rjones
Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 314
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are." (1 Jn. 3:1).
The work of the Cross resulted not just in the forgiveness of our sins, but in the restoration of our relationship with God. God could have simply saved us and given us eternal life - and that would have been more than we deserved! But He did so much more. He brought us into the very inner circle of His family.
Our relationship with God is like that between a father and his son (Heb.12:5-11). This "sonship" belongs to every Christian, whether male or female. We are all called "sons" because of the special status sons had in Hebrew culture.
We Have Been Made Sons
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Rom. 8:15-16).
When we believed on Jesus, our hearts were sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). God's Spirit is also called "the Spirit of sonship." It is through God's Spirit that we were adopted into the family of God (Eph. 1:5).
(Gal. 4:6) is almost identical to (Rom. 8:15), but the differences are very revealing: "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"
The Holy Spirit is not only called "the Spirit of sonship", but also "the Spirit of His Son". We are sons because the Spirit of the Son is indwelling us.
Abba, Father
"Abba" was the family word for "Father" used by the Jews of Jesus' day. It is the same as the word "daddy" in English. It was the word that Paul himself used for his own natural father, and it was the word that Jesus used for His Heavenly Father.
"Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will'" (Mk. 14:35-36).
The depth of the relationship that Jesus had with His Father has now been opened up to us through the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of God's Son (read Hebrews 2:10-15).
"For through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Eph. 2:18).
Through the Holy Spirit, our lives have been linked with the life of God's Son. The two verses - Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 - show this link:
Romans 8:15 -- By the Spirit we cry, 'Abba, Father'
Galatians 4:6 -- Through us, the Spirit of the Son (Jesus) cries, 'Abba, Father'
We have been included in the very relationship that Jesus has with His Father! Not only have we been linked with Christ's death and burial (Rom. 6:3-6), we continue to be linked with Him now!
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4).
The work of the Cross resulted not just in the forgiveness of our sins, but in the restoration of our relationship with God. God could have simply saved us and given us eternal life - and that would have been more than we deserved! But He did so much more. He brought us into the very inner circle of His family.
Our relationship with God is like that between a father and his son (Heb.12:5-11). This "sonship" belongs to every Christian, whether male or female. We are all called "sons" because of the special status sons had in Hebrew culture.
We Have Been Made Sons
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Rom. 8:15-16).
When we believed on Jesus, our hearts were sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). God's Spirit is also called "the Spirit of sonship." It is through God's Spirit that we were adopted into the family of God (Eph. 1:5).
(Gal. 4:6) is almost identical to (Rom. 8:15), but the differences are very revealing: "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"
The Holy Spirit is not only called "the Spirit of sonship", but also "the Spirit of His Son". We are sons because the Spirit of the Son is indwelling us.
Abba, Father
"Abba" was the family word for "Father" used by the Jews of Jesus' day. It is the same as the word "daddy" in English. It was the word that Paul himself used for his own natural father, and it was the word that Jesus used for His Heavenly Father.
"Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will'" (Mk. 14:35-36).
The depth of the relationship that Jesus had with His Father has now been opened up to us through the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of God's Son (read Hebrews 2:10-15).
"For through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Eph. 2:18).
Through the Holy Spirit, our lives have been linked with the life of God's Son. The two verses - Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 - show this link:
Romans 8:15 -- By the Spirit we cry, 'Abba, Father'
Galatians 4:6 -- Through us, the Spirit of the Son (Jesus) cries, 'Abba, Father'
We have been included in the very relationship that Jesus has with His Father! Not only have we been linked with Christ's death and burial (Rom. 6:3-6), we continue to be linked with Him now!
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4).
