The Children Of God

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God… 

Romans 8:16 

To pursue this idea of the practical implications of adoption a little farther, let us consider our text for today. One of the results of the transformation which occurs at salvation is that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. According to our text today, one of the things the Holy Spirit does is to ‘bear witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.’ How often does this ‘witness’ take away the ‘spirit of bondage again to fear’ that would pull us backward into doubt and unbelief. It seems at times, as if our corruptions are so great, our growth in grace so slow, our apprehension of truth so long in coming, that we would nearly despair of our standing in Grace. Then the Blessed Comforter draws alongside us, and shows us again the Living Christ. He draws our hearts out after ‘The Ever-Living One, Whose wounds for us do plead.’ He assures us that we are indeed, the sons and daughters of the Great God of Wonders. This lifts us up from our downcast condition. We look again to Christ. We peruse the Word of God and lay hold on the promises. We confess, forsake, lay aside the weights and sins which so easily beset us.  We rise with renewed hope and anticipation of the day when ‘the faith shall be sight.’ We are, and shall forever be, ‘the children of God.’ So the Spirit has witnessed, and so it must be. 

Our most Holy and Wise God, 
We rejoice that You have given us Your Spirit. 
We praise You for all that He shows us of Christ, 
And how He convinces us, that we are Yours forever. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning