No Fear If Your In The Family

12 August 2011

(Romans 8) “… 14 those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” 

I was reading this passage this morning and was puzzled at first glance at what verse 15 calls the spirit of “fear.” Why is a “spirit of fear” contrasted with the “Spirit of sonship?” 

Well, if we go back up to Romans 8:1-3 we see that Paul (the author of Romans) tells us, as Christians, that we have no reason to fear the “condemnation” of not being able to completely follow the law, because Christ fully obeyed it on our behalf. 

“1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that is was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.”

Being in Christ means being united with Him, partaking of all that He is and has to offer- righteousness, grace, fellowship with God and every heavenly blessing (Eph. 1:3).  In Christ, the Christian has been given Christ’s own righteous character and thus is free from the guilty verdict of the law- “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Therefore, verse 15 is again assuring believers that we do not need to fear because as children of God we are under the protection and blessing of our heavenly Father’s provision! 

 I thought of the significance of being in a family a little bit like this:

When my family and I came back from our mission trip in the Dominican Republic, we had to go through customs in the Miami airport.  Every traveler had to show the security guard their passport and personal immigration paperwork.  As a family, however, we only had to fill out one immigration paper together.  In all the chaos of people I got separated from my parents who had the paperwork and the guard held me back because I didn’t have the family form!  Without that form I was not permitted to get through customs!  I was struck with fear for a moment.  But out of the corner of my eye I saw my parents up ahead and frantically pointed in their direction and called out, “I’m with them! That’s my family!”  In an instant the guard’s strict demeanor turned to a casual smile as he gave me permission to pass and join them. 

Spiritually speaking, claiming sonship with God is our ticket!  Apart from being in the family of God we are liable to condemnation, but as children of God, we are safe, protected and secured passage into eternal life!  That is why we cry out, “Father, Father!”  He is our refuge and our safeguard against condemnation.  

As a daughter of my parents, I experience many benefits of being in their family.  I enjoy their fellowship, provision, protection, love, care and support, just to name a few things.  I absolutely love my family.   Being a child of Tommy and Esta Lippard is fantastic, but oh how unspeakably wonderful to be a child of the living God! 

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1