Section Thirteen

Adopted into God’s Family

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Several passages in the Bible use language that describes how faith means that we can become adopted into a family, with God as the father figure. Romans Chapter 8 verses 14 to 17 is one such passage. Just before this passage, the argument is made that we can have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the death. It is having this Spirit living in us that gives us true life and gives us an understanding of who we truly are. The passage states that if we are led by God’s Spirit then we have the right to be called ‘children of God’. The implication is also that we all then have the same status in God’s family - that of children. The comparison is made between slaves and children. God’s Spirit living in us makes us children and not slaves (slaves live in fear, children do not). Being children means that we call God our Father. The Spirit of God confirms this by allowing us to experience what it is to be in God’s family. Even more than that, being children means that we are heirs. We have the place of inheritance alongside Jesus himself, as long as we are prepared to share in his sufferings.