Romans 8:15-25 Adopted by God

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.   For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us... And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.Romans 8:15-‬25 NASB

 Keep in mind the context in which we find this passage. We have been discussing living under law versus living by faith. The conclusion of which is that living under the law produces more sin, and leads to death. But those who live by faith accept God's grace and walk in the Spirit.

The Spirit of God will not lead us back into following rules in an effort to please Him. This is the mistake many Christians make. Having been saved by grace, they decide they have to work hard trying to be good. Galatians 3.3 says, "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" No. Having been saved by grace, we will now be sanctified by that same grace.

Instead of going back to the slavery of rules and regulations, leading to a fear of God's judgment, let us embrace the Spirit that He has given us.

The Spirit of God dwells within all those who believe and put their trust in Jesus, and He testifies that we have been adopted into the family of God. We are His children. Jesus is our brother.

Being a brother of Christ isn't always an easy thing. We are identifying with someone whom the world despises.

John 15.18-21 says, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you...  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

Jesus said in Matthew 5.11,12, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

When troubles come, God wants us to persevere in hope of what is to come.

The apostle Paul describes his own hardships in 2 Corinthians 11. 25-27: "Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." Yet, he lived in hope, and persevered.

If this life seems hard, consider the rewards of God has for us. To be able to stand before God, perfected in body, soul and spirit. His children.