Embracing God's Love: Justification, Adoption, and Freedom
Summary
Romans 8 is a profound chapter that reveals the depth of God's love and the purpose of our salvation. We began by understanding that in Christ, God removes the condemnation of sin's penalty, a concept known as justification. This is a marvelous truth, but the gospel extends beyond this. It also breaks the power of sin, a process called sanctification. However, the gospel is even more glorious because it brings us into a relationship with God as His children through adoption. This adoption is not just a legal standing but a relational transformation where we are invited to enjoy God's love forever.
The ultimate purpose of our salvation is not merely to sin less, serve more, or escape hell, but to be brought into the everlasting enjoyment of God's love. This is the chief end for which we were created and the reason Christ came to rescue us. In Romans 8, Paul emphasizes that we are adopted as sons and daughters of God, making us heirs with Christ. This adoption assures us of God's love and transforms our relationship with Him from one of fear and duty to one of love and intimacy.
Many Christians struggle to truly believe that God loves them, often living in a state of spiritual slavery, trying to prove their worth to God. However, God has given us the Holy Spirit, not to make us slaves again to fear, but to assure us of our adoption and His love. The Spirit enables us to cry out "Abba, Father," a cry of intimacy and assurance. This relationship transforms our worship, our experience of suffering, and our hope for the future.
As we believe the gospel, commit to God's will, and anticipate our inheritance, the Holy Spirit works in us to deepen our understanding and experience of God's love. We are on the last mile of our journey to an eternal inheritance, and the Spirit's work is to fill us with the joy and freedom of being loved by God.
Key Takeaways:
- Justification and Sanctification: In Christ, we are justified, meaning our sins' penalty is removed, and sanctified, meaning the power of sin is broken. This dual work of the gospel is foundational to our salvation, but it is not the end. We are also adopted into God's family, which is the ultimate expression of His love and purpose for us. [02:29]
- Adoption into God's Family: Our adoption as sons and daughters of God is a profound truth that assures us of His love. This adoption is not just a legal status but a relational transformation where we are invited to enjoy God's love forever. It is the Spirit's work to assure us of this reality and to enable us to cry out "Abba, Father." [07:11]
- Freedom from Spiritual Slavery: Many Christians live in a state of spiritual slavery, trying to prove their worth to God. However, God has given us the Holy Spirit to assure us of our adoption and His love, freeing us from fear and duty. This relationship transforms our worship and our experience of God's love. [12:36]
- The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is given to us to assure us of God's love and to enable us to enjoy it. This involves a bonding process where we grow in our understanding and experience of God's love, moving beyond mere belief and behavior to a deep, intimate relationship with Him. [18:44]
- Anticipating Our Inheritance: As heirs with Christ, we have an eternal inheritance awaiting us. The Holy Spirit works in us to anticipate this inheritance, filling us with hope and joy. This perspective transforms our present experience, enabling us to live in the freedom and joy of being loved by God. [33:26]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Savoring Our Salvation
- [00:28] - Justification: Removal of Sin's Penalty
- [01:15] - Sanctification: Breaking Sin's Power
- [02:49] - The Ultimate Purpose of Salvation
- [03:56] - The Love of God in Christ
- [05:18] - Saved for Enjoying God's Love
- [06:37] - Adoption into God's Family
- [07:11] - Sons and Daughters of God
- [09:18] - The Grace of Adoption
- [10:08] - Struggling to Believe God's Love
- [12:36] - Freedom from Spiritual Slavery
- [14:58] - The Spirit of Sonship
- [18:44] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [33:26] - Anticipating Our Inheritance
- [38:33] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Romans 8
Bible Reading:
- Romans 8:1-17
- Romans 5:5-8
- Galatians 4:4-7
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 8, what are the two key aspects of salvation that Paul highlights, and how do they relate to justification and sanctification? [02:29]
2. How does Paul describe the relationship between believers and God in Romans 8:15-17, and what role does the Holy Spirit play in this relationship? [07:11]
3. In the sermon, what analogy is used to describe the transformation that occurs when the Holy Spirit enters a believer's life? [01:57]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the ultimate purpose of our salvation, as described in Romans 8? [05:01]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of adoption in Romans 8:15-17 change the way believers should view their relationship with God, compared to a relationship based on fear and duty? [14:58]
2. In what ways does the Holy Spirit assure believers of their adoption and God's love, according to the sermon? How does this assurance impact a believer's life? [18:44]
3. The sermon mentions that many Christians struggle to believe that God truly loves them. What might be some reasons for this struggle, and how does Romans 8 address these concerns? [10:08]
4. How does the anticipation of our eternal inheritance, as described in Romans 8:17, influence the way believers live their lives today? [33:26]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Do you find yourself trying to prove your worth to God? How can you shift your mindset to embrace the freedom and assurance of being God's child? [12:36]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of believing the gospel daily. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of God's love and grace each day? [28:24]
3. How can the understanding of being an heir with Christ change the way you approach challenges and suffering in your life? [30:18]
4. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God, moving beyond mere belief and behavior to a more intimate connection? Consider specific practices or habits you can adopt. [20:35]
5. Think about a time when you felt distant from God. How might the assurance of the Holy Spirit's presence and God's love have changed that experience? [21:05]
6. The sermon suggests that the greatest unkindness to God is not believing in His love. How can you actively work on trusting in God's love more fully? [26:30]
7. Identify one area of your life where you can live more freely and joyfully as a child of God. What changes can you make this week to reflect this freedom? [37:43]
Devotional
Day 1: Justification and Sanctification: The Dual Work of the Gospel
In Christ, believers experience both justification and sanctification. Justification is the removal of sin's penalty, a legal declaration of righteousness before God. This is a foundational aspect of salvation, but it doesn't end there. Sanctification follows, breaking the power of sin in our lives and transforming us into the likeness of Christ. This dual work of the gospel is essential for understanding the depth of God's love and purpose for us. It is not just about being saved from sin but being transformed into a new creation, living in the freedom and joy of God's love. [02:29]
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12, ESV)
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel the power of sin is still strong. How can you invite God's sanctifying work into this area today?
Day 2: Adoption into God's Family: A Relational Transformation
Adoption into God's family is a profound truth that assures believers of His love. This adoption is not merely a legal status but a relational transformation, inviting us to enjoy God's love forever. As sons and daughters of God, we are heirs with Christ, and this reality changes our relationship with God from one of fear and duty to one of love and intimacy. The Holy Spirit assures us of this adoption, enabling us to cry out "Abba, Father," a cry of intimacy and assurance. [07:11]
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing you are adopted into God's family change the way you view your relationship with Him? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship today?
Day 3: Freedom from Spiritual Slavery: Living in God's Love
Many Christians live in a state of spiritual slavery, trying to prove their worth to God. However, God has given us the Holy Spirit to assure us of our adoption and His love, freeing us from fear and duty. This relationship transforms our worship and our experience of God's love. The Spirit's work is to fill us with the joy and freedom of being loved by God, moving us from a mindset of slavery to one of sonship. [12:36]
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself trying to earn God's love? How can you embrace the freedom of being loved by God without conditions today?
Day 4: The Role of the Holy Spirit: Assurance and Intimacy
The Holy Spirit is given to believers to assure them of God's love and to enable them to enjoy it. This involves a bonding process where we grow in our understanding and experience of God's love, moving beyond mere belief and behavior to a deep, intimate relationship with Him. The Spirit's presence in our lives is a constant reminder of our adoption and the love that God has for us. [18:44]
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Galatians 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence in your life? What practices can help you grow in intimacy with God today?
Day 5: Anticipating Our Inheritance: Living with Hope and Joy
As heirs with Christ, believers have an eternal inheritance awaiting them. The Holy Spirit works in us to anticipate this inheritance, filling us with hope and joy. This perspective transforms our present experience, enabling us to live in the freedom and joy of being loved by God. Our journey is not just about enduring the present but eagerly anticipating the future glory that awaits us as children of God. [33:26]
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: What does it mean for you to live in anticipation of your eternal inheritance? How can this hope transform the way you approach your daily life today?
Quotes
In Christ, God removes the condemnation of sin's penalty. The law couldn't do that because we were weakened by the sinful nature, but God took the initiative. He sent his son, he made Christ to be the sin offering, and your condemnation if you're in Christ was truly poured out on the Lord Jesus when he died on the cross. [00:26:16]
If our Salvation was justification only, it would mean God saying to us something like this: now here's the good news, I forgive you for your sin, you will not go to hell because of your sin, you will go to heaven, but unfortunately between now and then you'll remain pretty much the same person. [01:23:04]
The ultimate purpose of the father and of the son in mounting this rescue is that you should enjoy God's love forever and forever. That is what we are saved for. See, last week we were thinking about what we're saved from: the penalty of sin's condemnation and the condemnation of sin's power. [05:01:68]
God's rescue is more than justification, it is more than sanctification, it involves adoption, in which God in his incredible love in Jesus Christ brings those he justifies and sanctifies into his own family so that we may forever beginning from now through Christ enjoy the riches of his love. [06:45:96]
Many Christians live far below it. We believe that God forgives our sins in Christ, we believe that God is at work by the Holy Spirit to make us better people in Christ, but there are many even Within the church who are not sure that God really loves them. [10:11:16]
God did not give us a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear. When God gave the Holy Spirit to you in your life as a person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, he did not give you the spirit so that you could merely go on trying to prove yourself to God again. [11:00:60]
The Holy Spirit is given to you for the bonding process as a son or a daughter of God. I've been reading this week, it's been such a blessing to me, a wonderful book by John Owen, a Puritan writer, is simply called communion with God. [18:19:12]
The Holy Spirit similarly is given to us to evoke within your heart a responsive or a reflective love back to the father, to bring you to the place where your delight and your desire would be to be near to him, to walk with him, to choose this because you want to be close to him. [20:01:08]
The greatest sorrow and burden that you can lay on the father, the greatest unkindness that you can do to him is, and here's what Owen says, not to believe that he loves you. And you and I might have thought he was going to say some scandalous sin or whatever, but you think about it. [26:00:00]
The Holy Spirit will communicate the love of the father into your heart not only as you believe the gospel but as you commit yourself to pursue his will, whatever the cost. And here's the last application, for it is not only the cry of a son who knows that he's loved. [32:39:12]
The Holy Spirit will communicate the love of God into your life as you believe the gospel, as you commit yourself to follow the will of God even in the most painful places, and as you anticipate your Everlasting inheritance in glory. Think much about this. [33:31:59]
It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to communicate to you the Father's Love so that with freedom and joy you may live in love towards him, and he will do that as you believe the gospel, he will do that as you commit yourself to the will of God in the hard places. [37:43:80]
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