Romans 8:14 – 17
The question I want to ask is: who are you?
When we ask that question I do not want to know what your name is or where you come from or what you do. But the real question is: what is your identity? What or rather who are you really deep inside of you? Who are you in your inner most being?
This same question has been asked in Acts 19:15.
In a certain sense was this the question also that Jesus asked Nicodemus in John 3 when He told him that he needs to be born again. Nicodemus can be described as a Christian. He went to church, in fact, he was a leader in the church. He studied the Scriptures and he also prayed regularly. But deep inside of him he was not yet what God wanted him to be. He was just religious and not yet a son of the Most High God.
He did not have a hold on his sonship yet.
Everybody wants to be somebody. All of us strive to be recognised. Most of the things that we do, we do to receive recognition for who we really are. We strive daily just to understand our own identity.
But listen, if we are a son of God we do not need to try to become someone or something, we already are someone. We are a child of the only living God. Somehow it is time for us to grab hold again of this truth and to live as men and women who know that they are sons of God.
What does it mean to be a son of God?
1. Romans 8:15
BWE: The Holy Spirit you have received does not make you a slave again so that you are afraid. But the Spirit you have received makes you sons of God.
AMP: For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!
To be a son of God means that God is now my Father. He has adopted me to be His son. The word adoption in the Jewish tradition does not have the same meaning as in the Western culture. In our minds adoption is to take someone outside my family and make him/her part of my family. In the Jewish tradition adoption means to take your own child and make him a son.
Galatians 4:1 – 6
Amplified.
Because we are sons now we can cry Abba Father, which literally means my Father, my Father. To be a son is to have the Most High God as my Father.
Romans 8:31 - 34
MSG: So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.
Psalm 18:29
Romans 8:37
BBE: But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love.
Because God is our Father we are more than conquerors. It is time for you to realise that you have God as your Father and take hold of your sonship. You are not a slave anymore; you are a son; you are more than a conqueror.
Revelation 21:7
MSG: Conquerors inherit all this. I’ll be God to them, they’ll be sons and daughters to me.
But we are more than conquerors – so God is God to me and I am His son/daughter.
2. I have authority.
John 1:12
KJ: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
To be a son of God is to have power and authority.
Luke 10:19
AMP: Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.
BBE: See, I have given you power to put your feet on snakes and evil beasts, and over all the strength of him who is against you: and nothing will do you damage.
GW: I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy’s power. Nothing will hurt you.
You already have this authority just because you are a son of God.
3. I stand in a relationship of love with God.
1 John 3:1
AMP
MSG: What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it--we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.
He loves me with a never ending love.
Micah 7:18
GNB: There is no other god like you, O LORD; you forgive the sins of your people who have survived. You do not stay angry forever, but you take pleasure in showing us your constant love.
Nehemiah 9:17
CEV: But, our God, you are merciful and quick to forgive; you are loving, kind, and very patient. So you never turned away from them—
MSG: They turned a deaf ear, they refused to remember the miracles you had done for them; They turned stubborn, got it into their heads to return to their Egyptian slavery. And you, a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, Incredibly patient, with tons of love-- you didn’t dump them.
Psalm 103:8
CEV: The LORD is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.
GNB: The LORD is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love.
MSG: GOD is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
4. Romans 8:17
CEV: His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him.
GNB: Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ’s suffering, we will also share his glory.
Because we are sons of God we are also heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
Galatians 4:7
James 2:5
We are heirs of the kingdom of God. To be a heir means that I possess those things. It is already mine just because I am a son of God.
This is what it means to be a son of God. It is time for us to take hold of our sonship again.
