God delivers us from slavery to sin and death and gives us life through the Spirit!
This adoption that we receive by the Spirit is what causes us to repent, believe, and receive our adoption as sons, becoming children of God – John 1:12 tells us that for all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gives us the right to be children of God.
Therefore we are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God and coheirs with Christ – Gal.3:7. And it’s the Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children – Rom.8:16. Seated in the heavenly places with Christ, freed from sin and death. But not completely free from the inner battle (temptations) until we are called home and glorified with Him. The victory was won and our sins have been paid – we are forgiven and our debt was paid – God has delivered us from slavery to sin and death and gives us life through the Spirit.
We have been freed by Christ, and the Spirit enables us to put to death any lingering works of the flesh. Christians can still sin, but the gospel changes us so that we don’t have too. The chains of the flesh have been broken. Our ongoing struggle with the flesh will not end in us being separated from God. Why? Because the Spirit of adoption has replaced the spirit of slavery. We are now God’s son and daughters.
Not only does this change the way we see God and our standing before Him, but it also changes the way we live as Christians. Our statues doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do; rather, we do our work freely and joyfully knowing that our son-ship is permanent and that we can neither pay back what is already satisfied nor lose what has already been divinely given. We are adopted children and coheirs with Christ and we can be sure that there is a day when we will be glorified with Him and everything will be right again as He creates all things new.
Read Romans 8:18-30 & 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5
Paul is saying that this battle and struggle we face does not compare to the glory that will be revealed in us – so we have hope and something to look forward to, so we continue on in the faith for the future resurrection – our time here and the struggle we face are just for a moment.
Paul tells us this in 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5 which seem to parallel Romans 8:18-30
Paul is telling us in Romans that the earth’s frustrations and pains are not because of death, but because it is being made new and just as the world is frustrated and in pain, so are we. Paul’s point in 2 Corn. Is that like a temporary tent, man’s earthly existence is fragile, insecure, temporary. So if this tent that is our earthy home is destroyed – we have a building from God by which we exchange our earthly bodies for glorious ones. A heavenly eternal body that is glorified.
Paul states both in Corinthians and Romans we groan within ourselves longing to be free from this earthly body and all the accompanying sins, frustrations, and weaknesses – so we are eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies in which we put on our heavenly dwelling, the perfection of immortality. That is why this hope we have is a living hope that came through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead by which we have received this inheritance by faith which is imperishable, undefiled, and does not fade away, and is reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-5).
This is when we receive a glorified, spiritual, immortal, real body just as Jesus received when He returns. And the good news is that we have been given the Spirit of adoption as a guarantee and the believer’s heavenly existence will come to pass according to God’s sovereign purpose. That’s why Paul tells us in Romans that all these things are being worked out together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. We are the called ones who He predestined to be conformed into the likeness of His Son.
We can know that having been called into this relationship and when we receive that calling we are then justified by faith being declared righteous. And if justified we will be glorified just as Christ was glorified because He has determined it beforehand. Those God chooses, He destines for His chosen end – that is glorified bodies in the likeness of His Son.
Paul finishes up by saying what then are we to say about these things? This great news. Read Romans 8:31-39
Paul is saying we have God on our side this is a guarantee and this will happen, nothing can come against us. Look He gave us His best Jesus Christ – He is going to do whatever is necessary to complete the purpose He had in choosing us (Phil 1:6). No one can bring accusations against us because God is the one who justifies. Nor can anyone condemn us because Jesus paid our sentence in His death and resurrection, and He intercedes on our behalf. Therefore, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
No one can bring an accusation against us or even condemn us nor can we be separated from God’s love – in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Therefore, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are over-comers because Jesus overcame the world and 1 John 5:4 tells us that whatever is born of God (born again) overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith in Jesus Christ who because of His work on the cross, we are welcomed into God’s family and are now coheirs with Christ, eagerly awaiting the glorious future He has promised.
This is all to the praise of His glory! So how do we respond to this great news and live our life? The key to living through anything we experience in life is to keep our focus on what is in store, what is the end result. We are beloved children of God, waiting for the completion of God’s irreversible promises to us. This is our motivation to live purposefully for the gospel, through the power of the gospel. This is the joyful news we have to share. This is why we patiently endure suffering and life’s difficulties, not with a plastic grin, but with genuine peace, joy, and confidence because this world is temporary.
Because those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified He will also glorify (Rom.8:30). The truth is God delivered us from the slavery to sin and death and gives us life through the eternal Spirit as His adopted sons through Jesus Christ so that we are no longer slaves but children of God.
