Romans 8:14-17

Romans 8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

You can judge yourself, dear friend, by this test. Do you follow the Spirit's leading? Do you desire continually that he should be your supreme Guide and Leader? If you are led by the Spirit of God, then you have this highest of all privileges, you are one of the sons of God. Nothing can equal that honour; to be a son of God, is more than anything of which ungodly kings and emperors can boast, with all their array of pomp and wealth.

Romans 8:15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;

Ye did receive it once, and it was a great blessing to you. This came of the law, and the law brought you under bondage through a sense of sin, and that made you first cry for liberty, and then made you accept the liberating Saviour; but you have not received that spirit of bondage again to fear.

Romans 8:15. But ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

We who believe in Jesus are all children of God, and we dare to use that name which only children might use, «Abba;» and we dare use it even in the presence of God, and to say to him, «Abba, Father.» We cannot help doing it, because the spirit of adoption must have its own mode of speech; and its chosen way of speaking is to appeal to the great God by this name, «Abba, Father.»

Romans 8:16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

There are two witnesses, then, and in the mouth of these two witnesses the whole truth about our adoption shall be established. Our own spirit so changed as to be reconciled to God, and led in ways which once it never trod, our own spirit bears witness that we are the sons of God; and then God's own Spirit bears witness, too, and so we become doubly sure.

Romans 8:17. And if children, then heirs;

For all God's children are heirs, and all equally heirs. The elder-born members of God's family, such as Abraham and the rest of the patriarchs, are no more heirs of God than are we of these latter days who have but lately come to Christ. «If children, then heirs.» Heirs of what?

Romans 8:17. Heirs of God,

Not only heirs of what God chooses to give, but heirs of himself. There need be nothing else said, if this is true: «The Lord is my portion, saith my soul.» «Heirs of God,»

Romans 8:17. And joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Do you ever have in your heart a longing to behold the glory of God? Do you feel pressed down when you see abounding sin? Are your eyes ready to be flooded with tears at the thought of the destruction of the ungodly? Then, you are having sympathy with Christ in his sufferings, and you shall as certainly be an heir with him, by-and-by, in his glory.

This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 27:1 and Romans 8:14.