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Romans 8 12 ”So then, brothers,we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sonsof 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.”
Big Story, Little Story GOD’s Big Story Our Little Story
The Big Picture Those things opposed The purposes of GOD Wrath Shalom Hell
I’m From the Future… Jesus comes to take the future wrath of God on Himself in the present as the MERCY SEAT (Lev. 16) Offers the life of heaven now and entrance into the family of GOD Judgment at the end of time and the restoration of all things
The Normal Christian Life • Justification • How you give yourself worth and value • Sanctification • How are you becoming who you want to be • Adoption • These other two fall without this one • You CANNOT understand SALVATION without this
The Father Wound • 40% of children in our nation will go to bed tonight without a father (first time in history) • Majority of children born to women 30 and younger are born out of wedlock • Many children thus have no father growing up • Or have abusive and absent dads • Deeply affects your view of God • Attachment issues • Christian Smith, a sociologist who did the biggest study of teens and young adults’ spiritual lives in American history says the average person today believes in MORALISTIC THERAPUTIC DEISM
The First Christians • 1. Christians cared for one another, leading to greater survival rates. This in turn led to an increased proportion of Christians in urban centers which meant more people’s lives intersected with networks of Christians at a time when traditional social bonds were disrupted by the epidemics. • 2. Christians cared for non-Christians, bringing these non-believers into the sphere of Christian influence. Christians were the only major religion who spoke out against infanticide (against Plato and Aristotle), adopting and picking up unwanted babies off trash piles and out of the sewer. • 3. Christians stayed to care for others while pagan elites fled which, combined with paganism inability to protect its adherence from illness, exposed the bankruptcy of pagan religion. Stark cites a number of pagan sources complaining about the good reputation Christians were gaining. • Why?
Biblical Adoption “Adoption was a much more customary legal procedure in Roman society than in Hebrew or Near Eastern culture. Adoption usually occurred when a wealthy adult had no heir for his estate. He would then adopt someone as heir — it could be a child or youth or an adult. The moment adoption occurred several things were immediately true of the new son: 1) his old debts and legal obligations were canceled, 2) he got a new name and was instantly heir of all the father had, 3) his new father became instantly liable for all his actions — his debts, crimes, etc., but 4) the new son also had new obligations to honor and please his father. This all lies behind the passage here.”—Tim Keller, Romans
Biblical Adoption • No one is BORN into right relationship with GOD, v.15 means literally to “son-ize.” • The image of “adoption” tells us that our relationship with God is based completely on a legal act by the Father • “All human beings are God’s children” (Acts 17:29) • But the Bible very emphatically reserves all the richness of the term “children of God” only to those who have received Christ as Savior and Lord…
Biblical Privileges of Adoption • Security. Verse 15, “not... fear, but... sonship.” An employee or a servant basically obeys out of fear of punishment or of loss of job, etc. But a child-parent relationship is not characterized by a fear of losing the relationship. • Authority. Verse 15, “not a slave... but sonship.” In a house, slaves have no authority. They can only do what they are told. But children have authority in the house under their parents. The children of God are given authority over sin, over the devil. They are to move about in the world knowing it belongs to their Father. There should be a confidence and poise about them. Children have the honor of the family name. There is a wonderful new status conferred on us. • Intimacy. Verse 15, “whereby we cry ‘Abba’.” Here we need to know the original language. “Abba” was an Aramaic which is best translated “daddy”— a term of the greatest intimacy.
Martyn Lloyd Jones “Abba’ was the word that was used familiarly by children talking to their fathers... A child does not always address his father as ‘father’; he uses terms such as ‘Papa’, ‘Dad’. That is the kind of meaning represented by this word ‘Abba’. It was a...word lisped by a little child... But let us notice the word ‘cry’... we cry ‘Abba, Father’. It is a very strong word, and clearly the Apostle has used it quite deliberately. It means a loud cry... it expresses deep emotion... What then does it imply? Obviously... real knowledge of God. God is no longer to us a distant God. He is not merely a God in whom we believe intellectually, theologically, theoretically, doctrinally only. He can hear us because He is close…”
Martyn Lloyd Jones “A little child has confidence. He does not analyze it... he knows that ‘Abba’ is his father. Grown-ups may be standing back at a distance and being very formal; but the little child comes running in, rushes right in, and holds on to his father’s legs. He has a right that no-one else has…”
Biblical Privileges of Adoption • Assurance. Verse 16, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” When we cry out to God as “Abba,” the Spirit of God somehow comes alongside us (with our spirit) and gives us assurance that we truly are in God’s family. There is a lot of debate about the nature of this “testimony,” but it appears to be an inner witness in the heart, a sense that yes, “he really loves me.” • Inheritance. Verse 17 “now if we are children, then heirs.” This means we have an incredible future. In more ancient times, the first child was the heir. There may have been a large number of children, and all the children were loved, but the heir got the largest part of the wealth and carried on the family name. Now in a breathtaking turn, he calls all Christians “heirs of God.” GOD LOVES YOU LIKE JESUS! • Family Responsibilities. Verse 17 “now if we are children, then we are heirs... if indeed we share in his sufferings.” The world is against God’s children, so it will be against those that claim Him as Father. Not only that, we now have responsibilities to each other.
Slaves and “Sons” • Slave: 1. Obeys under compulsion, because I have to 2. Works under threat of pain or loss; punishment “pays back” 3. Insecurity: if I slip up my master might beat me 4. Concentration on external behavior and compliance with rules 5. Gets work, but no honor • “Son”: 1. Children obey out of love for and joy in “Daddy” 2. Discipline is not retribution, but loving instruction 3. Security: if I slip up my father will forgive me 4. Concentration on relationship and attitudes 5. Works, but feels honored
Ephesians 5 1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Martin Luther, Galatians “Although I be oppressed with anguish and terror on every side, and seem to be forsaken and utterly cast away from thy presence, yet…I am thy child, and thou art my father for Christ’s sake: I am beloved because of the beloved. Wherefore this little word, Father, conceived effectually in the heart, passeth all the eloquence of Demosthenes, Cicero, and all the most eloquent rhetoricians that ever were in the world.”
CS Lewis, Mere Christianity “If we let Him... He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.”
