There are times when reading Romans 8 that I think we could read it every day of our life and still not grasp its fullest significance. I always start reading then get to a certain portion and stop. Today I stopped at verses 14-16.
“All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” [HCSB]
Actually, where I first paused was on verse 14: “All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.” I then read the next two verses and stopped to consider the passage.
The law was given to lead people to Christ. But once saved by grace through faith, the law no longer has authority to lead. Now all God’s sons and daughters are led by God’s own Spirit.
This leading happens because we enter into a relationship with our Father God. When we become sons and daughters of our Father God, we are received into His family, with all the privileges and responsibilities of adult children. One of the greatest privileges is to be able to claim, “I am a child of God.”
As verse 14 also reminds us, another of those great privileges is to be led by the Spirit of God in our walk with Christ.
But lest we forget, one of the greatest responsibilities is to cooperate fully (rather than fight) the Spirit of God as He seeks to lead us!
