Evidence of Salvation

Transcript

GRM 1007
6/1/2008
Evidence of Salvation
Romans 8:9-17
Gil Rugh


We're going to be looking into Romans 8 together. We spent the last few studies looking into the biblical doctrine of sanctification and I wanted to conclude that brief, little series in our study together today. The doctrine of sanctification is really about holiness of life for God's people. Romans unfolds God's beautiful gospel, His plan of salvation. He began by showing that we were all under condemnation for our sin. Then he moved to show how He had provided justification through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ so that He, on the basis of what Jesus Christ did on the cross in paying the penalty for our sins, could declare us righteous when we placed our faith in Jesus Christ. And then from justification he moved into the subject of sanctification in Romans 6-8, which really focuses on His provision for us as His people to live lives now that are totally different than what we were before, lives that now bring honor to God and are pleasing to Him.

He began chapter 8 with that great statement, therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We who had been under condemnation, doomed, separated from God, on our way to an eternal hell, and now there is no condemnation because we are in Christ Jesus. We have placed our faith in Him alone as the One who loved us and died for us. He is the only hope we have. We are trusting Him and His work on the cross as payment for our sin.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. So verse 4, the requirement of the law has been fulfilled in us. And note what he says here, in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Usually we define a Christian as someone who has placed his faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, in His death and resurrection. And that is true. But a person who has truly placed his faith in Jesus Christ and experiences salvation also can be described as one who does no longer walk according to the flesh, but walks according to the Spirit. You'll note in verse 4 the requirement of the law, which required perfection. And for those who fail to meet its perfect standard, it requires a penalty of death, of condemnation. The requirement of the Law has been met in those who do not walk, denotes the realm of their life, the pattern of their life, where they live, how they live, it's one lived under the control and domination of sin—sinful desires, sinful passion. It's a life separated from God. But those who walk according to the Spirit have their penalty paid. They are under the control of the Spirit of God, are walking consistent with the character of God because the Spirit who dwells in them is producing godliness, holiness in our lives.

So we see the inseparable connection between justification and sanctification. Justification means I've been declared righteous by God. That is distinct from sanctification, which is now, as we're talking about it, living a life of holiness. But you cannot separate the two. Everyone who is justified is sanctified, and those who are not sanctified have never really been justified. And so the two together give us a clear picture. We often have people who have professed to have trusted Christ at some point in their lives, but their lives are lived according to the flesh. That's an indication that they have never truly experienced God's saving grace. The requirement of the Law was never fulfilled in them, it gets fulfilled only in those who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. And I'm not saying they were saved and lost it, true salvation changes a life. Decisions for Christ do not always change a life, inviting Christ into our heart does not always change a life. It's understanding that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, understanding that we are sinners and separated from God and condemned, and placing our faith in Him alone as our Savior that brings salvation. And that salvation always brings sanctification. It's part of the package.

So in verses 5-8, which we've already looked at, Paul has been contrasting those who are in the flesh and those who are in the Spirit. And really this section goes down through verse 11. We've looked through verse 8, but really the subject of verses 5-11 is the contrast between those who are in the flesh and those who are in the Spirit, those who belong to God and those who do not, those who have been justified by His grace and those who have not. In verses 5-8 Paul said concerning those who were according to the Spirit, verse 5, those who were according to the flesh and then those who were according to the Spirit in the contrast. Those who were according to the Spirit, verse 6, set their minds on the Spirit and they have life and peace. Those who were according to the flesh set their minds on the flesh. And the result of that, verse 6, is death. That mind is hostile toward God, verse 7. The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God. It does not subject itself to God, it has no power, it is not able to subject itself to God's law and to God Himself. And the summary of it all in verse 8 is those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But the contrast here could not be any greater. It is between a child of God and a child of the devil, between a person who is still enslaved to their sin and a person who has been set free in Christ. That's the contrast. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The flesh referring to our fallen, sinful being, the old man as he calls it in Romans 6, what we are as controlled and dominated by sin before God cleanses us and makes us new.

Look at verse 9. He's talked about those in the flesh, those in the Spirit. Verse 9, however, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. You are not in the flesh but you are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. This is the issue. You either have the Spirit living in you or you do not have the Spirit living in you. If you have the Spirit living in you your life will be lived differently. If you do not have the Spirit living in you, regardless of the decisions you've made relating to Christ, you do not belong to Him. You are not in the flesh, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. That word dwell means to live in as a house, it's related to the word house. He has made your body His residence. We studied the letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who resides in you. When a person places his faith in Jesus Christ, the Spirit cleanses them and places them into Christ. When you believe in Christ you are made new, the spirit of God makes your body His residence.

If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. That's the contrast. Those who have the Spirit of God belong to Christ, those who don't have the Spirit of God don't belong to Him. We're talking about two totally different realms, we're not talking about overlapping realms here. We're not talking about you live in one realm one time, another realm another time. We're talking about two different areas, two different lives, two different lifestyles.

If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Him. And it's the presence of the Spirit that guarantees that the life of a believer will indeed be different. It's not that I make new resolutions, I've learned to think differently and I'm going to make something different of my life. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the Holy Spirit of God doing something in a life that only He can do. This accounts for so many of the “failures.” People have said, yes, I'm going to trust Christ, I'm responding, I'm inviting Him into my life, I'm making this decision and this commitment. But down the road they're just living the old life. The Spirit of God hasn't taken up residence there, they never really truly experienced God's justifying grace, which changes the life.

Turn back to John 7. Jesus told of this coming of the Spirit in John 7:37. Jesus is speaking and He says, if anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me as the scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified. This coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell within the body of a believer is dependent on the finished work of Christ, His death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Acts 2. You'll note, it's like now he has a river of living water living in him and it flows forth. There is refreshing, there is newness, it's the Holy Spirit who is now there, living and dwelling.

There are a number of passages that speak of the Holy Spirit living in us, but just go to Jude 19. I have a list of references, I'm going to skip them. The first is John 7 and the last is Jude 19. But for time we will just do the first and the last. What Jude is doing in this portion we are going to read is describing ungodly, unsaved, unregenerate people. Verse 18, the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts. These are ones who cause divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the Spirit. Another way to describe a person who has never been saved, never experienced the cleansing through faith in Christ. They are a person who is devoid of the Spirit, they don't have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. You could say, there is a person who has trusted Christ, they are a Christian, they have the Spirit of God. There is a person who has not trusted Christ, they do not have the Spirit of God. So they manifest the fact that they are still enslaved to their sin and their passions by continuing to practice sin. That's the contrast that is being drawn.

So two questions you need to ask. 1. Have I trusted Jesus Christ alone as my Savior? 2. Does my life give evidence of His indwelling Spirit? The two are inseparable, you don't have one without the other. You say, well, I think I've trusted Christ but I don't see any evidence in my life. Now you can't separate the two. Everyone who truly trusts Christ and is justified by God receives the Spirit to dwell in his life. And the Spirit of God is in his life as a Spirit of living water, He becomes the controlling person, dominating power in that life. And that's what makes it new.

Come back to Romans 8. You'll note in verse 9 that the Holy Spirit is called both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ indicates clearly the deity of Jesus Christ. These three persons which comprise the one true and living God, they are distinct but they cannot be separated. They are distinct as persons but together they comprise the one true and living God. So the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father, He's the Spirit of Christ. And the one who has the Spirit also has the Father and the Son. It's like Jesus said concerning Himself in John 6, that for those who believe in Him, He would abide in them and they would abide in Him and the Father would abide in them and they would abide in the Father. We have entered into a relationship of intimacy with the living God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although it is the Holy Spirit who is the focus on controlling our lives as His children, on leading us, on producing the character of God and so on in our lives.

Look at verse 10, if Christ is in you, and He is if you are a believer. The Holy Spirit is in you, the Father is in you. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. If Christ is in you, and He is if the Spirit is in you, as the Father is. Doesn't mean the Spirit and Christ are the same person, they are distinct. But where you find one you find the other. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin. He's talking about this physical body. It is dead because of sin. I thought we were cleansed from our sin and the penalty of sin. Yes, but the consequences of sin still are present in these physical bodies.

Back in chapter 6 verse 12 Paul said, therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies. We are reminded that this is a body of death, this is a dying body. Look in chapter 7 verse 24, wretched man that I am, who will set me free from the body of this death? And now in chapter 8 verse 10, the body is dead because of sin. We who have trusted Christ, have experienced His cleansing power, His righteousness, the power of the Spirit is within us. But you know what? This body is still dying. The Apostle Paul wrote this, but he's been dead for almost 2000 years. The Romans, the believers in the church at Rome who read this letter, they have all died. So though the body is dead because of sin, it's a dying body. If Jesus Christ does not come every single one of us in this room will die. So it is a body of death. So the body is still dead, dying because of sin.

Yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. The Spirit is alive. Alive is not a good translation of that word, it is literally, and you might have a note in the margin of your Bible, it's the Greek word that means life. It doesn't mean alive, it means life. Literally it is the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And the reference is to the Holy Spirit. So he's not contrasting our physical bodies with our human spirit, he's contrasting the fact that even though this physical body is dead, is dying and subject to death, yet the Spirit that dwells in us is life and will give life ultimately to this physical body. Up in verse 2 he referred to the Holy Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. So the Spirit is life and He is life because of righteousness. As he developed in verses 2-3 of this chapter, it's because God sent His Son in human flesh to die, to satisfy the demands of a holy law, to pay the penalty for my sin and provide His righteousness for me that I can now have life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

So when he says the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness, the righteousness that Christ has provided. And he's really ultimately talking about not just the spiritual life the Spirit has given us, that's foundational to it, but the life that the Spirit will give to this physical body. Because God's plan of salvation includes me as a total person. And He not only saves me spiritually, but He will also save me physically, if you will.

Look at the next verse. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. So for everyone who has the Spirit of God living in Him, that's the Spirit of God who raised Jesus Christ form the dead, following His crucifixion. He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal body through His Spirit who dwells in you. So the presence of the Holy Spirit in our physical bodies is a guarantee from God that that Spirit will do His mighty work of ultimately raising this physical body from the dead or transforming it, if we are alive when Christ comes, glorifying us. We studied this extensively when we studied I Corinthians 15, on the resurrection of the body of the believer, or the transformation of the bodies of those who are alive when Christ comes.

Turn over to Ephesians 1:13, in Him, referring to Christ in this context, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed. So you see what has to happen—you have to listen and hear the gospel. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He was raised from the dead on the third day. After listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Because it's in the ministry of the Holy Spirit announced that the promises of God will be brought to realization. Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. What he says is the Holy Spirit that was promised in Old Testament scriptures, and the One in whom all the promises of God will be brought to completion because it's His work that identifies us with Christ's work on the cross and His resurrection, the Holy Spirit is given to seal us. That means we are identified as God's possession, belonging to God. He has given, verse 14, as a pledge of our inheritance. The word pledge means a down payment, earnest, like when you're going to buy a house. You give earnest money, down payment, a pledge, a certain amount of money that guarantees you're going through with the transaction. That's the word he used here. The Holy Spirit is God's down payment to us, guaranteeing He will bring the process, our salvation, to completion. The one who has begun a good work in you will continue to bring it to perfection until the day of Christ Jesus, Philippians 1:6. The work is not done yet. Our salvation is complete in that the work of Christ has settled it, it is done, we are completely saved. But we are not done with the process, I'm still stuck in this mortal body, you're still stuck in the mortal body. We still get diseases, sicknesses, illness, we still die. But the Holy Spirit is God's promise and guarantee and down payment that that will be taken care of. We will experience the glorification of the body.

Just go past Ephesians to Philippians 3:20. You'll note the contrast again and the context that permeates the New Testament. Look at verse 18, for many walk, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even weeping. They are enemies of the cross of Christ. You'll note, they are walking and their walk reveals them to be enemies of the cross—their lifestyle, the things they do. You can't be saved by your works, you're only saved by grace alone through faith alone and in Christ alone. But your lifestyle reveals whether you've been saved. They are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, they glory in their shame, they set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble estate into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has, even to subject all things to Himself. So you see the working of the triune God on our behalf. There is a time when our bodies will be transformed and brought into conformity with the body of His glory, His resurrected body. We talk about having the glorified body, be like the body Christ had after His resurrection from the dead. Then our sanctification will be complete and all remnants of sin will be removed. And we will be holy in all aspects of our being.

Come back to Romans 8. We're not going to be going further in Romans 8, for the last part of the chapter. But if you jump ahead to verse 28, we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposes. You'll note both sides of the equation again—our responsibility and God's sovereign work. Those who love God, that's what we do, those who are called according to God's purpose, that's God's sovereign work. We sometimes struggle, how do I put together man's responsibility and God's sovereignty. I don't, He has. And so he describes the believer here as those who love God. On God's side there are those who have been called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. Those whom He predestined He also called, those whom He called He also justified, those whom He justified He also glorified. He uses all these verbs here in the aorist tense, which is the normal way to speak of the past tense. But the glorification is yet future, but from God's standpoint it is just as done as my justification. God has settled it. That's why the prophets in the Old Testament often gave their prophecies of the future in the past tense, we call it the prophetic past. Why? Because when God said something is going to happen in the future, it's as good as something that's already been done, it's settled. And my glorification is settled, it's done. It just hasn't happened yet. But it couldn't be any more sure, just as sure as things that happened yesterday. Well how do I know for sure? God said it. Furthermore He's given me a down payment, His Spirit dwells within me. Now I know for sure the Spirit will bring about the work that He can do and will do.

Come back to Romans 8:11, if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren. Let's talk about what this means for us in our conduct. What does it mean for me? People always say, I don't like to talk about things future, I just want to know what to do today. Well you need to know the whole plan of God, the whole package of His salvation. People have tried to break the work of God in salvation apart in pieces in unbiblical ways. We think as long as you've trusted Christ as your Savior, that's all that matters. Well there is an element of truth in that, every heresy has an element of truth that has been distorted. But you understand, every person who has truly trusted Christ as His Savior has His life transformed, He is sanctified. And that process of sanctification goes on until glorification is accomplished at the return of Christ for the church. That's the process.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, a word that means to be in debt, you have responsibility here. We who have been redeemed have an obligation, a debt, a responsibility. We are under obligation not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. Not to sin, the old man as he referred to it in Romans 6. We have no more responsibilities or obligations to the old man. Before we were enslaved to sin, now we have no responsibility to sin, to the flesh. We are under obligation not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. See, we're talking about our lives, the way we live, what we do day by day. For if you are living according to the flesh you must die. To live according to the flesh is to live under the control of the flesh, to practice sinful things. We looked in Romans 1 at the kinds of things that characterize the flesh; we looked at Galatians 5, the works of the flesh. All kinds of sinful things. If you're living according to the flesh you must die. Why? Romans 6:23, for the wages of sin is death. A person who lives in sin is under the condemnation of sin which is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death, separation from God in hell.

People say, you can't see my heart. If you've been a believer long you've had these discussions. After 40 years of pastoring I've had more of these kinds of discussions than I can keep record of. They say, I know I trusted Christ, I'm just not living for Him. Now if you're not living for Him, how do you know you've trusted Christ? You're sitting here living in immorality and you're telling me, I know I'm saved. Then I read what God says, if you're living according to the flesh you must die. Someone has made a mistake, and it isn't God. I mean, I didn't write that, you didn't write that. You know who wrote that, God. He spoke it. If you're living according to the flesh you must die. Oh I remember when they trusted Christ, years ago. Now they've not been living for the Lord for a long time but I know they've trusted ............ How do you know? They're living according to the flesh, they're doomed to an eternal hell. We don't do anybody any favors by saying, you're probably saved, you're just not living consistently.

I always take a person to a passage like this and say, something is wrong. You're sitting here saying you know you've trusted Christ but you're not living for Him, and the Bible says if you're not living for Him you've never trusted Him. We say, well it sounds to me like you're saying you get saved by works. I'm not saying you get saved by works, I'm saying a person who truly gets saved has their works changed, their life changed. The Spirit of God comes and takes up residence in their lives to be the controlling person, to be like a river of living water. You're telling me nothing changes? The living, Almighty God who created everything now lives in this body, but nothing changed? The living God dwells in me but I live just like any other unredeemed person? I don't believe it. And the reason I don't believe it is because God says it's not true. In fact He warns us in Galatians, do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Those who sow to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, those who sow to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life. So he warns the Galatians who profess to be believers, don't be deceived. You can't mock God. To say yes, I've trusted Christ, I know I'm saved but I'm sowing to the flesh, I'm living sinfully. Don't deceive yourself. You sow to the flesh, you will reap corruption, ultimate destruction. You sow to the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit coming you reap life. Now we're talking about the result of a person being justified by God's grace. The order is not changeable. Justification precedes sanctification. But you understand there is no justification without sanctification. John Calvin had it right when he said that justification was distinct from sanctification, but we know of no justification without sanctification. I believe that is biblical truth.

If you're living according to the flesh you must die. Pay attention to this. Some of you young people need to pay attention to this. You say, I trusted Christ when I was in third grade. What's your life evidence now? Where are you now? Not what do your parents think of you? Where are you living now? You know how you live. What is your life like now? That reveals who you are, that reveals whether you belong to God or not. If you're living according to the flesh you must die.

If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. The contrast is between eternal death and eternal life—the second death of Revelation 20 which is being cast into the lake of fire forever and ever or eternal life in the presence of the living God forever. If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body. You see this again, I call attention because it is two sides. If by the Spirit YOU are putting to death the deeds of the flesh. In other words I'm in this physical body, I still have desires, the old man's power and authority over me has been broken, the flesh no longer has me as a slave. But you know what? It still holds a certain attraction. So I must be putting to death the deeds of the flesh, that's my responsibility. But how do I do it? By the Spirit. It's by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the flesh. They both go together, my responsibility and God's sovereign work. And I can never say, well the Spirit wanted me to sin and He didn't stop me. No, that's blasphemy, that's mocking God. The truth is I wanted to sin, I didn't want to submit to the Spirit and His power that enables me not to sin. I just thought it would be enjoyable enough to do it. I have never sinned in my fifty years of being a believer because I had to. I didn't say I never sinned, I never sinned when I had to sin. I never had to sin. You have never since you became a Christian ever had to sin. You don't know what they did to me, they got me so worked up I couldn't control myself any longer. Lie! Now you've added a lie to losing your temper. That's what sin does, you know it multiplies, because I've never had to sin. I could have by the Spirit put that sin to death, refused to do it.

That's different than the unsaved person. We're not talking about the power of positive thinking and learning to take control of your life. We're talking about having the Spirit control your life. But you know I can't remove my responsibility. This is not a pacifism, a quietism as it is sometimes called—let go and let God, I just lay back and let God do it, I left the reins of my life in His hands and I do nothing and let Him do it all. That's not a biblical thing. I can't do it in my own strength, but the Spirit of God does not do it without my commitment to do it.

So it's by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh. Now some people who think they've trusted Christ struggle and struggle. I can't get victory, I can't get victory. What do you mean you can't get victory? We have to back up. The victory has already been won, maybe you haven't entered into the victory yet. Have you ever really trusted Christ? Why are you living here? I'm not saying it's not a struggle, I'm not saying there aren't battles. I'm saying the scripture is clear—if you are living according to the flesh you must die. If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body you will live. Does that mean I live a perfect life? No, but you better see clearly my life is lived characterized by godliness, by holiness, by the fruit of the Spirit. If I do sin it stands out as a blot immediately. I don't live there. You understand the Spirit of God never leaves once He takes up residence. That's why the change is permanent, not temporary.

He goes on, verse 14, for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. So we can define a Christian one of two ways. You can say a Christian is one who has placed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior, or you can say a Christian is one who is being led by the Spirit of God. Or you can say both, but you can't set one against the other. Well, I've trusted Christ, I'm not being led by the Spirit, I realize that, but I know I trusted Christ. Not true because all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. The point being if you're not being led by the Spirit of God you don't belong to Him. Isn't God gracious to make it this clear? ______________ deceived and think, well, because I made a decision when I was 4, or I made a decision when I was 40, I know I'm saved. There is confirming testimony—are you being led by the Spirit of God? If you are being led by the Spirit of God your life will be lived according to the Word of God because the Spirit of God never conflicts with Himself. There is always perfect agreement within the Godhead. Again, it is blasphemy to say the Spirit of God would lead me into sin. And I have to say I've had people sit in my office in this church and tell me it must have been the Lord's will for them to be involved in immorality because I had an opportunity to share Christ during that time. The fact that God uses sinful people in the accomplishing of His purposes in no way excuses their sin. We want to be careful. We find all kinds of ways to make adjustments to the scripture because we're looking for excuses for our sin, to remove responsibility and accountability. All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. And again, that's the Word of God. Now you don't become a child of God by doing certain things, but those who are the children of God respond accordingly.

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. Everyone who has received the Holy Spirit has received One who does not lead them back into sin and all that goes with sin—the fear of judgment and condemnation and rejection and so on. No, the Holy Spirit that a true believer receives places us into God's family as His sons, enables us to cry out, Abba Father. We've entered into a family relationship of intimacy with the living God. Abba Father. Abba is simply a transliteration of the Aramaic word for father. Transliterated. We just took the Aramaic word and put it in English letters, Abba. We could have done the same with Greek, but there we translated the Greek word to our English word father. Both mean father. Sometimes we go too far and say Abba is the more intimate word, but I haven't been able to find that truly supported. It's just another word for father. But to repeat it here in the two languages does convey the warmth and intimacy. He is truly our Father. The Greek word for father is a word of intimacy and relationship just like the Aramaic word, Abba, is. It's emphasizing here, this is what the Spirit has done for us. Now I don't live in fear of God's judgment and condemnation because of my sin, I live in a relationship as His son. He is my father, I call Him Father.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. ________________ here, to be a son of God, to be a child of God, we're saying the same thing. The Spirit Himself, the Holy Spirit, testifies with our spirit, now our human spirit, that we are children of God. So I know in my heart that I've trusted Christ, that I'm now in love with Him. The Spirit of God bears witness along with my spirit, may be drawing something on the Old Testament standard that you have to have two witnesses to confirm something. He's confirmed in my own human spirit, he confirms it with the presence of His Holy Spirit. Well, this sounds subjective, then, you can't tell me I'm not a Christian. You're right, I can't tell you. I can tell you only those who are being led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Those who sow to the flesh of the flesh reap corruption; those who sow to the Spirit, of the Spirit reap life. All who are being led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Now there is this subjective dimension. I have that confirmation within and it is also evident without as my life is demonstrated to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. That's a confirmation. As I no longer live my life controlled by sin and its passions, but I live my life evidently controlled, manifestly controlled by the Spirit of God.

We are the children of God, if children then heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. I mean, we've truly come into the family of God, we are truly His children. So much so that I am an heir of God, along with His unique Son, Jesus Christ. So all the promises that God has given to me as His child I will enter into.

If indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him. Another characteristic that the scripture gives of true believers is they are identified with Christ in suffering. He is talking about the sufferings of our present, everyday life. It's part of a characteristic of those who are being led by the Spirit of God.

Paul wrote to Timothy in II Timothy 1 and he told him to join with me in suffering for the gospel in chapter 1. God doesn't give a spirit of timidity or cowardice but of boldness and so on. The over in II Timothy 3 Paul reminded Timothy again, all who will live godly, all who will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So you see being led by the Spirit means I will live a godly life. Living a godly life means I will suffer persecution. John 15, Jesus told His disciples beginning in verse 18, if they hate Me, they'll hate you. The slave is not above his master. We need to be careful in our society and the culture in which we live, it's true in everyone's, but we think here we're privileged to live in a society where we don't get persecuted for our faith. And part of that is we think it's a live and let live situation. You understand as Paul has already said, the unregenerate person, the person of the world is hostile toward God. He is not able to submit himself to the living God and he doesn't want to. And he hates anyone who belongs to the God that he hates. We have this idea, we trust Christ and then we commit ourselves to living for Him and we do our best, somehow that means God ought to spare us from any troubles and trials. You know nothing could be further from the truth. The more our godliness is manifest, the more we stir up the opposition and hatred of unregenerate people. We tend to think, if we live a godly life and manifest the character of God, even unsaved people will appreciate our genuineness. Never, ever happens, folks. They are hostile toward God, they are the enemies of God, they hate Christ. Remember Jesus said there is no one neutral, you are either for Me or against Me. We like to think these are just people, they don't have a strong opinion about it one way or another. They have such a strong opinion that they are committed to it with every fiber of their being. We sometimes try to get by with as little suffering as possible by muting our testimony as much as possible. Lay low, keep the light dim. But it's not to be hid under a bushel, remember, Matthew 5. It's to shine brightly. Not because we want to antagonize people, not because we are trying to stir up opposition, but because we are being testimonies for the living God.

So now we have another description of a Christian. It's one who has trusted Christ as his Savior, it's one who is being led by the Spirit and so manifesting the presence of the Spirit in His life, it is one who is suffering for his testimony for Jesus Christ. If we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him. There is a reason Jesus said you can't be my disciple unless you take up your cross and follow Me, take up your cross and follow Me. He didn't say follow Me and I'll protect you from any unpleasant situations. He said take up your cross and follow Me. Suffering. Not the unique thing of the Christian life, that's the normal Christian life.

So what is a believer? A believer is one who has trusted Christ as his Savior, in Christ alone. It's a person who is now being by the Spirit of God, no longer controlled by his sin and passion, but drawing upon the enabling power of the Spirit to put to death those sinful death and not practice them. It's a person who has openly identified with Christ and is living a godly life and testifying to the power of the gospel for salvation and endures the suffering, the rejection of family, parents, children, friends, workers because they hate the Christ that he serves. But what a salvation and we haven't come to the end yet because the best is yet to come—better than my forgiveness, better than my cleansing, better than having a relationship with the living God (maybe I shouldn't say it that way, but it will be best when it's all done). We'll be glorified in His presence, and that's the assurance we have with the indwelling presence of the Spirit.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your salvation. Thank you, Lord, for all it provides—not just forgiveness, not just deliverance from a sure hell, but Lord a clean and holy life, a new life, a life not controlled by sin and passion and evil desires, a life controlled by your Spirit, a life of suffering and yet a life of blessing, a life of opposition and a life of peace and tranquility of heart and mind. Thank you for the hope that is ours. Ultimately this body of death will be transformed, all remnants of sin will be removed, all difficulty and trial and sorrow will be over and we will experience the culmination, the completion of what you promised when we are in the glory of your presence for all eternity. We praise you for your love. In Christ's name, amen.