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!” Romans 8:15

Romans 8:12–17 – Romans: The Righteousness of God
Ascension of Our Lord (Observed) – May 21, 2023 (am)

When we’re presented with a very desirable offer, for anything, there are several different ways to say yes. At times it’s very passive. After a meal the waiter may ask: Would you like to try our signature hot fudge sundae for dessert? You may just nod with raised eyebrows and expectant smile. Or you may speak aloud: Yes, or even: Absolutely yes! But no action is required except to speak, sit, and wait.

At other times your answer has to be more active in order to communicate a clear yes. Your son asks you if you want to play catch. Saying yes, or even Absolutely yes, means nothing if you don’t get up off the couch a get your glove.

If your rich uncle who collects classics cars walks you into his cavernous garage, surveys his treasures, and says: Would you like to have one of these? You’ll need to select the appropriate key and drive off in a car for your yes to be a real yes. A yes to this question has to be active.

We’ve just heard that there is… no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus (1), for the law of the Spirit of life has set [us] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death (2) such that life eternal is now our [inheritance] (11).

Then we transition into a new paragraph in which we learn that this [inheritance] should make a difference in how we live here and now, under the reign of Christ. Until this point in c.8, the if statements (9, 10, 11) have been distinguishing between those who’ve trusted Christ as Savior and Lord and those who haven’t. So, attention was not being drawn to the consistency of our behavior in Christ as much as to whether we’ve received Him as our sin-Bearer (propitiation [3:25]).

Now the focus turns toward our response, our behavior. Essentially, Paul addresses two points here.

What We Believers in Jesus Should Always Pursue – 12-13

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. Some say Paul should have finished here saying: but to the Spirit, to live according to the Spirit. But the absence of this finish seems intentional (a “provocative absence” [Gieniusz in Schreiner 413]). Paul’s intent doesn’t seem to be to identify two potential masters then to identify which one we’re obligated to serve, or even which one we’d be better off serving. His intent seems to be to clarify that, even though we’re still subject to death in this world (11), we have no obligation at all to live according to the flesh (12). We’re quite free from that bondage (cf. 6:1-11ff.).

And the next statement isn’t so much drawing a conclusion as offering an explanation for this (Schreiner 414). How could we still be debtors to that which leads to death if we’ve already received that which leads to life? So, turn away from those things that lead to death and give yourself to those things that lead to life. Give yourselves to the pursuit of that which reflects the glory of the [inheritance] you’ve received by faith in Christ. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

It’s especially in the second half of v.13 where we hear an imperative. And it’s not a straight-forward command; it’s more implicit. But it’s not telling us what it may sound like it’s telling us, namely, that we earn life by putting to death the deeds of the body. Rather, Paul is affirming that, if we’ve been freed from sin and death by faith in Christ, we can and we should live like that’s true. As we do that, we’re showing our agreement with the fact that we’ve been freed from sin by the merciful and sovereign grace of God in Christ.

If, like Israel, we’d rather go back to slavery in Egypt rather than follow God in the pillars of cloud and fire (Exo.13:21-22) through the wilderness into the promised land, then we’re showing that we don’t really trust Him. But if we press on in this journey, facing each challenge believing that God will meet us in it and finish the work He’s started in us, then we’ll find Him to be faithful to every promise He’s made to us. And we’ll surely [inherit] the blessings of His salvation.

So, the relationship between the indicative and the imperative as we move from v.12 to v.13 should not be [heard] as [calling us to do something that gains a reward or earns an outcome]. Rather, it [should be heard as] an ongoing yes to God’s work in us, a call to affirm [His] action on our behalf (Deidun in Schrödinger 414). We’re responding to His very desirable provision with an intentional and active yes!

That is what every believer in Jesus should pursue!

What We Believers in Jesus Should Never Forget – 14-17

We pursue this because that’s just who we are in Christ! We’re not just His purchased possession, or merely the recipients of His benevolent blessings. By faith in Him we become family! When we receive His Spirit we’re adopted into His family—the loftiest, tightest, most exclusive and unique family circle that could possibly exist! We’re named along with Jesus as sons of God! 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons, children (16, 17), of God. … 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God! His indwelling (9) presence with us makes this objectively clear. And His enabling us to put to death the deeds of the body makes it experientially clear.

So, the Spirit helps us know that we’ve become God’s children, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ! Jesus is our Brother, not just our Savior and Lord, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him—provided we die with him that we may also live with him (cf. 6:1-4). 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, [and also] in a resurrection like his, then we’re united with him as family, forever!

Now, vv.15 is slipped in there as sort of an explanation (Moo 2018522).  14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are [children] of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. This isn’t just the nature of what we receive when the Spirit of God makes His residence within us (9)—we no don’t experience fear any longer because now we’ve [inherited] life through the Spirit. Surely we still live in fearful circumstances, battling an enemy that’s determined to kill us (cf. c.7), an enemy that Paul just warned us about again right here (13). Even so, he writes, 15 … 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!”

Now, I don’t believe this is the gentle, sweet picture it might seem to be—a little child cooing Papa while he’s being caressed by his father. I think there’s reason why Paul set up this expression of intimacy by making explicit reference to fear and followed it by talking more about sufferings (18ff., cf. 17). In the face of such a fierce enemy as sin, which can take our life if we take it lightly, we have an alternative available, an opportunity to lean into our adopted sonship and cry out to our devoted Father for protection and deliverance, just as we saw Jesus doing the first time we heard Him use this address (Mar.14:36).

Our status as children of God and the inner witness of the Spirit are just what we need to prevail in our battle against sin. And just as we might enjoy warm fellowship with our Abba, Father in times of sweetness and peace (6), we also cry out to Him in times of desperation and need (Moore 51) when we feel like we’re losing our battle with sin. And, just like a loving Father does, He meets us in our suffering and enables our endurance to the end, assuring us that we’ll surely receive His full and final salvation (17).

So, there’s a range of meaning in the powerfully intimate address Paul identifies here. Therefore, some suggest that a simple Daddy or Papa doesn’t really capture the full range of it best. Perhaps dear Father is better (Schreiner 419), just as so many of us use even today to open our prayers. And we should hold onto this reminder of our standing with Him as our truest comfort and encouragement and reassurance and hope, calling on our dear Father with full confidence of intimate fellowship, of His divine presence and power, whether we’re fighting hard in the midst of a life-threatening battle or are drinking deeply during a season of undistracted worship!

Conclusion

This is our [inheritance] in Christ that comes to us here and now even while we still await its full deliverance. Our dear Father is with us at every moment through the presence of His indwelling Spirit provided for us by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, and this will be so until we’re glorified with him (17) in His eternal Kingdom forever!

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Resources

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 3, Romans-Philemon. Romans, by Douglas J. Moo, 2-95. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. 1952. Romans, four volumes. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Romans, by Mark A. Seifrid, 607-694. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Romans, by Douglas J. Moo, 1115-1160. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Chadwick, Henry, gen. ed. 1957. Harper’s New Testament Commentaries. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, by C. K. Barrett. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

Comfort, Philip W., gen. ed.  2007. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Romans, by Roger Mohrlang. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale.

Cranfield, C. E. B. 1990. Romans: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 6, The Message of Romans: Justification, 146-166. Wheaton: Crossway.

Dockery, David S, ed. 1995. New American Commentary. Vol. 27, Romans, by Robert H. Mounce. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Green, Joel B., ed. 2018. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Letter to the Romans, by Douglas J. Moo. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Hodge, Charles. 1989. The Geneva Series of Commentaries. Romans. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth.

Hubbard, David A., and Glenn W. Barker. 1988. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 38ab, Romans, by James D. G. Dunn. Dallas: Word.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2008. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 11, Romans-Galatians. Romans, by Everett F. Harrison and Donald A. Hagner, 19-237. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Luther, Martin. 1976. Commentary on Romans. Translated by J. Theodore Mueller. Grand Rapids: Kregel.

Moo. Douglas J. 2000. The NIV Application Commentary. Romans. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Moore, Russell. 2009. Adopted for Life. Wheaton: Crossway.

Morris, Leon, ed. 1985. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 6, Romans, by F. F. Bruce. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Moule, H. C. G. 1977. Studies in Romans. Grand Rapids: Kregel.

Murray, John. 1968. The Epistle to the Romans, 2 Vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Nygren, Anders. 1949. Commentary on Romans. Philadelphia: Fortress.

Owen, John, ed. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, by John Calvin. Translated by John Owen.

Sproul, R. C. 2005. The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans. Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus.

Stott, John, NT ed. 1994. The Bible Speaks Today. The Message of Romans, by John Stott. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Yarbrough, Robert W., and Joshua W. Jipp, eds. 2018. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Romans, by Thomas R. Schreiner. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

NEXT SUNDAY: Romans 8:18–25, Kipp Soncek