Adoption

Romans 8:15 NASB For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, Abba! Father!

How about a little 5th grade history refresher? The Emancipation Proclamation was a Presidential Executive Order issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. The proclamation changed the legal status of more than 3.5 million individuals from enslaved to free and paved the way for the 13th Amendment making slavery unconstitutional. However, even after the costly victories on the Civil War battlefield and a presidential order, each slave had to choose between remaining with their former ‘owner’ or embrace their newfound freedom.

More than 1800 years before, Jesus paid for every person’s freedom when he gave himself as the final payment for our sins, redeemed our relationship with God, and proclaimed “It is Finished.” But just like the freed slaves, Romans 8:15 reminds us that we must choose between remaining with the spirit of slavery or receive the spirit of adoption which was won by His victory over the cross and death.

Romans 8:15 begins with “For you”. Who is Paul referring to? The answer is in the verses that proceed, Paul is speaking to those who are “in Christ Jesus” (8:1) and “in the Spirit” (8:9). Specifically, to Jews who had been under the Mosaic law where performance is everything. In verse 8:12-14 he states, we must no longer live according to the flesh, no longer living in obedience to desires that oppose the unconditional love of God. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

We are then presented with the choice. Two different spirits, two different mindsets that we can have in our relationship with God: we can come to Him as slaves in bondage to fear, or we can come as adopted sons and daughters. The spirit of slavery views God as a taskmaster, where his acceptance is always based on performance, and never completely satisfied. The spirit of adoption views God as a Father extending unconditional love to us, His beloved sons and daughters.

There is a big difference between the way sons serve their fathers and the way slaves serve their masters. Slaves perform duties; sons perform acts of love. Slaves dutifully obey; sons joyfully obey. Slaves are motivated by fear of punishment, sons by a love relationship. The Spirit of adoption changes us from fearful slaves to joyful sons, allowing us to “come boldly before the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Just like a child runs to his father in times of trouble to find protection and love.

The prodigal son came home expecting only to become a servant but instead found a loving Father who received him as a son. His brother, while having everything, struggled under the weight of a spirit of slavery and performance-based relationship, never fully receiving the benefits of sonship. He was angry when he saw his father’s unconditional love poured out on the brother. Luke 11:29-31 NLT “All these years I’ve slaved for you and in all that time you never given me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.” His father immediately reminded him “everything I have is yours.“ Slaves are constantly trying to earn the very thing that is already theirs as God’s sons and daughters.

It is a choice between Fear or Father. Fear gets its power when we believe our identity and future is decided by our performance. Identity as sons and daughters is based solely on being adopted through God’s unconditional love. It’s time to take your place as a beloved sons and daughters today. God has everything for you, you only need to receive.

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Gary and Sandy Anthony

Galatians 5:1 TPT At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.

Galatians 4:5-7 NLT God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, Abba Father. Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

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.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 TPT I am writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you. For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 TPT But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things. After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God. For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us.

Romans 8:16-17 TPT For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has. We will experience being glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings as our own.

Ephesians 1:3-6 TPT Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts! And in love he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence. For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace —for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!

Jeremiah 3:19 NIV I myself (God) said, How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me Father and not turn away from following me.

Romans 8:28-30 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.