Liberty (12–17). We enter God’s family by the new birth, not by adoption (John 3); but adoption gives us an adult standing in His family. He deals with us as mature sons and daughters and not as “little children.” We can talk (“Abba, Father” [v. 15]), walk, and use our inheritance right now. We are free, but we are still debtors to the Lord (v. 12).
Romans 8:12-17continues with themes of life through the Spirit, focusing on the believer’s transformation and adoption as children of God.
Obligation to Live According to the Spirit (Verses 12-13)
Romans 8:12-13 NIV Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
- Commentary: Paul emphasizes the believer’s responsibility to live not according to the flesh but by the Spirit. This living by the Spirit involves a moral and spiritual transformation, where the deeds of the body (sinful actions and desires) are put to death. This call to spiritual vitality is foundational to Christian living, highlighting a dynamic, ongoing process of sanctification empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Cross-reference:
- Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Note: This reinforces the notion that believers, through their union with Christ, have decisively broken with the sinful nature and are called to live in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Adoption as Children of God (Verses 14-15)
Romans 8:14-15 NIV For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
- Commentary: This passage highlights the profound relational change for believers—they are adopted as God’s children. The Spirit leads believers into a deep, intimate relationship with God, where they can address Him as “Abba, Father,” a term of endearment signifying closeness and confidence. This adoption into God’s family is a central aspect of the believer’s new identity in Christ, emphasizing not just a legal status but an experiential reality of God’s fatherly love and care.
Cross-reference:
- Galatians 4:6-7 – “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Note: Echoes the theme of adoption and the intimate relationship with God as Father, emphasizing the transformation from slaves to sons and heirs, underlining the believer’s new identity and inheritance in Christ.
Inheritance and Suffering with Christ (Verses 16-17)
Romans 8:16-17 NIV The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
- Commentary: This section further develops the idea of believers’ new identity as God’s children, stressing the Spirit’s role in affirming this identity. It introduces the concept of inheritance, indicating that believers, as God’s children, are heirs to God’s promises, including eternal life and glory. However, this inheritance is also linked with suffering, suggesting that enduring suffering for Christ’s sake is part of the journey toward glorification.
Cross-reference:
- 2 Timothy 2:12 – “If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13 NIV Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Note: Highlights the connection between suffering/endurance and future glorification with Christ, reflecting the notion that sharing in Christ’s sufferings is integral to sharing in his glory, as mentioned in Romans 8:17.
These themes in Romans 8:12-17—living by the Spirit, adoption as God’s children, and the intertwined experience of suffering and future glory—paint a comprehensive picture of the Christian life as one of transformation, relational intimacy with God, and hope amidst trials.