Scripture teaches that Believers have been adopted into the family of God by the Father, and given the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father.
Why does Paul juxtapose this cry in us toward God the Father in the middle of Romans 8 with the sufferings we can expect in this life?
That chapter describes the rescue from judgment afforded by the blood of Jesus, whereby we have no condemnation. Instead, we have life in union with Christ by His Spirit, whereby our conduct is changed into that of sons of God. Because we are sons, we inherit all things with Christ.
But we will not enter into all the inheritance (though it is ours now) until the adoption is finished, when we are conformed to Christ's image in Glory.
Until then, no matter what trouble and suffering and persecution and struggle with sin and even martyrdom, we grasp the promise of our adoption - redeemed sons of God forever - and nothing can frustrate the Father's determination of what our glorious end will be!
The Spirit of Christ that causes us to cry Abba, Father testifies to us of the truth about Christ, of His sacrifice and His commandments and His attitudes. That Spirit works to conform us to His Image.
Thus, we are to face everything in this life in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, including the very worst of situations, knowing we are Christ's and we are the Father's.
And thus we discover, that this same cry that His Spirit prompts in us toward our Father in Heaven, was prompted also in Jesus when He prayed in Gethsemane: He cried Abba, Father! and submitted to His will in the awful sacrifice He made!
And so must we! For Christ saw victory after the suffering, and so will we!
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
#7 - Top Played Sermon (48-Hours) on 7/1/2013
