Bible Study on Romans 8, verses 10 to 16, we are the children of God

 

Romans 8:10 ¶  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

 

This is a call to salvation through Jesus Christ.

 

Again, as before, Paul makes it clear that you, Christian, are freed from the power of sin. By Christ’s resurrection by the One who created us we will be raised from the dead, given life, quickened. Our current flesh cannot please God and by the fact that we have the Spirit of God in us we can be raised. Here is evidence of the mechanism, why a Christian can be resurrected as they will be. Because the Spirit of God lives in us we will rise from the dead.

 

We are debtors to the Spirit that will raise us up and all men and women owe it to God to believe and trust in Christ, that is their duty, and God is angry at those who refuse. Think of what He did on the Cross at Calvary. We are the children of God because of the Spirit of God dwelling in us. We have received this Spirit of adoption. The adoption, as will be explained, is the redemption of our body, the purchased possession made anew in Christ and like Christ. Abba, Father, according to Strong’s was used often in prayer as we use Father even today. It was an Aramaic word that came to have a sacred meaning for the Jews of the Greek-speaking world regarding God.

 

Notice here that the Spirit is called it.  From the early Early Modern English period up until the 17th century, his was the possessive of the third-person neuter it as well as of the third-person masculine he. It and he are compatible. I used to think this was an important distinction but apparently it is not although I would suggest the following from our linguistic perspective.

The Spirit of God is one agency by which God works in His creation. There is named the Spirit of God in Genesis 1 and elsewhere as well as the Spirit of Christ.

1Peter 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

This is the Holy Ghost as a person with the Spirit being Himself in operation.

Luke 4:1  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

John 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

John 7:39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Acts 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

1Corinthians 12:3  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

When the Holy Spirit’s operative work is spoken of the impersonal pronoun it is used.

Romans 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:..26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

But as the third part of God the Holy Ghost is referred to as he.

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

I’m going to repeat this information in a larger context in a little while.