For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Paul writes to the Christian community in Rome, explaining that those who are led by the Holy Spirit in their daily lives are truly children of God. They have an intimate relationship with Christ and God. They did not receive a spirit of slavery, living under the dominion of sin and the Law, where they feared divine retribution. Instead, they received a “spirit of adoption,” where they were transformed and fully integrated into God’s family. Under Roman law, adoption granted full rights to the person as if they were a natural-born child. "Abba, Father" is an intimate phrase that conveys a deep, personal relationship with God, as Jesus used in Mark 14:36.
The Holy Spirit testifies with our human spirit, affirming that we are God’s children. Paul refers to this because in Jewish and Roman legal systems, multiple witnesses were required to establish the truth of a matter (Deut. 19:15). Here, the Holy Spirit serves as a divine witness to the new status of the believer. If we are children, then we are also heirs. Both natural-born and adopted children could inherit under Roman law, and as "heirs of God," believers share in all that God has promised. "Joint heirs with Christ" emphasizes that Christians are co-heirs with Christ, sharing in both his suffering and his glory. Participation in Christ’s glory inevitably involves sharing in his suffering.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Spirit who leads us and gives us the courage as Your children to call You "Abba, Father." Help us to live in the freedom of Your love, as heirs with Christ. Grant us strength to endure suffering with faith, knowing that we are destined for glory with Him. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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