Romans, Session 14: Romans 8.14-25

Read the passage: Romans 8:14-25 (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Verse 14

What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? (Taking v13 into account)

Verses 14-15

Do you think of yourself more as God’s child or God’s slave? Why?
- What’s the difference between a slave and a son? What does a son enjoy that a slave doesn’t?
- In a wealthy Roman household, if the master had no heirs he could legally adopt one of his slaves as his son. How would that new son’s position in life change?
- If you are a Christian, you have been adopted by God as His child. What does that tell you about how your position has changed?
  - Whether male or female, we are all ‘sons’ – we are all heirs. Rather than being sexist, what does this tell us about how God sees us?
  - Why is the past tense in ‘you have received the Spirit of adoption’ important? What makes us God’s sons?

Verse 15

What might a slave fear? And why do we not have these fears as Christians?
- The opposite of a spirit of fear is ‘the Spirit of adoption as sons’. This means the way you see yourself and carry yourself in the world should be very different from someone living out of fear. What might living out of the knowledge of your adoption look like?
- What does the term Abba mean, and what does the fact that we can call God ‘Abba!’ tell us of the relationship we enjoy with Him?

Verse 16

Paul is talking here of the Spirit assuring us we are God’s children. Rather than this being something that fills us with anxiety – ‘do I have it or don’t I?’ it is helpful to break this down further:
- Who/what does the Spirit testify alongside?
- How might our lives give evidence both for and against us being God’s children?
- How does the testimony of the Spirit help us when it feels like we are on trial like this?

Verse 17

Paul says that with Christ you are an heir of God. What will you inherit?
- What does the fact that Paul talks here of suffering tell us about the Christian life? What is it not?

Verse 18

How does Paul handle the suffering of this life?

Verses 19-21

What does Paul tell us about the brokenness of the world that can help us understand present suffering?

Verse 22

How do the groans of childbirth differ from other groans, for example those you hear on a cancer ward?
- How does the image of childbirth help us understand present suffering?
- Is there something you are currently groaning over? How can the future God has in store help you handle this present trouble?

Verse 23

Paul says ‘we wait eagerly for adoption as sons’. How can he say this having told us we are already adopted?
- Why is the problem of evil and suffering an argument for God and the new heavens and the new earth, rather than an argument against?

Verses 23-25

Paul says our physical bodies will be redeemed. Why does this give us hope in present suffering?

Personal application

Think of a specific situation in your life where you are suffering or struggling. This week, as you come up against this area again, practice reminding yourself of the truth found in this passage (you are a loved child of God and an heir to His glory – which means all suffering will cease and be completely outweighed by glory). Try and find ways to actively remind you of this and let it sink in and encourage you.

Leader’s notes

Verse 14

What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? (Taking v13 into account)
People often think it means that we are sensitive to the Spirit in decision making and that we pray for guidance etc. But if you look at v13-14 together, v14 flows out of v13 – it begins with ‘for’ so what follows (v14) is built on what comes before (v13). So, being led by the Spirit means that we are putting to death the sins of the body. It means we are putting off what is wrong and putting on what is right. It means we love what the Spirit loves and hate what He hates. We are led by Him, and as we are, He changes us.

Verses 14-15

Do you think of yourself more as God’s child or God’s slave? Why?
- What’s the difference between a slave and a son? What does a son enjoy that a slave doesn’t?
  Think about love, family, position, security, inheritance
- In a wealthy Roman household, if the master had no heirs he could legally adopt one of his slaves as his son. How would that new son’s position in life change?
  He would receive a new name – that of his new father; he would go from having nothing to having everything; his debt would be paid; he would be a free man, with a secure future, status, and inheritance. He would have new responsibilities – to honour his father and represent him well.
- If you are a Christian, you have been adopted by God as His child. What does that tell you about how your position has changed?
  - Why is the past tense in ‘you have received the Spirit of adoption’ important? What makes us God’s sons?
    This is not something you have to strive for, or perform to achieve, this is what Christ has already done for you and in you – God has adopted you as His child. All the effort and all the cost falls on Him. You just have to receive it. It also tells us that no one is God’s child by birth – there was a time when we were not His children, but because of His grace we now are.

Verse 15

What might a slave fear? And why do we not have these fears as Christians?
Punishment; cruelty; being sold to another master; fear for the future – being cast out of the house when no longer of use. As a Christian you do not need to live in fear – your father will never abandon you.
- The opposite of a spirit of fear is ‘the Spirit of adoption as sons’. This means the way you see yourself and carry yourself in the world should be very different from someone living out of fear. What might living out of the knowledge of your adoption look like?
  You’ll have a stability and a confidence about you – even when things are difficult – because you know you are loved and chosen and secure.
- What does the term Abba mean, and what does the fact that we can call God ‘Abba!’ tell us of the relationship we enjoy with Him?
  Abba is an Aramaic term of intimate familiarity with a father: it’s like Daddy, Dad, papa, pop. That is the level of intimacy with God Jesus has won for us.

Verse 16

Paul is talking here of the Spirit assuring us we are God’s children. Rather than this being something that fills us with anxiety – ‘do I have it or don’t I?’ it is helpful to break this down further:
- Who/what does the Spirit testify alongside?
  Our spirit. Witnesses/testimony are called upon in a court of law when someone is accused, or evidence appears contradictory.
- How might our lives give evidence both for and against us being God’s children?
  Evidence that we are God’s children includes:- we love Him, we seek to live in ways that honour Him, we are putting to death the sins of the flesh, we love His people. Evidence that might make us question whether we are really His children… we still sin.
- How does the testimony of the Spirit help us when it feels like we are on trial like this?
  When we feel like we are failing, that we’re not really Christians, and we cry out to our loving heavenly Father for help – ‘Abba!’ – the Spirit testifies to us that we really are a child of God. Even our calling for help is evidence of this.

Verse 17

Paul says that with Christ you are an heir of God. What will you inherit?
All God’s glory! All His goodness and love and mercy and grace. You are the heir, it will be yours and your experience and enjoyment of Him will be as if there were no other heirs! Nothing will hinder or diminish it.
- What does the fact that Paul talks here of suffering tell us about the Christian life? What is it not?
  Being a child of God is not a passport to prosperity and ease. God will discipline us so we can grow in His likeness. Also, we live in a fallen world in rebellion against God. God is opposed and so will His children be. We suffer as Christ suffered.

Verse 18

How does Paul handle the suffering of this life?
He compares it to the glory to come – he knows it is short lived, that the future will be very different. He lives by faith in that future God has prepared.

Verses 19-21

What does Paul tell us about the brokenness of the world that can help us understand present suffering?
1. This world is ‘creation’ – which tells you there is a Creator who is in ultimate control; 2. It was subjected to futility – the same word that translates the hebel of life in Ecclesiastes – life just does not work as it should, there is a frustration and seeming senselessness about it. 3. It was subjected to futility ‘in hope’: this means it was God who subjected it to futility – because he knew that something far better would come out of it; 4. That ‘far better’ is ‘the freedom of the glory of the children of God’: one day God will put everything right.

Verse 22

How do the groans of childbirth differ from other groans, for example those you hear on a cancer ward?
- How does the image of childbirth help us understand present suffering?
  In childbirth the pain is real and terrible. But the outcome is wonderful!

Verse 23

Paul says ‘we wait eagerly for adoption as sons’. How can he say this having told us we are already adopted?
What we experience now is just the foretaste of what God has in store for us. The full inheritance, the full family likeness, the revealing of all the blessings He has for us, the beauty of the new heavens and new earth, the great goodness of God, the answers to all the questions that trouble us, are yet to come!
- Why is the problem of evil and suffering an argument for God and the new heavens and the new earth, rather than an argument against?
  If there is no God and no meaning to life, why should we complain that suffering is ‘senseless’ or that it’s unfair, or that the world should not be like this? These things tell us we instinctively know there is right and wrong and injustice, that life does have meaning. It also tells us we are instinctively looking for our real home, the world to be made right – for a return to Eden – for the new heavens and new earth.

Verses 23-25

Paul says our physical bodies will be redeemed. Why does this give us hope in present suffering?
You might consider physical disease or disability, or wrong sexual desires, body dysmorphia, feelings of hate towards one’s body etc. All this will be redeemed. What we experience now is not the last chapter.

Download the complete study: Bible study on Romans (PDF) and leader’s guide (PDF)