May it please God to bless us
together this morning as we meditate in his holy word. Let us turn
to the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, chapter eight, and we'll
read verses 16 and 17. The Epistle of Paul to the Romans,
chapter eight, and reading verses 16 and 17. the Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified together. The Apostle Paul, under the influence
of the Blessed Spirit, was able to write great and glorious truths
And we're thankful indeed for the testimony we have as he wrote
to the Romans the great amount of doctrine there is contained
in it and the wonderful testimony of the personal experience which
the children of God pass through to confirm that we are amongst
the children of God. Here we have then in this chapter
a wonderful statement or statements rather of God's goodness and
mercy and it follows on as we mentioned in the reading from
what the Apostle Paul directs us to in his own life. We see how he could bless God
and rejoice in the great truths of the gospel but he was able
to explain to us his own personal testimony, his own personal experience
and we should be very thankful that we have in the Word of God
an account like this to realise that we do have a battle, a battle
as we press on through life. This life on this earth is not
one of ease, it's not one of natural comfort for the people
of God, it's one of opposition As the Lord Jesus spoke so very
clearly, it is through much tribulation that we should inherit the kingdom
and be of good joy. I've overcome the world. It means,
it means that we must look beyond ourselves, beyond our sinful
condition. We are sinners of the earth and
we realize it and we recognize it and we feel it. and we know
it and we can therefore empathise with Paul in the 7th chapter
when he tells us so clearly for he says for we know that the
law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin he realised his
flesh he realised the battle that he had between the flesh
and the spirit and we should be very thankful that Almighty
God in his great mercy influenced the Apostle to write such things
so that we might be tempted to think well surely God cannot
dwell with such a sinner like me and yet we find that the Apostle
clearly enumerates that which he knew when he tells us, if
then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that
it is good. Now then, it is no more I that
do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me,
that is in my flesh, it's not in his spirit, it's in his flesh,
dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me,
but how to perform that which is good I find not, for the good
that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that
I do." Well you see he spells out here really things which
we may find ourselves walking through that's why he comes down
to this 24th verse and tells us I wretched man that I am who
shall deliver me from the body of this death so he realized
his condition but he was able by the grace of God to look out
of himself and where did he look He looked to the Saviour. He
says, I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with
a mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the
law of sin. Then he goes on, of course, to
say, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit. So, what a blessing then, if
we can come to this verse this morning, verse 16, which tells
us, the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that
we are the children of God. Now my friends, this should be
our great concern. It should be our continual desire
to have the evidence in our hearts that we are a child of God. And that will be blessedly proved
and blessedly understood if then we have this glorious evidence
the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit. You may say, well what does that
mean? What it means is this. The Holy Spirit of God enters
into our heart and shows to us what we are by nature, what the
Apostle Paul was able to so clearly describe. Yes, he was a sinner
and sin was with him. But you see, he had the evidence
of the blessed work of the Holy Spirit within his soul. Now that is the vital thing that
you and I need to know. That we possess the work of the
Spirit of God within our soul. And that's not something that
you and I are able to produce. Something you and I can manufacture. It is by the grace of God it
is by the free unmerited favour of God that he comes and shows
us as needy hell deserving sinners we need a saviour and it's only
the Spirit of God that directs us to that need because left to ourselves we
won't appreciate our need. We may, perhaps in just some
vague way, just admit and are happy to confess that perhaps
we, well, we have sinned sometimes and we are a sinner, but there's
a great difference between the work of the Spirit of God in
us, convincing us as an undone sinner before a holy God. And it brings us really to that
confession that the Apostle made when he said, in me that is in
my flesh dwelleth no good thing. And he also said, didn't he,
he was the least of all saints, the least of all saints. He didn't
have a high opinion of himself. The Holy Spirit convinced him
of his sin, less than the least of all saints. It's good when the Holy Spirit of God brings
us to that condition and that position. Just remember what
he said, less than the least of all saints. He didn't say
it was the least, he said it was less than the least of all
saints. He was, in his own eyes, that condition and that sinner. Now then, because he was brought
down to that condition, he was then able to rejoice in what
Christ had done. And he was able to declare, I
know whom I have believed. Because the Holy Spirit had shown
to him the glory of the Saviour. as we've read together in this
chapter, how clearly it sets before us the wonder and the
glory of the Gospel and how good it is for us to rejoice in it. The Gospel is to rejoice in. And my friends, it is to rejoice
in when we have the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit
convincing us of our sin and directing us to the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ, and to realise that He came into this
sinful world to die, to atone for our sins, again to be brought by the Holy Spirit to Calvary. To view there the suffering Saviour, dying to redeem our sin. Now when the Holy Spirit takes
us, brings us there, it is the work of the Spirit. And therefore
we have the evidence that the Spirit of God bears witness with
our spirit that we are the children of God. We will realise that
we have come to that situation where the Blessed Lord has come
and opened our spiritual eyes. It was that very clear testimony
of the man in the scripture, the man that was born blind.
All of us have been born spiritually blind. Thankfully, all of us
here have not been born naturally blind. This man had been born
naturally blind. But we've all been born spiritually
blind. And it's a wonderful thing, therefore,
if the Spirit of God brings us to this condition and this position. This was this man who was born
blind, we read of here, and the Lord gave him sight, he restored
his sight. Of course the Pharisees didn't
want to believe that it was the work of the Holy Spirit. They asked his parents and his
parents weren't really prepared to give an honest answer. And
they said to his parents, therefore said his parents, he is of age,
ask him. Well, it's good, isn't it? When
you and I are asked personally. And so then again, they called
the man that was blind and said to him, Give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner.
He answered and said, whether he be a sinner or no, I know
not. But one thing I know, that whereas
I was blind, now I see. The Spirit of God had blessed
him with natural sight. And my friends, the Spirit of
God blesses us with spiritual sight. And so this morning, ponder
the position in your life and my life as to whether we are
amongst those that this word applies to. The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God,
because every one of us needs to have the evidence that we
are a child of God we are of one of his children now this
chapter really the first beginning of this chapter speaks to us
about those who have been adopted adopted what a wonderful thing
It is if you and I are adopted son and daughter of the Most
High God. We need to know it. We need to
have the evidence of it. It's not a theory. It's that
which the Holy Spirit conveys into our soul and gives us that
personal knowledge of that work in our souls. My friends, the
word of God directs us to the great truths of the gospel. And so how blessed it is to be
able to come into this condition. In an earlier verse, the apostle
says, for as many as are led By the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God. Look back in your life. Look
back in your life. Can you see? Can you remember
God's leading? God's leading to give you an
understanding of your condition as a lost, hell-deserving sinner. and has led you to the great
and glorious view of the suffering Saviour at Calvary. You see,
the Word of God is very clear. If you and I are a son or daughter
of God, it is because we have been led by the Spirit. For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. you know you and I are wonderfully
privileged to first of all have the Bible to read and secondly
to hear the Gospel preached never despise these great blessings but rejoice in them the Apostle
goes on in the previous verse to verse 16 You have not received the spirit
of bondage against a fear, but you receive the spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Very often, people are fearful
of calling God their Father. But my friend, every true believer has God the Father as their Heavenly
Father. It is a wonderful blessing. It
is a wonderful privilege to be able to come and cry in all humbleness, but in all honesty. Abba, Father. And we can, if we have the evidence
of the work of Spirit, the Spirit of God in our hearts, to know
that we are a child of God. If we are a child of God, we
have a Heavenly Father. What a blessing. How wonderful it is. You know,
the Psalmist David tells us in the 25th Psalm something, it's
a text which most of you know. I do quote from time to time
because it is a very wonderful word. And in the 25th Psalm and
the 14th verse, this is what it tells us. It says here, the
secret of the Lord. The secret of the Lord, the Lord
conveys to his people, to his children, this great and blessed
truth. The secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him and he will show them his covenant. The Lord does reveal this great
and glorious truths to the Church of God so that we are able to
come and to praise Him. The purpose of our life on this
earth is to praise God, to praise God, to bring honour and glory
to his great and holy name. We're not born into this world
to just go about pleasing ourselves. If we are
a child of God, we are born in this world to serve our Lord
and Master in whatever condition, in whatever sphere, whatever
place that may be. different for every one of us,
but nonetheless all of us will be servants if we are a true
child of God. The Spirit itself beareth witness. Now, you and I are not to deny the work of the Spirit of God. sometimes people think it's it's
honorable sometimes think it's a it's a mark of grace to deny
the work of the Spirit of God my friends how terrible to deny
that which God has done it's the last thing the devil
wants you and me to acknowledge the work of God but it's a good thing when the
Spirit of God comes and touches our heart It's not just then something
that we've read about, something we've perhaps learned about naturally. It's the wonderful effect of
the blessed Spirit of God. How good it is if you and I come
to that condition and come to that situation and can bless
God for it in the 10th chapter of this same epistle the Apostle tells us some very
great and important and solemn truths and he says brethren my
heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is they might
be saved For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge." They didn't possess the spiritual
knowledge, they possessed a natural knowledge. My friends, you and
I may possess a natural knowledge, but we need to possess the spiritual
knowledge. And he says, for they've been
ignorant of God's righteousness in going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Well, it's a good thing for you and me to submit ourselves unto
the righteousness of God. And so the apostle goes on to
say, but what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in
thy mouth and in thy heart. two things in our mouth and in
our heart, the word of God, the work of God. That is the word
of faith, which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised thee from the dead, thou shalt be saved. That's a very simple statement,
isn't it? It's very comprehensive. and what a blessing if you and
I today have the witness of the work of the Holy Spirit within
us and my friends if we do let us not deny it let us never deny
the work of God because it's a glorious work it's a precious work It's an
invaluable work because that work will bring us safe home
to glory and how we should then rejoice in it. So let's just
read that verse again, the 9th verse in the 10th chapter. If
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. Now, I hope today every one of
us has that desire to truly be saved. And there's
only one way whereby you and I shall be saved from all our
sins. And that is through the precious
atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. My friends, never tire of hearing
about the blood of Christ. Hymn writer has a very simple
word, invaluable blood. Because unless you and I are
washed in the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall
never be saved. But if we have been washed in
the blood of the Lamb, we are saved. We're eternally saved. We're eternally safe. We're safe
in the arms of Jesus. So says the Apostle, the Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God. Well, this morning, may God give
us that grace to examine ourselves. The Word of God encourages us
to examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith or not. We
don't want to be deceived, do we? We don't want to find that when
we come The day of our death, when we come to the gate of heaven,
we don't possess the work of grace in our heart. We don't
possess, as we read in Pilgrim's Progress, the certificate which
gives us entry into glory. And that certificate really is
the evidence, the witness from the Spirit of God that we are
the children of God. Well, may we ponder these things
and have the evidence indeed that we are a believer, that
we are a child of God. And then there is really a test
for that. You may say, well, what's that?
Well, the next verse really tells us what that is. Verse 17 says,
and if children, you see, it's a question, if children, And
we want to know, don't we, if we are a child of God or not,
if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Now, an heir is someone who inherits. You know, we have a royal household,
don't we? We have a queen. And when she
dies, Prince Charles will inherit, if he's still alive and if it
follows a normal pattern, he will inherit the position of
being king in our nation. He will inherit it. Well, God's
people are referred to as priests and kings, the most high God. And my friends, if we are an
heir, and remember, an heir never works for that situation. Prince
Charles was born into it. He didn't earn it, he was born
into it. And my friends, you and I don't
earn any heirship. But by the grace of God, we're
born into it by the Spirit of God. And so, and if children are heirs,
Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Isn't that humbling
to think that we as such utterly unworthy sinners are
joint heirs with Christ. Amazing, isn't it? Wonderful
to think upon. But then he goes on to give this
qualification. And this should be an encouraging
qualification. This is what it says. If so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. That means that you and I will
have a life wherein we find it is a life of suffering in one
way or another. What a blessing that is and the
Apostle tells us the great and wonderful truths of these things
when he speaks to his son Timothy. He wrote to Timothy he was his
son in the faith, he was a preacher and he spelled out in the two
epistles, the two letters he wrote to Timothy those things
that he should expect and therefore he tells us this in the second
chapter and in the eleventh verse he says It is a faithful saying. That means it's true and not
to be disputed. It is a faithful saying, for
if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. You might
think, well, that's wonderful. True. If we suffer, we should
also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. so my friends we should expect
therefore sufferings we should not expect an easy life and then
my friends we're not to deny him we're not to deny him you
know some people deny really not perhaps in words but by their
actions they don't acknowledge the blessed work of God in their
souls. No. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. Well, I hope we don't want to
be amongst those who are denied. Let us remember, therefore, that
we should expect to suffer with him. with him and again. You know we have the wonderful
testimony of the Apostle when he wrote to the Philippians of
his desire to be more and more like Christ. And what a good
testimony it is when he says But what things were gained to
me, those I counted loss for Christ, yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus among the Lord, for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and do countenance but done that I may win Christ
and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God, by faith. Then he comes
and says this, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship of his sufferings be made conformable unto his
death. This was the desire of the Apostle
Paul, a godly man, a man who lived for Christ and desired
Christ. And this is what he says, and
this is the testimony for us today that I may know Him and
the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings
be made conformable unto His death. What a good thing it is
if we desire to truly be made conformable to the blessed Saviour
conformable unto His death. And then just one final reference
in the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians in the fourth
chapter. And as you well know, it's a
wonderful chapter and it's a wonderful verse which I often quote to
you. The sixth verse from this chapter,
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has
shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This really surely is
the evidence, isn't it, of bearing. We have the witness if that light
has shone into our hearts. But going on, So what the Apostle
said that we may also then be glorified together we shall suffer
with him but he says here in the 17th verse he says this but
for our light affliction light affliction that means he's weighing
things up and he thinks our afflictions our sufferings are light by comparison
he gives us in comparison, which is but for a moment worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Glory is full
and wonderful and it's on one side of the scale you might say
of balances and it's so far heavier than on the other side of afflictions. It's a glorious place, it's a
glorious blessing, isn't it? And he tells us, while we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, the things
which are not seen are eternal. Oh, let us be firm looking, looking
for that glorious appearing. of our great Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. And so when the Apostle John
wrote the Revelation, what a wonderful account that was, and he tells
us of the view, really, of glory. It's good for us to be looking
forward He tells us in the 21st chapter,
verse 3, And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying,
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall
be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former
things are passed away. He that overcometh shall inherit
all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God, And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Amen.