"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
(Romans 8:15)
Introduction
The apostle Paul is writing to those who can truly cry, "Abba, Father." These are they who are no longer under bondage and fear. In fact, the spirit of bondage and fear is far removed from the loving Spirit of adoption, and those who have it cannot be called the children of God. We all remember the day when we were born again and felt all the fear disappear from our hearts and lives. We knew at that moment that we belonged to God. Yet many believers have allowed the spirit of fear to bring them into bondage again. The fear returned because they stopped living in grace and sought to justify themselves through rules, laws and good works.
In this message we will investigate the states of the natural man, the man under the law, and the man under grace.
The State of the Natural Man
Such a person is in a state of spiritual sleep, and he cannot discern between what is good and evil. Darkness covers his understanding so that he has no inlets for the light of God's word. He knows next to nothing about God, and is unconcerned about this shortcoming. He sees no danger to his soul, not realising that he stands on the edge of the pit. He is so senseless that he does not even have the ability to fear.
There are those in the natural state, who acknowledge their sin, but think that they can rely upon God's mercy without repentance to get them to Heaven. They fail to recognise that a Holy God hates sin, and prove that they have no real love for Him else they would repent.
There are others in the natural state who talk about repenting before they die, thinking that God will permit them such an opportunity. If they truly loved God they would not put off getting right with Him without delay.
Those who have the greatest ignorance of God are those we call 'men of learning.' They boast of their faculties and achievements, and consider that their minds are open to spiritual truth, but the "light of the glorious gospel of Christ" has never shined upon them (2 Corinthians 4:4). They may congratulate themselves on personal wisdom, yet they are bent on discrediting and disbelieving the plain teaching of Scripture on almost every issue. They indeed have wisdom, but not that pure "wisdom that cometh from above" (James 3:17).
All such people are the servants of sin and are therefore, according to God, in spiritual bondage. How can they be convinced of their sinful state? First they must be brought to the place where they fear God and His law.
The State of the Man under the Law
God's word is able to stir the one who is spiritually asleep and to awaken him to the danger he are in. To a certain degree the eyes of his understanding is opened by God so that he might see his true state. He then sees the reality of his sinfulness, the fiery damnation that awaits him, and also the saving power of a loving and merciful God.
This person soon realises that he is guilty of breaking God's law, and has continually refused to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. It dawns upon him that all of his religious ideas are simply "fig leaves" and "filthy rages" (Genesis 3:7; Isaiah 64:6), that is, hypocrisy and pretence. So a true fear of God settles in his heart when he acknowledges that God has every right to plunge both body and soul into Hell.
Such a person must not attempt to reform his life to get right with God; if he tries he is sure to find himself at a far deeper level of bondage. Those who desire to flee from sin must fly to the only Saviour of his soul (Romans 7:24-8:1). The law of God is working in his heart to reveal his sinfulness and to point him to Christ. This is a healthy fear of God, but it is not the Lord's will for him to remain in the "spirit of fear and bondage," instead He wants him to have the "Spirit of adoption."
The State of the Man under Grace
Those who come to Christ are no longer under the law but under grace, and have truly received the "Spirit of adoption." The child of God knows the full reality of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, and by faith, rejoices that all of his sins are washed away. Because of his faith in the Lamb of God all fear, guilt and condemnation depart. He can say, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). This means that there is absolutely no need to fear the wrath of God upon a fallen world. He no longer looks upon God as an angry Judge, now he knows Him to be a loving Father. He has no fear of going to Hell because he knows that, as a child of God, he is destined for Heaven. He knows that at the point of death he goes directly to Him who paid the price for his salvation.
Scripture tells us, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17). God always frees His own from the yoke of bondage by setting them free from servitude to sin by and making them the servants of righteousness (Romans 6). The true believer now has "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1), and can joyfully cry "Abba, Father." All he wants to do is please and obey God, and aims to be more than conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37).
Conclusion
A person may be sincere in each of these states, but only he who has committed his life to God has the "Spirit of adoption." Each person must ask, "Do I really love God or am I just pretending to do so?" Remember that "he that committeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8). So who will you serve today? Jesus Christ came to deliver you from Satan's grasp (1 John 3:8), so it is Him you must turn to. If you do you will be born again.
Preached by John Wesley 7 October 1734