Archives at Zinester: [Morning by Morning] Romans 8: 16. Morning by Morning. Religion

To give 'Morning By Morning' to a friend, click here.

Here comes one of the greatest of all the statements of the New Testament, a shining truth that can warm us forever:

16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

It's just a clause, really, but it's like a great lozenge that we want to let melt slowly into our minds.

Paul is sharing an experience that I think must have been very common in the New Testament era among believers who were forming what would become Christianity. One sadness is that, except in times of revival since the first two centuries, this experience has faded from ordinary Christian life, and therefore this verse is very often preached and read wrongly.

That's a tad arrogant, I know, but I've learned something over my decades as a pastor that I want to share with you in the coming few issues of this devotion. Wait and see what you think.

Let me begin, as Lloyd-Jones does in his commentary about this verse, by saying a bit of what Paul is not talking about here. Paul is adding something enormous to the truth he has been developing thus far, and so there is something new and definite being given here. His overall subject is still the topic he began with in chapter 5 -- existential assurance of our final salvation. This is what he wants for all his readers. This witness of the Holy Spirit to our spirit is the great experience offered to us by God so that we as His children can have assurance of His love for us and His determination to do more than everything required to give us eternal life with Him beginning now.

Is he talking about the vague sense that since I go to church pretty often and do my best with my family I guess I'll make it to heaven? It's wonderful to be good, and we know that God delights in your goodness, but His love is not performance-based.

Rats. This isn't it.

Is he talking about the knowledge that Jesus died for my sins and the entrusting of my eternal life into His hands?

Kinda, but not really. This is crucial understanding and it's given to people by the Holy Spirit, and it's the foundation for all that follows in the Christian life. But Paul isn't talking here about knowedge in the sense of correct information.

Well then, how about the appearance in your life of the fruits of the Spirit? Love and joy and long-suffering and gentleness and so on? In virtually every church of any denomination, there are these saintly people whom God has touched and whose whole way of relating with the rest of us shows us that there is more we can grow towards as followers of Jesus. We long for these fruits to show up in us. Isn't this the highest thing?

It's fabulous, yes, but would you believe there is more? Something higher?

All right, buster. Here's what it must be, then. His witness to our spirit must be the time when we enter into the role for our lives that He has given us -- as apostle or prophet or evangelist or pastor or teacher -- and begin fruitfully serving the Kingdom. That's such a blessing we can feel buckets of grace being poured down on us. Surely that's what Paul is talking about?

No doubt that is God's will for you and His will is good and pleasing and perfect. Moving well in your giftedness within the Kingdom of God is indeed sublime, it's celebrated throughout the New Testament. It's just not what Paul is talking about here.

All these are definitely the work of the Holy Spirit, as is the granting of His gifts such as words of knowledge and wisdom, prophecies and healings. Indirectly all these things -- ranging from conviction of sin to discovery of faith to works of ministry -- are stirred up by the Holy Spirit and are blessings beyond my poor powers of description. But where Paul is trying to take us is even higher. He is describing a promise God intends for us to receive. The Good News is always too good for us to believe or anticipate on our own. That's why God had the Bible written -- so that His outragously extravagant love would be communicated in writing. He wants to overwhelm us with His love.

See you soon.