Scripture
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[c] And by him we cry, “Abba,[d] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Reflection
What is your identity? If someone asks you who you are, how do you respond? Do you define yourself by your nationality? Your job title? Your physical health/beauty? Your social class?
In this passage, Paul is revealing a powerful truth – that our identity is as children of God. We have been adopted as sons and daughters of the God of the universe. This is a life-changing truth for those who truly believe and accept. Not only are we heirs of God’s promises, but we also have been given direct access to God (just as any child would have access to his/her father). Not only that, but God deposits His very spirit in us so that we can fulfill our calling as heirs of the King of Kings.
What a blessing! And the only thing we must remember is to be bold in accepting God’s gracious gift. He desires relationship with us. He wants us to come to Him and cry “Abba, Father” because he longs to shower us with His love. This is not just a right, this is calling – that we embrace our identity as children of God (Charlie).
Thoughts for the day
- What do you put your identity in?
- What does being a child of God mean in your life?
- Are there areas of your life in which you are not embracing your identity as a child of God? If so, how can that change?
Prayer
After the workday encourage your flat mate, your family or friends over dinner to share something they’re thankful for, and praise God for his blessing.
