Rom 8:15-17 | PNT | STEP | For ye have not received the spirit of bondage . The time is referred to when they were born again, and entered the kingdom of God. They did not receive the spirit of bondage, of slavery to sin, so that they would obey its dictates, and thus be in fear of death. Instead, they received the Holy Spirit according to promise ( ). But ye have received the Spirit of adoption . The Spirit God bestows upon those who are accepted as his children. Paul was writing to the Romans, among whom the adoption of children, not their own by nature, was common. They would understand this to mean that those converted, or born again, are adopted as children of God; upon those thus adopted he bestows his Spirit; this Spirit in their hearts produces a loving trust that enables them to address God as Father. Abba, Father . "Abba", Chaldee for "Father".

Romans 8:15-17

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage. The time is referred to when they were born again, and entered the kingdom of God. They did not receive the spirit of bondage, of slavery to sin, so that they would obey its dictates, and thus be in fear of death. Instead, they received the Holy Spirit according to promise (Ac 2:38).

But ye have received the Spirit of adoption. The Spirit God bestows upon those who are accepted as his children. Paul was writing to the Romans, among whom the adoption of children, not their own by nature, was common. They would understand this to mean that those converted, or born again, are adopted as children of God; upon those thus adopted he bestows his Spirit; this Spirit in their hearts produces a loving trust that enables them to address God as Father.

Abba, Father. "Abba", Chaldee for "Father". The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. The Spirit of God is one witness to the fact. Our spirit is a corroborative witness. How do each bear witness? (1) Witness is usually borne in words, but not always. God's Spirit bears witness in words. See Heb 10:15. The Holy Spirit shows us how we must become God's children, and how to continue the Christian life. (2) It bears testimony in our lives by its fruits (Mt 7:16). Do we bear the fruit of the Spirit? See Ga 5:22,23. (3) Does our own spirit testify that we "mind the things of the Spirit"? (Ro 8:5). Does our consciousness recognize its fruits, inward as well as outward? If the testimony of our spirit is that what God's Spirit witnesseth of the sons of God is true of us, then they concur in the testimony that we are the children of God. If children, then heirs. Observe the chain of argument: (1) We are the sons of God (Ro 8:14). (2) This is shown by our having received the Spirit of adoption (Ro 8:15). (3) Both God's Spirit and our own spirit witness together that we are children of God (Ro 8:16). (4) But children are heirs; hence we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Under the Jewish law the older brother had a double portion, but Christ admits all to a joint share of the great inheritance.

If . . . we suffer with [him]. In the figure, we suffer with him when we are "baptized into his death" (Ro 6:3). We are "crucified with him" (Ro 6:6); become "dead to sin" (Ro 6:2); "are buried with him" (Ro 6:4); "are planted together in the likeness of his death" (Ro 6:5). Hence, in these respects we have the "fellowship of his sufferings" (Php 3:10). But we must be ready, for his sake, to bear the cross through life (Mt 16:24 Mr 8:34 10:21 Lu 9:23). If we do all these things, we shall be "glorified together" with him also.