From Bondage to Adoption: Embracing Our Identity in Christ

 

Summary

In Romans 8:15-17, Paul presents a profound truth about the Christian life, emphasizing the spirit of adoption over a spirit of bondage and fear. This passage is not just a theological statement but a practical antidote to the discouragement and spiritual depression that many Christians face. The Apostle Paul addresses the Roman Christians, who, despite their conversion, struggle with living out their faith in a world that opposes them. This struggle often leads to a spirit of bondage, where the Christian life is perceived as a burdensome law rather than a liberating relationship with God.

Paul's message is clear: Christians have not received a spirit of bondage leading to fear but the spirit of adoption, allowing them to cry out, "Abba, Father." This spirit of adoption transforms the believer's relationship with God from one of fear to one of intimacy and assurance. The presence of the Holy Spirit within believers is a testament to their status as God's children and joint heirs with Christ. This realization should shift the focus from a fear of failing to meet a standard to a desire to please God as a loving Father.

The essence of the problem lies in a failure to understand and appropriate the truth of the Christian life. Many Christians unconsciously turn their faith into a new law, leading to a spirit of fear and bondage. However, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live out their faith, not through their strength but through the Spirit's power. This understanding liberates Christians from the fear of failure and the overwhelming nature of the Christian life, reminding them of their ultimate destiny as heirs of God.

Key Takeaways:

- Spirit of Adoption vs. Spirit of Bondage: Embrace the spirit of adoption, which allows us to call God "Abba, Father," and reject the spirit of bondage that leads to fear. This transformation in our relationship with God shifts our focus from fear to intimacy and assurance. [23:29]

- Empowerment by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit within us empowers us to live the Christian life, not through our strength but through His power. This understanding liberates us from the fear of failure and the overwhelming nature of the Christian life. [25:40]

- Relationship Over Rules: Our goal in the Christian life is not merely to meet a standard but to please God as our loving Father. This shift in perspective transforms our approach to faith from a burdensome task to a joyful relationship. [32:41]

- Assurance of Our Destiny: As children of God and joint heirs with Christ, our destiny is secure. This assurance should motivate us to live holy lives, knowing that nothing can separate us from God's love. [38:19]

- Living in the Light of Our Identity: Recognize that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and live in a way that reflects our identity as God's children. This realization empowers us to overcome sin and live victoriously. [36:57]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Romans 8:15-17
- [01:11] - The Danger of Misunderstanding
- [02:00] - Addressing Discouragement
- [03:22] - Practical Theology
- [04:40] - The Problem of Living the Christian Life
- [06:42] - Failure to Realize the Truth
- [08:58] - Spirit of Bondage Explained
- [11:18] - Turning Christian Life into a New Law
- [13:49] - Paul's Warnings Against Legalism
- [17:19] - Spirit of Fear and Its Consequences
- [23:29] - The Spirit of Adoption
- [25:40] - Empowerment by the Holy Spirit
- [32:41] - Relationship Over Rules
- [38:19] - Assurance of Our Destiny

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 8:15-17

Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean by the "spirit of bondage" and how does it contrast with the "spirit of adoption"? [23:29]
2. How does the presence of the Holy Spirit within believers serve as a testament to their status as God's children? [24:23]
3. What is the significance of being able to cry out "Abba, Father" in the context of this passage? [31:49]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the spirit of adoption transform a believer's relationship with God from one of fear to one of intimacy and assurance? [32:41]
2. In what ways does the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empower believers to live out their faith, according to the sermon? [25:40]
3. How does understanding our identity as children of God and joint heirs with Christ influence our perspective on the Christian life? [36:01]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt a spirit of bondage in your Christian walk. How can embracing the spirit of adoption change your perspective? [23:29]
2. The sermon emphasizes the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. What is one area of your life where you need to rely more on the Spirit's power rather than your own strength? [25:40]
3. How can you shift your focus from trying to meet a standard to desiring to please God as a loving Father in your daily life? [32:41]
4. Consider your current understanding of your identity as a child of God. How does this realization affect your approach to overcoming sin? [36:57]
5. What practical steps can you take to live in the light of your identity as a temple of the Holy Spirit? [36:57]
6. How does the assurance of your destiny as a child of God motivate you to live a holy life? [38:19]
7. Identify one specific fear or area of discouragement in your life. How can the truths from Romans 8:15-17 help you address this fear? [23:29]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace the Spirit of Adoption
The Christian life is often misunderstood as a set of rules and obligations, leading to a spirit of bondage and fear. However, Romans 8:15-17 reveals a profound truth: believers have received the spirit of adoption, allowing them to call God "Abba, Father." This transformation shifts the relationship from one of fear to intimacy and assurance. The spirit of adoption assures believers of their status as God's children and joint heirs with Christ. This understanding should move Christians from a fear of failing to meet a standard to a desire to please God as a loving Father. Embracing this truth liberates believers from the burdensome perception of faith as a law and invites them into a joyful relationship with God. [23:29]

Galatians 4:6-7 (ESV): "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you still feel like you are living under a spirit of bondage? How can you begin to embrace the spirit of adoption and call God "Abba, Father" today?


Day 2: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
The Christian life is not meant to be lived through human strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Many believers unconsciously turn their faith into a new law, leading to a spirit of fear and bondage. However, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live out their faith victoriously. This understanding liberates Christians from the fear of failure and the overwhelming nature of the Christian life. The Holy Spirit within believers is a testament to their status as God's children, enabling them to live in a way that pleases God. Recognizing this empowerment shifts the focus from self-reliance to reliance on the Spirit's power. [25:40]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are trying to rely on your own strength? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to empower you in that area today?


Day 3: Relationship Over Rules
The goal of the Christian life is not merely to meet a standard but to please God as a loving Father. This shift in perspective transforms the approach to faith from a burdensome task to a joyful relationship. Many Christians struggle with living out their faith because they unconsciously turn it into a new law. However, understanding the spirit of adoption and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit allows believers to focus on their relationship with God rather than rules. This transformation leads to a life of intimacy and assurance, where the desire to please God stems from love rather than obligation. [32:41]

1 John 3:1 (ESV): "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from following rules to deepening your relationship with God today? What practical steps can you take to cultivate this relationship?


Day 4: Assurance of Our Destiny
As children of God and joint heirs with Christ, believers have a secure destiny. This assurance should motivate Christians to live holy lives, knowing that nothing can separate them from God's love. The spirit of adoption transforms the believer's relationship with God, providing intimacy and assurance. This understanding liberates Christians from the fear of failure and the overwhelming nature of the Christian life. Recognizing their identity as God's children and joint heirs with Christ empowers believers to live in a way that reflects their ultimate destiny. This assurance is a source of hope and motivation for living a life that pleases God. [38:19]

1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: How does the assurance of your destiny as a child of God impact your daily life? What changes can you make to live more fully in light of this truth?


Day 5: Living in the Light of Our Identity
Believers are called to recognize that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and to live in a way that reflects their identity as God's children. This realization empowers Christians to overcome sin and live victoriously. The spirit of adoption and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit transform the believer's relationship with God, providing intimacy and assurance. This understanding liberates Christians from the fear of failure and the overwhelming nature of the Christian life. Recognizing their identity as God's children and joint heirs with Christ empowers believers to live in a way that reflects their ultimate destiny. This assurance is a source of hope and motivation for living a life that pleases God. [36:57]

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV): "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

Reflection: In what ways can you honor God with your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit? What specific actions can you take today to live in alignment with your identity as God's child?

Quotes


The Apostle Paul addresses the Roman Christians, who, despite their conversion, struggle with living out their faith in a world that opposes them. This struggle often leads to a spirit of bondage, where the Christian life is perceived as a burdensome law rather than a liberating relationship with God. [00:05:01]

The essence of the problem lies in a failure to understand and appropriate the truth of the Christian life. Many Christians unconsciously turn their faith into a new law, leading to a spirit of fear and bondage. However, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live out their faith, not through their strength but through the Spirit's power. [00:06:45]

The danger of having a servant spirit, the surf-like spirit and attitude, generally arises from the tendency to turn the Christian life and the living of the Christian life into a new law and into a higher law. In other words, I'm thinking of people now who are quite clear about their relationship to the Old Law. [00:09:03]

The spirit of fear in these people, which results from the spirit of bondage, is ultimately a fear of themselves and a fear of failure. They say, "I've come into this Christian life, yes, but the question is, can I live it? It's so marvelous, it's so wonderful, it's so high, it's so exalted." [00:22:47]

The Apostle Paul turns to such people and says, "You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. You were in that spirit of bondage and fear, but you've been brought out of that. Why do you go back to that now? Why is it they do go back? What's the antidote? What's the answer?" [00:23:29]

The answer is we must realize the truth concerning the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. That's the message. Now that, according to the Apostle, works out in two ways. The first is that as I confront this mighty glorious task of denying myself and taking up the cross and following the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:24:20]

The Holy Spirit within us reminds us of our destiny. If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That's the way to look at the Christian life. Paul keeps on arguing about this. He ends off by saying that this destiny of the Christian is absolutely certain. [00:38:19]

The presence of the Holy Spirit within us is a guarantee to us of our sonship, yes, our adult sonship, not infants. This adoption means you're a grown son, you've reached full age, you're a full son in the fullest sense and in the full possession of your position and of your faculties. [00:31:54]

The moment we realize that everything tends to change. He's a father who desires our good and who's always caring for us. He loves us with an everlasting love. He has so loved us as to send his only begotten son into the world for us and even to the cross to die for our sins. [00:33:36]

The spirit of adoption whereby we cry, "Abba, Father." A slave wasn't allowed to say, "Abba," and that slave spirit doesn't regard God as Father. It hasn't realized that he is Father. It regards him still as a judge who is concerned about condemning us. But that's wrong, my friends. [00:32:41]

The Holy Spirit within us reminds us of our relationship to God. This is the wonderful thing. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage against a fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, "Abba, Father." [00:31:54]

The spirit also beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. You see the argument, the inevitable logic. If we are children of God, we must be related to the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:34:40]

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