A Broke Evangelist

November 20, 2024

Romans 8:14-17

The Spirit of Adoption  

“14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

I tend to get overambitious when planning my work. I aimed to cover one chapter a week in my study of the Top 100 Chapters of the Bible, but I overlooked the fact that some chapters contain more than 25 verses! For instance, Romans 8 has 39 verses, and so far, I’m only one-third of the way through. After completing it, I’ll have finished 3% of the entire list!

On another note, I took my second dose of Ozempic and am happy to report that the side effects were less severe this time. However, they were still enough to keep me working from my home office. Overall, my blood sugars are improving, and I’ve even lost a few pounds in the process! Most importantly, the improvement in my blood sugar levels means my energy will rise, my weight will come down, and my overall mood will brighten. Being tired, dealing with inflammation, body aches, stiffness, and a lack of motivation is no way to live.

Staying busy—writing as I’ve been doing and studying for a professional designation for work—has really uplifted my outlook. Keeping productive definitely helps maintain a positive attitude. While there may be only two or three people who consistently read my work, I’m deeply grateful for them. My focus remains on continuing to write, trusting that the numbers will grow in time. I just hope my content is engaging enough to keep readers interested!

If you’re a Star Trek fan—especially The Next Generation—you probably remember when Captain Picard would say, “Engage.” Well, let’s engage… with Romans 8:14–17.

Romans 8:14 – For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 

It makes perfect sense that the children of God (yes, all of us!) are guided by the Spirit of God. But let’s not get it twisted—being led by the Spirit isn’t a prerequisite for becoming a child of God. It’s actually the other way around! First, we’re welcomed as part of the family, and then the Spirit steps in to show us the way.  I like to think of it as joining an exclusive club and getting a shiny membership card that says, “Child of God.” That’s pretty cool, if I must say. But, of course, there’s a lot to figure out once you’re in. Being me, my first thought would probably be, “Where’s the food?” But exclusive clubs have so much more to offer than just snacks. Thankfully, they don’t leave you to wander around aimlessly—they give you a personal guide.  This guide (the Spirit) gently nudges you in the right direction: “Turn left here… maybe slow down over there.” And here’s the best part: you don’t need to prove yourself or master everything beforehand to get this guidance. Joining the family comes first, and the guidance? That’s one of the perks of the membership! 

So, I can relax. I’m in the family, and the Spirit is here to help me navigate. No prerequisites, no pressure—I just step in and let the Spirit lead. When I do that, something amazing happens. The Spirit leads by guiding, drawing, and lovingly governing us. He helps us shift our focus away from ourselves and toward Jesus, leading us into repentance, truth, love, holiness, and even usefulness. It’s like becoming the total package! But when we let the wrong influence (say, the devil) take the lead? Then we’re no better than that herd of pigs that went stampeding down the hill and straight into the sea. That’s a lot of bacon to lose, don’t you think? So, stick with the Spirit—He’s way better at leading us to something truly fulfilling.

Romans 8:15 – The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 

Living as a child of God is all about enjoying a close, joyful relationship with Him—not about being weighed down by the fear and rules of the law. Think of it like this: as children of God, we’re so connected to Him that we can cry out, “Abba, Father!” Or, as we say in modern terms, “Daddy!” So, picture a relationship so warm and personal that calling Him “Dad” feels perfectly natural. It’s easy to imagine Jesus speaking to the Father with that kind of joyful confidence. But here’s where we sometimes trip up: we might think that’s fine for Jesus, but us? Sometimes we may feel that we’re not qualified for that kind of closeness. Not true! Here’s the good news: we are “in Christ!” That means we share the same privilege Jesus has when it comes to relating to the Father. We don’t have to earn it or prove we’re good enough. The Father welcomes us with open arms, just as He does His Son.

Sometimes we get so caught up in where we fall short that we forget an incredible truth: as believers, we are completely worthy of God’s love. There’s nothing we need to prove—except our willingness to trust Him and serve Him with obedient hearts.  If you were lucky, you might have had a moment as a kid when you looked to your earthly father for reassurance when you were scared or unsure. I still remember standing on a diving board as a kid, terrified to jump. My dad was in the pool, treading water just in front of the board, encouraging me, “Come on, you can do it!” I was scared to death, but I jumped anyway. Sure enough, he caught me and helped me to the edge of the pool. That feeling—that security of knowing your dad has your back—is unforgettable. But here’s the thing: our Heavenly Father’s love and care for us are even more secure. He’s always there to catch us, to guide us, and to cheer us on. So go ahead, cry out, “Abba, Father!” Lean into that amazing, loving relationship. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being His child and trusting that He’s got you, every single time.

Romans 8:16 - The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 

Paul makes it pretty clear: if you’re a child of God, born again by the Spirit, you know it. Why? Because the Holy Spirit gives your spirit a heavenly nudge, testifying that it’s true. Now, this doesn’t mean there aren’t folks out there who mistakenly assume they’re God’s children without the Spirit’s testimony. And to be honest, even true Christians can get stuck in a fog of doubt—thanks to spiritual attacks and the lies of the enemy—and start questioning if they really belong to God. But the good news is: even in those moments, the Spirit’s witness is still there, steady and true. 

So, we can settle it once and for all by acknowledging that we are children of God. No need for second-guessing or wondering if we’re really Christians. God’s kids know who they are, and that’s a confidence you can carry in your heart every single day.

Romans 8:17 - Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Because we’re in Christ, we have an incredible privilege: we get to relate to the Father just as Jesus does. That means we’re heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. That’s quite a privilege! But here’s the other side of the coin: being in Christ also means we’re called to share in His suffering. We don’t get to be immune to trials and tough times. It’s part of the deal. In fact, our present struggles are a key ingredient in the recipe for future glory. As far as God is concerned, the whole package—being His child, sharing in Christ’s suffering, and stepping into eternal glory—comes together beautifully. Sure, our human nature might wish we could skip the suffering and head straight to the good stuff, but that’s not how it works. The good news? The inheritance and glory that await us make every trial worth it. It’s nice to know that we’re in the family, and the best is yet to come!

And with that, more to come…

A Broke Evangelist – November 20, 2024

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