The Assuring Witness of the Spirit: Sonship
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
5/27/2018 AM
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Text:
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Romans 8:15,16
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Psalters: |
237, 94, 367, 282 |
- The cry.
- Our text declares the fact that the children of God cry, “Abba, Father.” (first in Chaldean, and then in Greek.)
- It is not a command, but a statement of fact: we do cry, “Abba, Father.”
- It is the strong and clear expression that the relationship God established so some become His children.
- This cry arises by virtue of God’s gracious adoption of us and by reason of our being born of God.
- The appellative indicates the knowledge that God, as Father, loves us and has forgiven us.
- This is not a song (what it will be in heaven), but a cry while still in the midst of sin and trouble.
- This is a spontaneous cry of faith, of love, of hope and longing; with deep emotion, expressing fervency and earnestness.
- How does one get this assurance? It is the work of the Spirit.
- We “receive” the Spirit.
- This is not the Spirit of bondage to fear, so we are afraid or terrified of God.
- The Spirit of adoption witnesses with the spirit of those given to Christ that they are the children of God.
- Adoption is that work of God on those who are fallen in Adam whereby He makes them to be His children.
- The Spirit prompts, urges, leads, and causes us to love Him and His precepts, to love the brethren, to long for His fellowship, to seek to be pleasing to Him.
- The Spirit assures us by “witnessing with our spirit.”
- The Spirit always works with the Word (Jesus), convincing us it is God’s Word and enabling us to believe it.
- And the Spirit usually works this assurance in the way of fellowship in the church and in the way of sanctification.
- This Spirit teaches us and leads us to cry “Abba, Father.” Assurance of our being God’s children is the response to the testimony of the Spirit of adoption!