Seven Privileges of God’s Children

In Romans 8:15-17 the Apostle Paul writes, 

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

In this passage we can see at least seven privileges given to the children of God. They establish our identity. They correct lies we believe about ourselves. These are inspired by Dr. Tim Keller's list from his chapter on this passage in his book, Romans for You ... 

Security.
Notice in v.15, we did not receive a spirit of slavery which leads to fear. Fear is ultimately about a vision of an unsettled or undetermined future. Fear comes from the absence of security. And as slaves to sin we ought to fear things like death, suffering, pain, and isolation. These are pending consequences of sin. In a slave mentality we try to dispel fear through hard work and pleasing the slave master. All of life is about not angering the one who has authority over us. Some of us believe this lie about God and ourselves, and live our lives this way. But as children we don't have to live in fear because we have security. As children we do not preform for our Father for fear he might reject us or hurt us. Rather we have the security of our identity of sons and daughters because of the Father's love.

Power.
We don't have to live in fear as children of God because through his Spirit he has given us power. In other words, a slave has no right to enjoy the home of their master as if they are owners. But children do. Within appropriate limits children have the privilege of turning on the television, opening the refrigerator, and even calling things within the home and the home itself "mine". Because being part of the family gives you power and authority. However the residue of slavery to sin says that we are always second class citizens. That yes, I'm in the family but I'm kind of annoying or too much and so like the prodigal son we come home but we think we have to lay down the power and authority as a family member to do so. But children have authority or power in the Father's house, because he has given them power through his Spirit.

Intimacy.
The last bit of v.15 tells us we not only belong to God and has authority and security, but we also have intimacy with the Father. Notice, we call him "Abba! Father!" Abba is Aramaic. It's the equivalent to saying Daddy or Papa. It's a term of endearment which only makes sense because of the intimacy of the relationship. After all, intimate language is offensive without intimate relationship. Many of us struggle to simply be with the Lord and, as Marva Dawn says, simply let the Lord take care of us. Dawn sees intimacy deep within the purpose of Sabbath,“A great benefit of Sabbath keeping is that we learn to let God take care of us — not by becoming passive and lazy, but in the freedom of giving up our feeble attempts to be God in our own lives.” Only children of God truly rest. Because we know the Father is taking care of us. We don't have to take care of ourselves. You see, we struggle with the silent intimacy of his presence because we disbelieve he has truly drawn near to us. Intimacy is a fruit of vulnerability. And the brilliance of the gospel is that God was vulnerable first. In Christ he opened himself to meaningful risk, then invites us to do the same. All for the sake of intimacy, union, and communion.

Assurance.
From security, power, and intimacy Paul celebrates the privilege of assurance. He says, Read Romans 8:16 ... "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." It's easy to believe eternity is out of reach and struggle to conceive and trust that God has prepared a place for his people in the age to come. We can easily believe the lie that God's family is not forever. But God's Spirit gives assurance to the people of God. As he directs and guides and corrects and even "testifies" to our hearts about the reality of God's will and word we are assured that God is real ... alive ... and has secured our place as his people forever.

Inheritance.
In connection with assurance, the children of God have an inheritance. Namely we are "heirs with Christ." Think about that. All these privilege do not belong to us naturally. The only child for whom all these privilege are natural, is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only natural heir of the Father. However by grace the same rights and rewards which only Christ deserves are given to the sons and daughter of God by faith. Listen to how Jesus speaks to his Heavenly Father, about us, the children of God, Read John 17:22-25 ... The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. Notice, the glory and love which Jesus has eternally enjoyed with the Father, is now our inheritance as the children of God.

Correction.
It might seem odd, but correction is a privilege within the family. To be sure I correct other child. But that correction is mild and never really painful. But the correction and discipline I give to my own children ... motivated by love and intimacy ... is constant, severe, shaping, and often long-suffering. Paul connects our inheritance as heirs with suffering in v.17. There's something about suffering within and as a family which legitimizes our union. Yet we often believe the lie that the presence of suffering and pain is the absence of the Father's presence and love. But Proverbs 3:12 reminds us, Read Proverbs 3:12 ... the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Correction and discipline and leading through suffering is an extension of the Father's affection, not the absence of it. This too is a privilege of our sonship.

Joy.
There is a particular kind of joy unique to every family. There are things your family find funny that mine doesn't. There are ways of celebrating in my family your family would think is ridiculous. Those are unique privileges of joy within the family. In similar fashion, to belong to the family of God is to know a joy which is foreign to the rest of the world ... in understanding and experience. Paul says, Read Romans 8:17 ...heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Through suffering the children of God experience glory. This is an uncommon brand of joy only those in Christ really know. We believe avoiding suffering brings joy. But in Christ, through our adoption we've found life on the other side of death ... celebration on the other side of sorrow ... and as Paul says here, glory on the other side of suffering. As the children of God we are privileged with a joy which has overcome all despair.

This passage is all about what it means to be a child of God. And it's really good news ... over and against the lies we believe about our lovability and personhood ... the Father's love compels us to respond in love for him, his love enfolds us through adoption, and his love overwhelms us with eternal privileges through Christ. In the Father we receive by grace what only the Son of God deserves. That's what it means to be his kids.