Bill Acton :: Romans 8:15-18 - The Spirit of God and the Sons of God

Sermon Outline for Romans 8:15-18

The Spirit of God and the Sons of God

1. Review: Romans – God Saves Sinners Completely
   1. Justification
   2. Position
   3. New life
   4. Regenerate
   5. Not under law
   6. Indwelling
   7. Growth
2. The Text
   1. The sons of God and their adoption
      1. Assurance – Rom 5-11
      2. Sonship – Explain sonship
      3. Includes male & female
      4. The Spirit of Adoption
         1. Brought in
            1. Not naturally
            2. We were not in
         2. Establishes position
            1. Full legal heirs – adult sons
         3. Contrast
            1. Slavery – Sonship
            2. Fear – Bondage
            3. Family – Freedom
         4. Regeneration
            1. Nature – Condition
            2. Adoption
            3. Position – Privileges
         5. A Roman custom
            1. Julius Caesar – Octavian
            2. Later called Augustus Caesar
            3. Legal prestige
         6. Jewish concept
            1. Hosea
            2. Esther
            3. Relational care
   2. The relationship to the Father
      1. New: Father
      2. Jesus: Our Father
      3. Garden – Mar 14:36
      4. “Abba” endearing
      5. Our dear Heavenly Father
      6. Little children
      7. Love, trust, personal, intensely
      8. Gal 4:6
      9. Object – Subject
      10. Truth – Emotion
      11. Position – Experience
      12. “Dear Heavenly Father”
      13. With feeling!!
      14. The Holy Spirit enables us to call God – “Father”
      15. The Holy Spirit teaches us
      16. “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
      17. A test – Can we say “Dear Heavenly Father”?
   3. The witness within
      1. The inner revelation
      2. The assurance
      3. Through the Word of God
      4. By the Word of God
      5. The inward conviction
      6. “Spirit Himself assures our spirit we are children of God”
      7. He saves
      8. He adopts
      9. He assures
      10. He wants us to know – 1Jo 3:1
          1. Beyond intellect and argument
          2. Subjective
          3. Produced by the Holy Spirit
3. The Sons of God and Their Inheritance
   1. Heirs of God! – 1Pe 1:3-5
      1. Hebrews
      2. The testator
      3. Death
      4. The will – testament
      5. Testator: Honest – Wealthy
      6. Death occurred
      7. Will: New Testament
   2. The ground of heirship – children of God
      1. Not as a result of creation
      2. Not natural descent
      3. Not meritorious service
      4. Not by ceremonial observation
         1. Only by grace – adopted into the family of God
   3. To all the children
      1. Same grace
      2. Same mercy
      3. Same qualification
      4. Same relationship if children – then heirs
   4. Adequate for all
      1. Enough
      2. Sufficient
      3. Inexhaustible
      4. “All things” Rev 21; 1Co 3:21
   5. Joint-heirs with Christ
      1. Possess with Him – Eph 1:20-23; Rom 8:32
      2. Immeasurable riches:
      3. Gift
      4. Right – We are sons, not slaves
      5. The partnership
4. The Sons of God and Their Suffering
   1. It is real – Our calling
      1. Phl 1:9; Jhn 15:18-25; 1Pe 1:6-7; 2:21; 4:12-13
      2. Suffering proves relationship
      3. Job
      4. Opportunity to display the relationship
   2. It is temporary
      1. “This present time”
      2. Mat 6:19-24
5. The Sons of God and Their Glory
   1. There is no comparison
   2. The glory is certain
      1. We will be glorious
      2. “I am firmly convinced”
      3. Revealed in us!
      4. Roman Christians were suffering
      5. Paul was suffering
      6. Hold on
      7. Persevere
      8. The best is coming
      9. It is not here
      10. Not in this world
      11. We have the guarantee
      12. The down payment