Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Salvation Session 4 - Heirs with Christ - God's Children


The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying salvation.  Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. To save is to deliver or protect. The word carries the idea of victory, health, or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words saved or salvation to refer to temporal, physical deliverance more often, the word “salvation” concerns an eternal, spiritual deliverance.

Salvation can be and has been defined in many ways.  Among them, four stand out as the most comprehensive and functional.  

First, salvation can be defined as the deliverance from the power, penalty, and presence of sin.  To receive salvation is to receive God’s mercy and His grace.  

Second, salvation can be described as a finished work, an on-going work, and a work to come.  It is a finished work because Christ died once to bear the sins of humanity.  “It is finished,” 

Third It is an on-going work because He is continuously conforming us to His image and working to maintain our relationship with Him.

Fourth, salvation can be simply defined as a salvaging process.  When people salvage something, they take what is perceived to be useless and transform it into something of great value.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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.

To be an heir is a place of privilege and typical involves receiving a spirital or physical legacy.


Last week we talked about life in the Spirit and the fact that there was no condemnation for those to those who are in Christ Jesus. Since God the Father does not condemn Jesus, neither can the Father condemn those who are in Jesus. They are not condemned, they will not be condemned, and they cannot be condemned.  This was the answer to the conundrum Paul talked about in chapter seven when he said, 


Romans 7:21‭-‬24 ESV So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?


We all have remnants of the old sin nature clinging to us to the point that we often do wrong even when we want to do right.  Like  Paul, we get frustrated.  But there’s an answer.  


Romans 7:25 ESV Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.


We are not condemned because we have believed God about Jesus 


Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1‭-‬5 ESV


Because of this 


But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:10‭-‬11 ESV


Last week our study started with the word therefore today we start with the word so.


Romans 8:12‭-‬17 ESV So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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.


1. In these short verses, how many times is the Spirit referenced?  Three times.



What is the significance of the Spirit’s work here? - If you are led by the Spirit you will live, you will be set free you will be adopted as sons

            

            

2. Who lives according to the flesh? Those who are not sons of God, who are still slaves to sin.


Who lives according to the Spirit? Those who are no longer slaves but heirs.


And what is the effect of both life in the Spirit and life in the flesh?

The effect of life in the Sprit is life the effect of life in the flesh is death.

            

            

            

            

3. Paul in verse 13 tells us to “put to death the deeds of the body.” (A theological word for this process is mortification). What are the deeds of the body (see Col. 3:5)?


Colossians 3:5 ESV Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.


Why do you think Paul uses the word body here instead of flesh? Because we often carry out what we are thinking with our bodies.  Is he saying that our physical bodies are inherently bad? No but it is sin not our bodies.

            

 4. What does the presence of the Spirit in our lives indicate about us?  - That we are sons and daughters of God.


The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Romans 8:16 ESV


For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Romans 8:19 ESV


This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Romans 9:8 ESV


“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

Romans 9:26 ESV


But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

John 1:12 ESV


5. If you did not receive a spirit of slavery, what did you receive? 



The Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 


What does it mean to “receive” the Spirit?


The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. First Corinthians 12:13 declares, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”


These three passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. Paul could not say that we all were baptized by one Spirit and all given one Spirit to drink if not all of the Corinthian believers possessed the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation” (Ephesians 1:13-14) if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior.

            

6. Verse 15 refers to “a spirit of slavery” and falling “back into fear.” Slavery to what?


Slavery to sin. 


People can become slaves to sin without: realizing it. Sin can manifest itself in attitudes, actions, or ambitions. 


Romans 6:16 NLT Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living


Sin not only enslaves; it also separates people from God, and other people. Jesus is the only one who can deliver a person from slavery to sin. All of us need pardon from past guilt and deliverance from the power and practice of evil.


Romans 6:6 NLT We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.


Romans 6:17‭-‬18 NLT Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.


Those who have not made Jesus Christ the Master of their lives remain servants or slaves of sin.




And fear of what exactly? - Death, slavery to sin again and punishment.


And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Hebrews 2:13‭-‬15 ESV



Hebrews 2:14‭-‬18 NIV Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.


1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.


            

7. Research the word Abba. What is its origin? 


This Aramaic word for Father is an intimate term, even somewhat childlike—it could also be translated as “papa” or “daddy.” Significantly, it is also the name Jesus used in addressing God.


Where is it used in the Bible other than in Romans?

            

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Mark 14:36 ESV


And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Galatians 4:6 ESV


8. To be an heir is a place of privilege and typically involves receiving a spiritual or physical legacy. What, according to Paul, is the inheritance we will receive as children of God?


The same inheritance as Christ. But there is a caveat which we will talk about in a minute.  

                        

9. According to verse 17, what condition must we meet in order to be God’s heirs and Christ’s co-heirs? 


We must suffer not exactly like Christ and the early Christians which meant it was for real dangerous.  


Walking out the faith, trusting in the finished work of Jesus would have put them in conflict with established Jewish Or Greek or Roman customs. And proclaiming Christ publicly could have gotten them imprisoned, beaten, or even stoned.  You remember what happened to Stephen. (Acts 7:54–60).


Our call to suffer, in the American context, may be less risky in a physical sense, but in a society that is increasingly opposed to the things of God, our association with Christ and the things of Christ seems to be increasingly countercultural. We may well be required to take a stand on things that look increasingly foolish to the world. We may need to make decisions that are best for our souls but could force us to sacrifice comfort and ease. We may even experience deep rejection—from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers—on account of our faith.

            

Whatever our suffering may be, we know that it doesn’t entail abandonment from our Father. We don’t suffer in vain. In fact, our suffering with Him results in our being glorified with Him. This is a part of what it means to follow Christ.

            

Paul reminded us of this earlier in the book of Romans: “Now if we have died withChrist, we believe that we will also live with him” (6:8). Our old self was crucified. Dead. It’s gone. We are a new creation who lives with him” (6:8). Our old self was crucified.

 

Dead. It’s gone. We are a new creation who lives with Christ. And part of this new life involves suffering: “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2 Cor. 1:15).

            

Why might Paul remind us of this right after sharing about our privileged place with God the Father?


Now, it would be extremely discouraging if our suffering were the end of the story. But suffering is not the end. Our suffering leads us somewhere and to Someone. To glory.

            

To be glorified with Christ means that we will be made perfect. We will be like Him—pure, sinless, and free of all pain and suffering. Even sickness will be gone. The sin that clings so close to each of us—gone. The pain of being set against the society around us—gone. Our present suffering—with Christ—leads us to our future hope, which we will look at fully in week four. Today we can face whatever may come our way, proclaimingJesus and knowing that we have a future grace ahead of us—glory.


Romans 8:12-13


Romans 8:12‭-‬13 ESV So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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.


First remember what we said last week about the flesh.


Romans 8:5‭-‬8 NIV Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.


The bottom line is that we never can seem to make ourselves perfectly clean, totally pure, always loving, perfectly obedient. Our striving never leads us to perfection … so we end up feeling like failures. We may even be tempted to give up trying to live the way Jesus taught us to. If we can’t ever get it right, what’s the point?

            

So we have a problem.  No matter how hard we try, we will come up short because of the power of sin in our lives. On our own—in our flesh—we have no hope of pleasing a holy and perfect God.

            

Thank God for Jesus. God sent His Son to do what the law could never do and what our flesh could never do. Jesus fulfilled the law’s righteous requirement, which is perfection. Jesus is the only perfect One. He is the only One who could make a way for us to theFather—by making the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.


2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.


A fresh knowledge of our need for salvation through Jesus can transform  how we walk through this life of ours. Walking by the flesh—trying to get through on our own strength—leads to weariness, discouragement, and ultimately sin. We don’t trust Jesus for our salvation and then do the rest in our own strength. We trust Jesus for the rest of our lives—for every step of our Christian walk.






REFLECT


1. What does it mean to “live according to the flesh”?


Have you ever committed to do something that you realized later carried extra obligations?

              


To live without the guidance of the Holy Spirit without any accountability to God of our actions. 


 In what ways might you “die” if you live this way?


Spiritually of course Death is the loss of spiritual life as in 


2. How does living according to the Spirit bring life?

            

            

 3. Think of a time when you a) gave in to sin because you felt there was no way out,


 or b) were tempted to sin but experienced the way of escape. What happened? What did you learn from this experience?


Sin has a way of making us feel obligated to it, for instance. We start down a path and think we must submit to it. What’s the use, you may think, I’m going to fail anyway. Why bother trying to fight the desire. It’s too great. Or even more sinister: I deserve this thing that is wrong, so I’m going to do it.

            

But we see here in Romans 8:12 that we are under obligation (“debtors” in the ESV) not to sin, but to the Spirit. We do not have to submit to our flesh because we have the Spirit and are ruled by the Spirit; we have no obligation to the flesh. And that means we can say no to sin.


1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.


This Scripture assures us of two things: 1) we will be tempted to sin, and 2) we will always have a way out, a way to say no. We are guaranteed this because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. So next time you feel like you must give in to the sin that clings so close to you, the sin that is telling you that you have no choice but to give in, remember that you are in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit, and you are not obligated to sin. Your obligation is now to the Spirit, not the flesh, so you and I can livefree of the bondage of sin.


Romans 8:14 ESV For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.


My earthly father was very present, available, and encouraging,

 but even he pales in comparison to the awesome, ever-present, always faithful, pure and good God. And if your relationship with your earthly father was less than ideal,God is so much better. Perhaps you had an absentee father or even an abusive one.

 If you have placed your faith and hope in the finished work of Jesus, you now have an infinitely loving, infinitely wise, infinitely dependable Father.

            

            

    

REFLECT


1. What is your own experience of an earthly father? How has it helped or hindered your feelings toward your heavenly Father?

            

            

2. What are some ways we can become more responsive to the Spirit?

            


3. How do being led by the Spirit and being a child of God compliment each other?


I submitted to and obeyed my earthly father. I respected his authority in my life. Of course I didn’t do this perfectly (hardly!). But when my dad would say something, I usually listened. That was one sign that he was my father!

            

In a greater way, as we are led by the Spirit to submit to God, our submission is evidence that we are His. That check you get in your spirit when you’ve done something wrong or that jubilation you experience when you sing songs of praise to the Lordare both clues about who you belong to.



Romans 8:15 ESV 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!”


REFLECT


1. What kinds of “slavery” are you prone to fall back into? How can having the “spirit of adoption” help you avoid 


2. What fear is Paul referring to in these verses?

            

3. How might understanding that we can call God our Abba impact how we approach Him?  Do you feel comfortable approaching Him in such an intimate way? Why or why not?

            

 4. Read Mark 14:36.


Mark 14:36 ESV And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”


What does it mean that we get to use the same name for God our Fatherthat Jesus tenderly used in the garden of Gethsemane?


Romans 8:16 ESV The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,


This text tells us that the Spirit confirms to us that we are children of God. TheSpirit bears witness with our spirit to prove that it is true. How does this work?

                         

            • Have you ever been in a desperate situation and found yourself calling out to God as Father?

            

            

            • Have you ever sensed that something you have done was wrong and then asked God for forgiveness?

            

            

            • Have you ever rejoiced or felt comforted because you sensed God’s nearness as a Father?


If you’ve answered yes to any of these, then it’s likely your spirit—prompted by His Spirit—is saying to you, You are His.” You can do this because God “has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor. 1:22).

               

This communion between us and the Spirit is the surest indicator of our adoption as sons of God.”


All this is part of God’s assurance to us. The bond between His Spirit and ours isa unique one, and we will see later in the chapter that it is absolutely secure. You won't want to cry out to God as Abba—an intimate, relational calling—if there isn't something in your spirit enabling that cry.


If you ever find yourself wondering where you belong, remember that if you have acceptedJesus, you belong to God the Father. You are His, and He is yours. There’s nothing else you need.

            

 REFLECT


1. In what ways has your experience with your earthly father (or father figure) shaped the way you think of God the Father?

            

2. What does it mean for the Spirit to bear witness?

            

 3. In what ways have you experienced the Spirit bearing witness with your spirit?


4. We know that Jesus has made a way for us to boldly approach the throne of grace.


Hebrews 4:16 ESV Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


Yet have you ever struggled to have the confidence to approach Him? If so, why? Has this struggle changed in any way over the years?


To be an heir is a place of privilege and typically involves receiving a spiritual or physical legacy.


REFLECT


1. What are some of the ways you have suffered in the past or suffer now? In what ways does knowing that your suffering is temporary and has purpose change your outlook?

            

 2. We are not able to suffer as Christ did, nor are we called to do so (crucified ona cross, bearing the wrath of God). So what does it mean to suffer with Christ? How might we do so?

            

3. What does it mean to be glorified with Christ? Is this only for the future, or do we partake in some of this today?



We have received a spirit of adoption, not a spirit of slavery


Romans 8:15 ESV 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!”


We have received a spirit of adoption, not a spirit of slavery. The Spirit bears witness to our spirit. Some people think they have to listen to a voice that says, “You are a child of God.” Others think that the Spirit will make them feel something beautiful, and then they will feel that they are a child of God. Or that they will experience something supernatural to know they are a child of God. But that is not what the Scripture says. When you don’t feel anything, when nothing happens, it doesn’t mean that you are not a child of God. It is not by feeling, but by faith. Faith precedes feelings; it has to do with the spirit. It is what happens in the reality of our spirit, which has touched the reality of the Spirit of God.



Ephesians 2:1‭-‬6 NIV As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,


Consider God’s richness in mercy for your own life. He is the resurrecting God. He doesn’t meet you halfway. And that’s not because resurrecting sinners is on his to-do list. His very nature is to engage death and bring life--and that’s true for you, too. He did that decisively once and for all at your conversion, but he continues to do it time and again in your sin and folly. 


Perhaps, looking at the evidence of your life, you do not know what to conclude except that this mercy of God in Christ has passed you up. Maybe you have been deeply mistreated. Misunderstood. Betrayed by the one person you should have been able to trust. Abandoned. Taken advantage of. Perhaps you carry a pain that will never heal till you are dead. If my life is any evidence of the mercy of God in Christ, you might think, I’m not impressed.


To you I say, the evidence of Christ’s mercy toward you is not your life. The evidence of his mercy toward you is his—mistreated, misunderstood, betrayed, abandoned. Eternally. In your place. 


If God sent his own Son to walk through the valley of condemnation, rejection, and hell, you can trust him as you walk through your own valleys on your way to heaven.


Perhaps you have difficulty receiving the rich mercy of God in Christ not because of what others have done to you but because of what you’ve done to torpedo your life, maybe through one big, stupid decision or maybe through ten thousand little ones. You have squandered his mercy, and you know it. 


To you I say, do you know what Jesus does with those who squander his mercy? He pours out more mercy. God is rich in mercy. That’s the whole point. 


Whether we have been sinned against or have sinned ourselves into misery, the Bible says God is not tightfisted with mercy but openhanded, not frugal but lavish, not poor but rich. 


That God is rich in mercy means that your regions of deepest shame and regret are not hotels through which divine mercy passes but homes in which divine mercy abides. 


It means the things about you that make you cringe most, make him hug hardest. 


It means his mercy is not calculating and cautious, like ours. It is unrestrained, flood-like, sweeping, magnanimous. 


It means our haunting shame is not a problem for him, but the very thing he loves most to work with. 


It means our sins do not cause his love to take a hit. Our sins cause his love to surge forward all the more. 

It means on that day when we stand before him, quietly, unhurriedly, we will weep with relief, shocked at how impoverished a view of his mercy-rich heart we had.

Next week we are going to look at the future glory of the children of God who are his heirs and heirs with His Son Jesus.


No comments:

Post a Comment