"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father." Romans 8v15
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PREPARING US FOR GLORY.
3. "Declaring the surety of our new position in Christ."
In verse 14 he introduced the new relationship that we have with God; we are the sons of God. This term refers to the dignity of what we now are, and it is altogether different to everything we had known before. The world without God lives in constant fear. This much stated in Hebrews 2v15 where he speaks of "them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Many may protest at this idea in a modern world, but deep down we know there is a slavery to the fear of the unknown. This he calls the spirit of bondage resulting in fear, Commercial managers in business rule on the basis of fear. When we place so much store on material possessions, we will do anything to maintain our jobs, and if possible to merit promotion. All religion is based on fear because it is the concoction of men and there is so much confusion, we can't tell what is the truth. Some live in fear of the stock market crashing; in fear of the unknown future; in fear of death. Everything we do in this world is controlled by fear and we have become slaves to the world's system.
On the contrary Christians have received "the spirit of adoption." This just means sonship. We have been brought into a close relationship with God that has removed all fear of the future, of death, of world events. God is our Father, and he uses the diminutive term "Abba" to show how close we are to the very Sovereign of the universe. Intimacy with a Sovereign God in a relationship of sonship removes all fear of the present , the past and the future.
He uses the figure of adoption. This is only used by Paul in Ephesians 1v5, Romans 9v4, Galatians 4v5 and here in Romans 8v15. I recall being rather disappointed when first reading these scriptures, since adoption in our culture is seen as a second class relationship (I say this very loosely). However, in the Roman culture, to which Paul is referring, it was very different. Under Roman law a natural born child could be, under certain circumstances, disinherited or even killed. Not so in the case of adoption and the features of Roman adoption are as follows: it was a very lengthy process, it was a very costly process; it was an irreversible process; it resulted in absolute equality. The process undertaken by the adoptive parents was lengthy, costly, and extremely difficult, and it was totally binding in its outcome; once signed it could not be reversed. The adopted child was granted equal status with the natural born child and had equal rights of inheritance. Indeed their status was greater than that of the natural born, since they were protected from the loopholes in the law which allowed disinheritance or even death.
What a glorious picture this presents in relation to us becoming the adopted sons of God. We had no natural right but we have gained a superior right. The process of our salvation was lengthy and difficult; it was very costly; and the result is irreversible (refer to Numbers 23v20). We now have the right of inheritance, which is the subject of the next few verses, which can never be taken away.
This is what it means to be the adopted sons of God. Readers will be able to trace for themselves the wonders of this word "adoption" in all its facets throughout scripture. Rather than living a life of fear, heaven is our home, God is our father, we hold citizen rights in the kingdom of God. The angels are our fellows, and the future is secure, so all fear is gone.
"God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent; hath He said and shall He not do it or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good? Behold I have received commandment to bless; and He hath blessed; AND I CANNOT NOT REVERSE IT!
Numbers 23v19-20
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