The Spirit of Sonship
By Barry Adams
Galatians 4:6-7
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. NIV
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. NIV
The night before Jesus was going to die, He began to open up His heart to His disciples at a deeper level then ever before and revealed more clearly, the Father's impending plan for them. In John 14:16-17, Jesus speaks of the Third Person of The Trinity, the Holy Spirit, when He says...
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. NIV
We can see from this passage of Scripture, that up until that point in human history, the Holy Spirit could come 'upon' people, but He did not 'indwell' people. And the only way the Holy Spirit could indwell a human heart, would be after Jesus died upon a cross and rose again. Jesus explains this further in John 16:7...
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. NIV
Jesus fulfilled this promise to His friends after His resurrection and before His ascension when He breathed on them and said 'Receive the Holy Spirit' (John 20:21-22). When I think of this passage of Scripture, I often have wondered if Jesus breathed on all His disciples with one big breath, or did He breathe on them one at a time?
Either way, in my active imagination, I think Jesus might have been mirroring the moment in time when His Father breathed into Adam His breath of life in Genesis 2:7. For one of the names of The Spirit of God is the Hebrew word, 'Ruach', which means spirit, breath or wind of God. It was at this moment in history, that God in the Person of the Holy Spirit, was able to dwell in the human heart.
After Jesus imparted His Spirit to His friends, He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the day when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. For this was the gift that His Father had promised to the human race in Joel 2:28-32.
Acts 1:4-5
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” NIV
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was indeed poured out on the 120 people who were patiently waiting in prayer in the upper room. With tongues of fire resting upon each one, they began to preach the good news in many different languages so those who were present could understand what they were saying in their own mother tongue.
At which time, the Apostle Peter got up with great boldness and preached a sermon confirming 'this is that', which the prophet Joel declared when he wrote that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh (Acts 2:17-21). In response to Peter's gospel message, many in the crowd responded with the question... 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
Peter replied in Acts 2:38-39... 38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” NIV
And 3,000 people responded that day and were born again, received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were added to the church. It is important for us to know that the promised outpouring on all flesh was distinctly different from the indwelling Holy Spirit. For though God's Spirit was now 'on' all people, He was not 'in' all people.
In Acts 9:1-19, we read the story of Saul's Damascus Road conversion after he had a vision of Jesus. In verse 17, we read how a disciple named Ananias, was sent to Paul to pray for him... Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” NIV
We read another account of the Apostle Paul's life in Acts 19:1-6 where Paul arrives at Ephesus and asks these new followers of Christ if they had yet received the Holy Spirit. At which they replied... We didn't even know there was a Holy Spirit. In response, Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is referred to by Jesus as 'the Spirit of your Father' (Matthew 10:17-20) and He is referred to by the Apostle Paul as 'the Spirit of the Son' (Galatians 4:6-7). And in Romans 8:9, Paul refers to the Holy Spirit as 'the Spirit of Christ'... You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. NIV
The glorious message of the gospel is that Jesus died on a cross and rose again so that His Father could become our Father (John 20:17) and as a result of this glorious act of love, we can become the dwelling place of God... Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In John 14:23, Jesus makes this promise... “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. NIV How does both Father and Son make their home in us? But by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) that we receive at the moment of our new birth (Titus 3:5). And it is the precious Holy Spirit of Sonship that dwells within us, who is continually affirming that we are children and heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus.
Romans 8:15-17
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. NIV
We can see from this passage of Scripture, that up until that point in human history, the Holy Spirit could come 'upon' people, but He did not 'indwell' people. And the only way the Holy Spirit could indwell a human heart, would be after Jesus died upon a cross and rose again. Jesus explains this further in John 16:7...
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. NIV
Jesus fulfilled this promise to His friends after His resurrection and before His ascension when He breathed on them and said 'Receive the Holy Spirit' (John 20:21-22). When I think of this passage of Scripture, I often have wondered if Jesus breathed on all His disciples with one big breath, or did He breathe on them one at a time?
Either way, in my active imagination, I think Jesus might have been mirroring the moment in time when His Father breathed into Adam His breath of life in Genesis 2:7. For one of the names of The Spirit of God is the Hebrew word, 'Ruach', which means spirit, breath or wind of God. It was at this moment in history, that God in the Person of the Holy Spirit, was able to dwell in the human heart.
After Jesus imparted His Spirit to His friends, He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the day when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. For this was the gift that His Father had promised to the human race in Joel 2:28-32.
Acts 1:4-5
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” NIV
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was indeed poured out on the 120 people who were patiently waiting in prayer in the upper room. With tongues of fire resting upon each one, they began to preach the good news in many different languages so those who were present could understand what they were saying in their own mother tongue.
At which time, the Apostle Peter got up with great boldness and preached a sermon confirming 'this is that', which the prophet Joel declared when he wrote that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh (Acts 2:17-21). In response to Peter's gospel message, many in the crowd responded with the question... 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
Peter replied in Acts 2:38-39... 38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” NIV
And 3,000 people responded that day and were born again, received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were added to the church. It is important for us to know that the promised outpouring on all flesh was distinctly different from the indwelling Holy Spirit. For though God's Spirit was now 'on' all people, He was not 'in' all people.
In Acts 9:1-19, we read the story of Saul's Damascus Road conversion after he had a vision of Jesus. In verse 17, we read how a disciple named Ananias, was sent to Paul to pray for him... Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” NIV
We read another account of the Apostle Paul's life in Acts 19:1-6 where Paul arrives at Ephesus and asks these new followers of Christ if they had yet received the Holy Spirit. At which they replied... We didn't even know there was a Holy Spirit. In response, Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is referred to by Jesus as 'the Spirit of your Father' (Matthew 10:17-20) and He is referred to by the Apostle Paul as 'the Spirit of the Son' (Galatians 4:6-7). And in Romans 8:9, Paul refers to the Holy Spirit as 'the Spirit of Christ'... You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. NIV
The glorious message of the gospel is that Jesus died on a cross and rose again so that His Father could become our Father (John 20:17) and as a result of this glorious act of love, we can become the dwelling place of God... Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In John 14:23, Jesus makes this promise... “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. NIV How does both Father and Son make their home in us? But by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) that we receive at the moment of our new birth (Titus 3:5). And it is the precious Holy Spirit of Sonship that dwells within us, who is continually affirming that we are children and heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus.
Romans 8:15-17
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. NIV