All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

 Good morning. How do you know that you truly are a Christian? All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. That’s pretty clear; but sometimes it is hard to do. Speaking as a mathematician: logically that does not mean that just because you’re not being led by the Spirit of God that you are not a child of God. It just guarantees that if you are being led by the Spirit of God, that you are a child of God. It could be true in reality – but that is not the logical way to interpret this passage. I know, I know… Unfortunately I have heard various speakers interpret other scriptures that way. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” My Bible says that adoption was common among the Greeks and Romans, who granted the adoptive son all the privileges of a natural son, including inheritance rights (can anyone say Ben Hur?). Some people who were adopted feel like they are natural children of their adoptive parents; and some have bad relationships. Our adoptive relationship with God would be bad only if we make it so. One important thing: the adoptive parents chose to adopt the child - God chose to adopt us! Father thank You that You chose to adopt us as Your children. Help us to live our lives so that we reflect well upon You.

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