By Beverly Conover
2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have
passed away, behold all things are new.”
In Romans 8 we’ve been diving deeper into what it means to be a “new creation”.
In Romans 8:1-4 we learned that there is now no condemnation to
those in Christ Jesus. We have a new position or standing before God.
In Romans 8:5-8 and 9-13 we saw that we have a new way of living, walking directed by the Spirit and not our flesh.
Now, in Romans 8:14-17 we’ll discover that we have a new relationship with God.
*Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God”
-as many as=ALL -led by the Spirit of God: How does He lead us?
-He renews our minds and opens our understanding to God’s truth in His Word
-He awakens our hearts to praise Him in word and song, overflowing from our hearts—telling of His goodness.
-He directs our wills to obey God
-He convicts, teaches, and restores us when we repent
-sons: from the Greek words huios= adult children of legal age to
inherit.
So, does what is written to “sons” apply to us, daughters of God?
Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
*Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,
But you received the Spirit of Adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
-the spirit of bondage (slavery)
Under Roman Law during New Testament times, slaves were considered property. They had no rights. They were denied citizenship, political office, and legal marriage. They were bought, sold, and mistreated at the will of their owner. They could be subjected to corporal punishment, sexual exploitation, or torture. Being in bondage, your life and treatment at the will and whim of
someone who had no legal restraints, would produce a very real fear.
John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin.”
Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
-So “bondage (slavery) can be to sin, or to the law (self-effort, self
righteousness). Both lead to fear of God as Condemning Judge.
-But you received the Spirit of Adoption
-Adoption during Paul’s time, under Roman law allowed a man to legally adopt a younger man he had chosen to be his heir. It was not about (as we think of it today) giving a family to children whose parents had died or were not able to raise them. This would have been done informally.
Under Roman law, a father had the right to disown his biological children, sell them into slavery, kill them, or decide whether a newborn would live or be exposed to the elements and left to die.
He could not do this with adopted children. They were considered legally legitimate and received a new identity, new rights, and new responsibilities.
Examples of adoptions under Roman law:
-Emperor Augustus – adopted by Julius Caesar
-Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, and Nero all came to power
through adoption.
-by whom we cry out “Abba, Father.”
This is a new relationship—not a slave master to be feared, but our “Daddy”!
*Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God
-bears witness: confirms, corroborates, proves, shows, testifies to
-children: not huios, but tekna, which means biological children.
John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (or, as it says in the Greek text analysis: “authority the children of God to be)
*Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.”
-So, we are both born into God’s family at salvation (born again, as it says in John 3:3&5) and He adopts us as His legal heirs at that same time.
-joint heirs with Christ:
What did Christ inherit?
Hebrews 1:1-2 & 4 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, …having become so much better than the angels, as He by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they.
-So, we, as joint heirs with Christ, have inherited ALL things (think about that for a while);
and we have inherited his name. In the Bible the word “name” carries the thought of the essence of the person, as well as their power and authority. WOW!!!!
-if indeed we suffer with Him
John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…”
-that we may also be glorified together.
Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
2 Corinthians “3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In closing, as it says in 1 Peter 1:3-4:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
Bibliography
aleteia.org “How the Roman Practice of Adoption Sheds Light on
What St. Paul Was Talking About” (A Catholic website)
Be Right: How to be right with God, yourself, and others by
Warren W. Wiersbe; published by David C. Cook, 1977 pp. 100-101
Bible- New King James Version, 1982 Thomas Nelson, publishers
biblehub.com John 1:12 Greek text analysis
callinginthewilderness.com “Adoption in the Bible, Part 1: The
Metaphor”
carolashby.com – Adoption in the Roman Empire
clintbyars.com – “If You are a Joint-Heir with Jesus, what did Jesus
Inherit?” Clint Byars – Forward Ministries.
Video – “Sons and Heirs: Romans 8:14-17” October 28, 2018.
Pastor John Miller, Revival Christian Fellowship, Menifee, CA