WHY it matters//
How we see our Father God and how we think he sees us determines so much about our lives. Our identity is the foundation of who we are. If we know that we are loved and chosen by God as his sons and daughters everything else comes from that revelation. Paul reminds the church that the Spirit we have obtained as children brings us into intimate relationship with God; That he is our good father and because of his gift of salvation we are no longer orphans. The same intimacy that Jesus had with God is available for us.
WHAT it’s talking about//
The book of Romans was written to the church in Rome by Paul around 57 AD. Paul was most likely on his third missionary journey. His primary theme in Romans is the basic gospel, God's plan of salvation and righteousness for all humankind, Jew and Gentile alike. Early in Romans Paul describes, in detail, the difference between those who live by the Spirit and those who live by the flesh. If we suffer with Christ, dying to ourselves, we will also be glorified with Him! In this passage he highlights our adoption as sons and daughters, our responsibility to live by the Spirit and our role to display the glory of God to all creation.
Romans 8:12-21 NLT
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.