Those who are being led by the Holy Spirit (1)
[Romans 8:14-17]
Look at Romans 8:14-17: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Based on these words, I want to think about three things: (1) The sons of God (v. 14), (2) The cry of “Abba! Father!” (v. 15), and (3) The Holy Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (v. 16).
First, let us think about the sons of God.
Look at Romans 8:14 – “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Here, the word “For” is a conjunction that introduces a sentence that explains “you will live” (will live = eternal life) in the second half of verse 13. The Bible describes the living in four ways. The living are (1) The sons of God (v. 14), (2) Those who cry out to God “Abba! Father!” (v. 15), (3) The children of God (v. 16) and (4) Heirs of God (v. 17). The Apostle Paul is talking about those who are being led by the Spirit of God, but one thing to keep in mind here is that one of the things that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, comes to do is to guiding us. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. Look at John 16:13a – “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth ….” The Holy Spirit not only guides big events or big things, but he also guides us all. We who walk according to the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4) are being led by the Holy Spirit every day. We are experiencing the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the field of our lives. Sometimes we do not know the guidance of the Holy Spirit at that moment, but there are many times when we realize the guidance of the Holy Spirit after the passing of time. The Holy Spirit directs us. Look at Acts 8:29 – “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.’” The Holy Spirit instructed Philip to approach the chariot (v. 29) on which an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure was riding (v. 27). Philip obeyed the Holy Spirit's instructions and ran up to the chariot (v. 30). Look at Acts 10:20 – “But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” The Holy Spirit instructed Apostle Peter, who went up to the roof to pray (v. 9) and had a vision (vv. 10-16), to go with the two men (v. 20) who were sent by Cornelius (vv. 17, 19). The Apostle Peter, who was instructed by the Holy Spirit, got up the next day and went with them (v. 23). Look at Acts 13:2 – “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” The Holy Spirit instructed the Antioch church to separate Barnabas and Saul. At that time, the Antioch church obeyed the instructions of the Holy Spirit, fasted and prayed, and placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul (Paul) and sent them (v. 3). Look at Acts 16:6-7: “They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.” During Paul's second missionary journey, the Holy Spirit stopped him from going to Asia Minor and led him to Macedonia (Europe). In this way, the Apostle Paul obeyed the Holy Spirit's blocking and opening (guidance).
The Apostle Paul said, “ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). Those who are led by the Holy Spirit are the sons of God. In other words, the sons of God are those who live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The sons of God do not live according to their own will and do not follow their own desires. Also, the sons of God do not obey Satan's commands. The sons of God follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit. Not a small number of believers are hurt by their physical father and are experiencing pain and suffering. Therefore, they have hatred and resentment towards their father. Such believers may find it difficult to accept the truth that God is a Father because of their physical father. The physical father should show their children the truth that God is Father by living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit at home so that children can accept the truth that God is their Father. Even if the physical father is not able to do that, the Holy Spirit can make the father aware of God the Father through the revelation of the Bible. This is more of a blessing.
The Bible says that God is my/our Father. Look at Romans 8:3 – “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.” God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to save us. God condemned sin in the flesh by sending his sinless Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin in the flesh. God paid the penalty for all our sins by transferring all our sins to Jesus. In other words, God made his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for all our sins. As a result, we are saved and become the sons (children) of God. In this way, God has given us great love of salvation. A loving God is a Heavenly Father who loves us even to the point of giving His only begotten Son on the cross. Look at Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
The Holy Spirit has come to guide us. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit also leads us to Jesus Christ and to God. If we live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are children of God. Anyone who is led by the Holy Spirit is a child of God. We must be led by the Holy Spirit and live worthy lives as children of God.