Evidence of Members of God’s
Family
Our possession of the Holy Spirit is the very essence of what
it means to be a Christian. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does
not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). Those who belong to Christ have the Holy Spirit
living within them. Moreover, if you have Him indwelling you, you will live like Him (vv.
10-13).
We know that we are true Christians because of the Holy Spirit’s
presence in us, and because our lives have been changed by His indwelling presence.
Moreover, we have a new status and relationship with God. “All
those who being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” (v. 14). We have
a new relationship to God; we are members of His family. Paul speaks of our being
“sons,” “sonship,” “children,” “heirs,” and
“co-heirs with Christ” (vv. 15-23).
John Calvin said, “All who are led by the Spirit of God are the
sons of God; all the sons of God are heirs of eternal life; and therefore all who are led
by the Spirit of God ought to feel assured of eternal life.”
We are His children by the new birth, and the status of
“adopted” children.
Let me be very clear, not everyone is a member of God’s family.
We are all His creatures having been created by God, but only those who are “led by
the Spirit of God” are the sons of God. Those who are not led by the Spirit are not
Christians, and therefore not His spiritual children.
Jesus made this fact clear in John 8:39-47. Specifically note what
Jesus says, “If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and
have come from God. . . He sent Me. . . You are from your father the devil, and you want
to do the desires of your Father. . . . He who is of God hears the words of God; for this
reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God” (vv. 42, 44, 47).
Only those who possess the Holy Spirit and are led by Him are the
children of God. Indeed, Paul is telling us that all believers in Jesus Christ are members
of God’s family.
In the passage above Jesus says there has been a radical change in
our status with God. We have been delivered from Satan’s realm to God’s family.
We were children of the devil, but now we are children of God. We are “in Adam,”
but now we are “in Christ.” We were “dead in trespasses and sin,” but
now we are “alive in Christ Jesus.” We have received eternal life. We were
unrighteous sinners, but now we have been clothed with the righteousness of God in Christ.
We were slaves who have been emancipated by the redemption that is ours in Christ Jesus.
We are children of God by a spiritual birth. He has placed us as full-grown children by
adoption in His family.
This new relationship with God in His family is something He did for
us in His grace. God imparted to us this new life and status when we repented and believed
on Him as our Savior. The “new birth” gives us this new spiritual life. The Holy
Spirit stirs and quickens our hearts to cause us to repent and to love God. It is such a
radical change that we observe a renewing of our minds after God’s things, our
emotional responses to God’s Spirit and our volitional choices are the outcome of
this new mindset.
The Holy Spirit uses His Word, the Bible, to convict us of sin,
God’s righteousness, and causes us to be born spiritually into God’s family.
Then a Christians He uses His Word to guide us in the Christian life.
When the Holy Spirit renews your mind, you will
demonstrate it by the way you live.
Have you experienced in your life this radical change that God brings
about when He makes us His children? Where is the evidence that you are now a child of
God? Do you love Him? Do you love the things of God? Do you love His Word? Are you trying
to please Him? Is the Spirit leading you? Are you submissive to His will? Jesus said,
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” If you are a member of His
family you will bear resemblance to Him in all you do.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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