All right, Romans chapter 8,
sons of God. Let's read verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. As
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. Now the idea of the fatherhood
of God extending to the whole human race is not taught anywhere
in the Word of God. Our Savior didn't teach that.
Let's look at John chapter 8. I know it's a popular, popular
belief that God loves everybody the same, and God is the father
of all men, and all men and women are sons and daughters of God.
But the Lord Jesus didn't teach that. Listen here in John chapter
8, verse 41, at his exchange with the religious leaders of
that day. These are the religious leaders.
He says in verse 41 of John 8, you do the deeds of your father. And they said unto him, we be
not born of fornication, we have one father, God. Isn't that what
everybody says? We all have one father, God's
the father of all men. That's what these religious fellows
said. And the Lord Jesus said unto them in verse 42, if God
were your father, you would love me. For I proceeded
forth and came from God, neither came I of myself, but he sent
me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Even because you cannot hear
my words. You are of your father the devil, and the lest of your father you
will do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and he abode not in the truth. Because there's no truth in him.
Our God is not the father of the devil. And yet, the devil
exists by the creation of God, by an act of God in creation.
He was created Lucifer, an angel at one time. But God's not his
father. And Christ is saying to these
men, he's not your father either. Your father's the devil. Verse
45, he said, because I tell you the truth, you don't believe
me, but this is the truth. Back to our text. Paul says,
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God, and this is what the apostles taught. The writers of Scripture
said they wrote this. John 1. You're familiar with
this. I'll just quote it. He made the world, he was in
the world, and the world knew him not. He came into his own
nation and people, and they received him not. But, as many as received him, to them
gave he the privilege, the right, to become sons of God. To those
who receive him, to those who believe him, he gave them the
right and the privilege to be sons of God, not anybody else.
And they were born. Not of blood, that is, not of
natural genealogy, not because their mothers and daddies were
believers. It wasn't by natural genealogy. That's not the way people become
sons of God. They're born not of blood, not
of the will of men, not by the will of somebody else, not by
the will of the flesh, not by your own will, but they're born
of God. And that's what John is teaching
there, those who receive Christ, those who believe Christ, those
who are born of God, are sons of God. Galatians 3.26 says this,
you're familiar with this. You are the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus. That's what makes you a child
of God, faith in Christ Jesus. I would like you to turn to 1
John 3 and read this with me, 1 John chapter 3. Actually, this is so elementary. I don't know why we have to insist
upon it, but we're doing this today because it's just battling
against all the forces of religion. If you say this out there while
you work tomorrow, you're going to get a dirty look. You're going to be condemned
if you say God is not the Father of all men. But in 1 John 3,
1, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called sons of God. Therefore the world
knows us not. Now, the world, well, if they're
all sons of God, then who's this world business? We're sons of
God, and the world doesn't know us. The world of people doesn't
know us. They didn't know him. If you were of the world, the
world would love its own. But you're not of the world,
God, our Lord said. I've chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you. The world is the children of
the devil. We're sons of God. The world knoweth us not because
it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we'll be
like him. For we shall see him as he is,
and every man that hath this hope in him, that he's going
to see the Lord and be like him. He purifies himself, even as
Christ is pure. Turn over one page to 1 John
5. Whosoever believeth, verse 1,
verse John 5, that Jesus is the Christ, now he's born of God. He's the Son of God and he's
born of God. All right, here, turn to Hebrews
12. Now we read this just a few services ago and dealt with this. Sons of God, as many as are led
by the Spirit of God They are the sons of God. As many as are
born of God are the sons of God. He that believeth on Christ is
the son of God. Now, Hebrews 12, verse 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth. He scourgeth every son, every
son whom he receiveth. Every one of them he disciplineth.
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with a son. Son. For what son is he whom
the father chastens not? But if you be without chastisement,
for of all sons are partakers, then you're bastards. You're
not sons of God. That's as clear as I can make
that. And I don't see any reason why it should ever be brought
up again. That's as clear as it can be made. If God's not dealing with you
as a son, God's not chastening you, God's not disciplining you,
God's not teaching you, the Holy Spirit's not leading you, you're
not a son, not a son of God. Sons of God, back to my text,
verse 14, as many as are led by the Spirit. What is this led
by the Spirit? Well, several things. Number
one, sons of God are born of the Spirit. We're born of the Spirit. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh. That's our natural birth. That which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit. We're born of the Spirit of God,
and the seed is the Word of God. And then sons of God have the
love of God shed abroad in their heart by the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in the heart of a
son. Sons of God are taught by the Spirit. Our Lord said, I'll
send you another comforter. And he'll teach you. And he'll
guide you into all truth. And he'll glorify me. And he'll
take the things of mine and show them to you. That's the Holy
Spirit leading. And then sons of God are led
by the Holy Spirit where? To Christ. He brings us to Christ. And sons of God are comforted
by the Holy Spirit. So, verse 14, as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. And verse 15
says, you have not received the spirit of bondage. What is the
spirit of bondage? It's the bondage of the law.
It's the bondage of fear. It's the bondage of a slave to
a master. And it refers here to Hebrews.
Let's turn to Hebrews 2, 15. Hebrews 2, and I think I'll begin
reading with verse 10. This bondage. We've not received
the spirit of bondage, but the spirit of adoption. Son of God. We're sons of God.
Sons of God. We have the attitude of a son,
not the fear of a slave. Hebrews 2, verse 10. It talks
about children here, now listen. Sons, brothers, and children.
It became him, this is Christ, by whom are all things, and by
whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory. Here we are
again. He's going to bring them to glory,
every one of them. Many sons to glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. by both he
that sanctified, that's the Lord Jesus, and they who are sanctified,
they're all of one. We have one God, one Father,
for which cause he's not ashamed to call them my brethren. Christ
is our brother. Saying, I will declare thy name
to my brethren, Father, in the midst of the church will I sing
praise to thee. And again, I put my trust in
him. And again, behold, I and the children which you gave me.
For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
the Lord Jesus also himself likewise took part of the same, had to,
must. God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh that through death, that through death
he conquered death by death. He might destroy him that had
the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them,
who, these children, these brethren, who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not
on him the nature of angels, he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, sons of God, that he might be a merciful, faithful,
high priest in things pertaining to God, and to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people." We're sons of God. And we have
the spirit of adoption. Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba
is Father, Father, Abba, Father. You know, our Lord taught us
to pray, our Father, which art in heaven. The disciples asked
him one day, Lord, teach us to pray. He said, you start right
here. Start with who he is and who you are. Our father, which
art in heaven. And I'll tell you, he said this.
This is a glorious scripture. He said to them one day, I go
to my father and your father. My father, he said, and your
father. Brethren, children which you've given me. One of the old
hymn writers wrote this, I love this hymn. Sons of God, sons
we are, through God's election, who in Jesus Christ believe.
By divine predestination, sovereign grace, we have received. Pause my soul, adore and wonder,
why, oh Lord, such love to me. God's grace has put me in the
number of the Savior's family. Read that Hebrews 2, 10 through
18 again, son. Children, my brethren, children
which thou hast given me. Family. God's family. No rebels in God's family. They're
all sons. And verse 16 says this. Let's
look at it. His Spirit Himself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are children of God. His Spirit beareth witness
with our spirit. His Spirit within us beareth
witness within us that we are sons of God. You know, we're
too often ready to doubt this. As our Lord said to his disciples,
He said to them, why are you troubled? Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? Well, I can answer that. I'm
sure he knew. There are three reasons why doubts
arise in our hearts. Number one is the greatness of
the blessing. Sons of God. That's awesome to
me. Sons of God. I'm a son of God. You're a son of God. You ladies
are daughters of God. Daughters of the King. That's
awesome. Why should we fear men? Why should
we try to impress them? We're sons of God. You can't
get any higher than you are. You're prince. Sons of God. That's just too awesome. That's
why we're down. Secondly, I think our nature
of sin. David one day went in and sat
before the Lord. And he said, Lord, who am I? That's what he said. Lord, listen
to it. Sat before the Lord here in 1
Chronicles 17, 16. David, the king, came and sat
before the Lord. He said, Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house that you
have brought me hither to? That will cause thoughts to arise
in your heart. Here is the third reason. It
is our constant failures. Just constant failures. Daily
falls and failures. Peter said to the Lord one day,
when he saw the Lord's awesome power, I think it was when they
drew in all those fish and the net break, and Peter saw the
awesome power of Christ, and he looked up and he said, Lord,
depart from me. I'm a sinful man. I'm not fit
company for you. So I think that's the reason
we are often ready to doubt this tremendous blessing because the
greatness of it and the sinfulness of our nature and our daily failures. But he said the Spirit himself
will continue to bear witness with your spirit that you're
a son of God. He's going to bear witness. And
he uses two things. God uses two things. to bear
witness that we're sons of God, uses his spirit, but his spirit
uses his word. That's exactly right, not feelings. Feelings come and feelings go
and feelings are deceiving. We've got to trust the unchanging
word of God. Nothing else is worth believing.
The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we're sons
of God, but he always uses the word. When doubts flood our souls
and hearts, there's one place to go. Not back to our confession,
not back to our baptism, not in to see the pastor or to call
anybody on the phone. Go to the Word of God. Isn't
that right? Go to the Scriptures. And the
Holy Spirit will bless the word to your assurance. That's right. He blessed the word. All right,
let's look at the next verse. Verse 17. Verse 17. And if we're children, sons of
God, then we're heirs, heirs of God. Everyone who is a son
is an heir. Everyone who is a child of God
is an heir. If we're children, children of
the same father, whether adopted or natural, we're heirs of God. That's exactly right. That's
what Galatians 4 says. Let's look at that scripture.
Galatians 4, verse 4. Now listen to this. Galatians 4, verse 4, But when
the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made
of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because
you are sons, because you are son of God, God has sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into your heart, the Spirit of his Son
into your heart, crying, Abba, Father, Wherefore you're no more
a servant, a slave, you're a son. And if a son, you're an heir
of God through Jesus Christ. That's so. Every son and daughter
is an heir, none are left out. We're heirs of God and we're
joint heirs of Jesus Christ. Now the word inheritance is a
prominent word in Scripture. Let me give you a few places
where it's found and just quote it for you. In Ephesians 1, in
Christ we have obtained an inheritance. In Ephesians 1.14, the Spirit
is the pledge or token of our inheritance. Ephesians 1.18,
O the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Colossians 1.12, he hath made
us partakers of the inheritance of the saints. Colossians 3.24,
you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. Now, turn
with me to 1 Peter. Chapter 1, verse 3, I believe. 1 Peter 1, verse 3. if children were heirs, heirs
of God, heirs of God. 1 Peter 1 verse 3, Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according
to his abundant mercy hath begotten us, we're born again, begotten
us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead to an inheritance And that inheritance is incorruptible. That inheritance is undefiled.
That inheritance is purchased and paid for and paideth not
away. And that inheritance is reserved
in heaven for you, comma, who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last
day. Sons of God, led by the Spirit. by whom the witness continually
is made in our souls through the word that we're heirs of
God. And watch this, here's the key
statement, verse 17. If we're children, Romans 8,
17, we're heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. He's the heir. He's the heir. That's what the scripture said
over there when Paul began the Hebrews. He said, God has spoken
to us by his son whom he hath appointed heir of everything. He's the heir of all things.
And we're joint heir. That's what a wife is, a joint
tenant, a joint heir to the husband. That's right. And our part in
God's riches is because of our union with Christ. Now Cecil
read that tonight in Ephesians 2, back in the prayer room. Let
me read it again, Ephesians 2. Our part in God's riches is because
of our union with Christ. He's the heir. But what's his
is mine, because he's the head and I'm the body. He's the husband,
I'm the bride. Ephesians 2, verse 4. Ephesians
2 verse 4, But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin he loved
us, and quickened us together with Christ, by grace you are
saved. He has raised us up together, made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might
show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward
through Christ Jesus. Through Christ Jesus. All right,
look at verse 17, Romans 8, and let's look at this last line
here now. Now, if we're children, Romans 8, 17, we're heirs. We're
heirs of God, and we join heirs with Jesus Christ. If so be that
we suffer with him, we that we may be also glorified together
with him. Now that says two things. We
suffer with him conveys two ideas. The first one is this. When he
suffered, we suffered with him. When he suffered for sin, he
took our sins. When he bled and died, we were
in him, with him, crucified with him. Therefore, when he died
to the curse of the law, we did too. When he died under the judgment
of God's wrath, we did too. When the sins he bore were put
away, our sins were put away because it was our sins he bore.
When he died to the curse, to the condemnation, to the judgment
of the law, we died too. So, if so be that we suffer with
him, we'll be glorified with him. And nobody's going to be glorified
with him who didn't suffer with him. Nobody's going to be glorified
who was not foreknown, predestinated, called, justified in Christ. They'll be glorified. And that's
just right. The second thing this is saying
here, if so be that we suffered with him, we're going to be glorified
with him. That's just a fact. Because of our oneness with Christ,
the world which despised him will despise you. He was despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Now if you're in
him and of him and with him and identified with him and a brother
to him, they're not going to let you alone. They're not going
to leave you alone. They're not going to love you
and hate your brother. with whom you're one. They're not going
to love you and hate your husband. They're not going to love you
and hate your Lord. They're not going to do it, they're going
to hate you too. And if you suffer with him, you suffer with him,
the world despise him or despise you, they reject his name, they
reject yours. That's right. But if we suffer
with him in that way, will be glorified together. He said,
if you're ashamed of me in this adulterous and sinful generation,
I'll be ashamed of you when I come in the glory of the holy angels,
identified with Christ. All right, verse 18, for I reckon,
I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, the sufferings of this present
time on account of the gospel, on account of God's chastisement,
on account of the Lord's purpose and will for us. I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time on account of his call,
you know, turn with me to 2 Timothy a minute. The apostle Paul endured
much affliction, much trouble, much suffering. Being identified
with Christ and the gospel of God's grace, he endured great
trials. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, he talks
about them. He says in verse 8, remember,
2 Timothy 2.8, that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised
from the dead according to my gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble. because of this gospel, I suffered
trouble. Suffering, that's what we're
talking about, isn't it? If we suffer with him, we'll reign with him.
And I reckon that the sufferings of this time, that's what we're
talking about, aren't we? I suffered trouble as an evildoer. Christ suffered trouble as an
evildoer. They said he's a devil. He's a disturber of Israel. Even
under bonds, they've even put me in jail, Paul said. But the
Word of God's not bound. But now here's the key. Therefore
I endure all things, suffering, imprisonment, persecution, harassment,
whatever, for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the
salvation which is in Christ Jesus with exceeding glory. So
these sufferings will accomplish God's purpose and they'll be
used of our God and our Father for the furtherance of the gospel.
That's what Paul wrote to one of the churches from prison.
He said, I'm in prison, but I'm confident that what takes place
in my life, God will use for the furtherance of the gospel. I preached at a pastor's wife's
funeral some time ago. And I made that statement to
the congregation. I don't understand why the Lord
would be pleased to take a pastor's wife in the early part of his
ministry and life. I don't understand why the Lord
would be pleased to take a mother from four children. I don't understand
those things. I don't have to. But I understand
this, that what God does is for the furtherance of the gospel.
What God does in the life of a minister or a church is for
the furtherance of the gospel. I don't care what it is. It will someday be used of God
for the furtherance of the gospel. That's what Paul said. These
things I suffer are for the furtherance of the gospel. But in verse 18
he says, these sufferings of the present time, they're not
worthy to be compared. with the glory, with the glory
which shall be revealed in us. It's just not... Now, Paul said
no trial's easy, no suffering's easy. If it were easy, it wouldn't
be suffering. If it were easy, it wouldn't
be a trial. If it was without pain and discomfort,
it wouldn't be a trial. And they wouldn't accomplish
the purpose for which they're But if we can look at all of
Earth's struggles, all of them put together, all of Earth's
trials and conflicts and sorrows and suffering and troubles, if
we can look at all of them heaped together in the light of God's
eternal glory, when we're going to be like him,
partake of his glory forever, enjoy his presence, Why, all
of these present trials and troubles would be nothing. They're not
worthy to be compared, all of them put together, with the infinite,
eternal, endless glory which shall be ours. In fact, we won't
even remember them. Isaiah 65, listen to this, we
won't even remember. They won't even be brought up. He says in Isaiah 65, verse 17,
Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former
shall not be remembered, nor even come to mind. You can't even conceive of such
a thing. Some of you have been through
some some deep water, and you can't even conceive of the fact
that someday you won't even remember it. You won't even remember it. And yet it disrupted your whole
life, but you won't even remember it. Why? Because you're going
to be so happy and joyful and perfect and holy forever. It's not, I reckon, Paul said,
I reckon. that the sufferings of this present
time aren't even worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us. Won't you? A dear lady named
Esther Resto in 1941 wrote this hymn. Oft times the day seems long
Our trial's hard to bear. We're tempted to complain, to
murmur, and despair. But our Lord will soon appear,
take his bride away. Then all tears are forever over
in God's eternal day. And it'll be worth it all when
we see our Lord Jesus. Life's trials, which she said
seem so small, they won't even be there when we see Christ. one glimpse of his dear face,
all sorrow will erase. So by faith, run this race until
you see Christ. I'm going to close reading verse
19 through 23, and I'm going to change one word. I'm going
to change the word creature to creation. I think I can do that
without any harm done to the to the translation. It says here
in verse 19, he says the glory is going to be revealed in us.
Father, earnest expectation of the creation is waiting for the
manifestation of the sons of God. The whole creation waits
expectantly and longs for the revelation of God's people, his
bride. Because the creation was made
subject to vanity. When Adam fell, his whole race
fell, and when Adam fell, the whole creation fell. The creation
was subject to vanity, frailty, and death by Adam's fall. Not
willingly. Not willingly. The animals didn't
sin, Adam did. The trees didn't sin, Adam did,
but the trees died. But these things, this creation
was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of God
who has subjected the same in hope. Because the creation itself
also will be delivered from this bondage of corruption. One day
there won't be any death, not in people, animals, or trees,
or plants, or anything. There'll be no death. That's
right, no death. No corruption, no decay, no rotting. Creation will be delivered into
the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves.
These old bodies are getting old and worn out. They groan,
even in us. We ourselves, who have the first
fruits of the Spirit. Not only they, but we ourselves,
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even ourselves, we
ourselves grown within ourselves, waiting for the fulfillment of
all things, the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body.
What are these firstfruits? I'll tell you what they are. A believer in Christ, you right
here sitting here tonight, sons of God, all this that we've been
talking about, born of God, a child of God, blessed with the presence
and comfort of the Holy Spirit in the family of God. You're
already enjoying a taste. A taste. That's what first fruits
are. That's when you plant a vegetable,
a tomato plant, the first red tomato, that's first fruits.
But there's going to be a whole lot more. This is just a foretaste. And we already enjoy a foretaste
of what the new heaven and new earth will be like. The heaven
and the new earth will be a complete fulfillment and perfection of
the fruits of the Spirit which you already have. You have a
love for God, you're going to have perfect love. You have peace,
you're going to have perfect peace. You have whatever the Spirit
of God accomplishes in us and for us, it's going to be perfected.
So this is just a taste. It's just a taste of the fellowship
that we'll have with our Lord in glory. All right, I pray that's
a blessing to you. I pray the Lord use it for His
glory and His honor.