For all who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s children. For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:14-16
Following our discussion (well I guess it wasn’t truly a discussion yesterday because you didn’t say anything) about the Spirit and the spirit notice Paul’s comment in Romans 8:16. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Yes that is the way it works. Those who are led by the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, live according to the Spirit, do so by allowing their own spirit to be trained by the Holy Spirit. By hearing His voice and responding accordingly. By learning to be more sensitive to spiritual things so that by experience we come to know the “voice of the Spirit”. Those who are led by the Spirit are God’s children. “Led by the spirit” or “led by the Spirit” is ultimately the same experience as long as the Holy Spirit of God is the One doing the leading.
Indeed the seal placed on our entering into believing relationship by the Holy Spirit bears witness/ testifies/ touches our spirits and confirms (MSG) / affirms that we are indeed children of God. It is a confirmation that something has happened. I remember I sure felt it in the days after I first became a Christian and since. An inner witness from Him that this indeed is the truth and reality. You are no longer a slave. You no longer call Him Master, you can call Him Abba Father.
Many times I have heard the expression that we can call him “Daddy” that is supposedly the meaning of Abba. While that is true it seems a little puerile to me. It is way more than that. It is not just some word a child uses for their father; but it IS that too. It is a term of endearment used within the family for those who have family rights or relationship. You have the Holy Spirit within you who is witnessing to this new found relationship that you are indeed “a blood bought child of the king”. Now this is special. It is of way more worth that just using the colloquial term “daddy” but it is that too.
Imagine for a moment the children of the president of the United States or the children of the Queen of England. They have the freedom to run into the inner chamber and snuggle on dad’s or mum’s lap. Instant access to the most powerful lap in the world. In fact no-one else has that privilege because any who come into the ruler’s presence in the day can’t snuggle on his or her lap. That is reserved not for the rich and famous but for the close and precious. The children of the King! That’s who you are. You have the right to call Him Abba.
God can work on the sacred and the colloquial levels at the same time. He turns the colloquial or the ordinary into the sacred or holy. God the Father breaks down the dividing line between the secular and the sacred; the common and holy. But only in one direction. The holy things don’t become common – He is jealous when that happens. (See Ezekiel). But the common things become holy in God’s hands or in His presence.
The Christ of the galaxies is the Christ of your Mondays. You have a friend in high places.
Max Lucado
When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of being thought childish.
C S Lewis