Slides: The Spirit of Adoption

The Spirit of Adoption
Romans 8:14-17

¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ 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!” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Are all people God’s children?

If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here… You are of your father the devil. (John 8:42-44)

In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 4:26)

To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.” (John 3:5-6)

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him… For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:9,14)

Led by the Spirit

• Led to know, trust, and love Jesus
• Led to relate to God as your Father
• Led to understand and relish God’s truth
• Led to repent of sin and pursue holiness
• Led to long for God and heaven on earth
• Led to heartfelt prayer connection
• Led to God’s unique purpose for you

Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches

Predestined for adoption

• Adoption comes after a decision, made in advance, to include someone in your family.
• In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. (Eph 1:5)
• For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Rom 8:29)

Legal adoption

• God takes responsibility for us and deals with our problems.
• God’s declaration of adoption gives us a status that is stable and secure.
• God grants us legal standing as heirs.
• God puts his name on us and grants us authority to act on his behalf.

Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches

Children by rebirth

• “born again” (John 3:3,7; 1 Peter 1:3,23)
• “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5,6,8)
• “born of God” (John 1:13; 1 John 3:9, 4:7, 5:1, 5:4, 5:18)

Born with God’s DNA (seed)

• You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable. (1 Peter 1:23)
• No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:8-10)
• Partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

God’s DNA produces family likeness

• You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48)
• If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (1 John 2:29)
• Everyone who loves has been born of God. (1 John 4:7)

Imitating Father
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Eph. 5:1)

Working Together
We are God's fellow workers. (1 Corinthians 3:9)

Child of God

• A child by adoption is a chosen child. God freely chose to adopt believers as children. If our heavenly Father wants us, it doesn’t matter who might not want us.
• A child by birth inherits the father’s DNA and life. Born of God, we have His spiritual DNA and his eternal life. His DNA makes us like Him. His eternal life can’t be defeated or destroyed.

 
Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches

Father sent Son and Spirit

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 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. (Galatians 4:4-7)

Spirit of the Son indwelling

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me. (John 17:22-23)

…strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph 3:16-17)

Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27)

Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)

God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal 4:6)

Christ’s indwelling Spirit helps us know love beyond knowledge. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

 
Spirit of love, not fear

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15-16)

Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches

… and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17)

In him we have obtained an inheritance… and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

 
Father’s children

• Spirit of adoption: status
• Spirit of rebirth: life
• Spirit of His Son: indwelling
• Spirit of affection: love
• Spirit of inheritance: riches