Holy Spirit; I will demonstrate goodness, not maliciousness; I will do everything by faith in the word of God and in the promptings of the Spirit; I will demonstrate meekness, a quality illustrated by Divine beings; I will demonstrate self-control, because the work of the Spirit is to change me.  

So when we speak of the leading of the Spirit, this is what it will mean.   There is a phrase in 2nd Corinthians 13v14 and Philippians 2v1 which speaks of the communion or fellowship of the Holy Spirit.   This is where we speak to Him and He speaks to us in a silent way.   Not only is there communion with Him but He requires our co-operation and so we should not grieve Him, nor quench Him.   There is a stark warning in Isaiah 63v10   "but they rebelled and vexed His Holy Spirit; therefore He was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them."   To be led of the Spirit is to make Him our guide and our friend, we certainly don't want Him as our enemy.   The evidence of this in our lives proves that we are the sons of God and the Holy Spirit is leading us into the dignity of what that means.  

Our blest Redeemer, ere He breathed
His tender last farewell,
A Guide, a Comforter, bequeathed
With us to dwell.
He came in semblance of a dove,
With sheltering wings outspread,
The holy balm of peace and love
On earth to shed.
He came in tongues of living flame
To teach, convince, subdue,
All powerful as the wind He came
As viewless too.
He came sweet influence to impart,
A gracious, willing Guest,
While He can find one humble heart
Wherein to rest.
And His that gentle voice we hear,
Soft as the breath of even,
That checks each fault, that calms each fear,
And speaks of Heav’n.
And every virtue we possess,
And every conquest won,
And every thought of holiness,
Are His alone.                                             by Harriet Auber.   1829