The Spirit's Leading
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"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God—they are the sons of God" Romans 8:14
The apostle, having asserted that if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body—then eternal life shall be ours; proceeds to give several other reasons why we may expect to enjoy that privilege. As the inheritance comes by heir ship, and heir ship by relationship, he notices first our filial relation to God—as proved by the gracious leading of the Holy Spirit: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God—they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).
The Privilege. "They are the sons of God." God has very graciously brought some of his fallen creatures into a near relation to himself; constituting those, who were once aliens and strangers, his sons and daughters. In order to which he did, in the covenant of grace, choose, set apart, and predestine them to this privilege, as we read elsewhere: "Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."
He very early associated them with Christ, his only-begotten Son, as we read: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." O blessed privilege!—chosen in him!—blessed in him!—predestined to adoption by him!—associated with Jesus before the foundation of the world!—and all as expressing our heavenly Father's great love to us, his deep and undying interest in us!
Being thus associated with Jesus by his Father's eternal decree, he took our nature, suffered for us, suffered like us, suffered with us, suffered through us, that he might be fully qualified to be the Captain of our salvation, and without failure bring all the sons to glory: "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers!" O blessed connection—one with Jesus! O glorious relation—not ashamed to call us brethren!
As the sons of God, we are like Jesus: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestine to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren." Jesus is the first of the family. He is at the head of the race. He is the pattern Son. We are like him now in position, as the sons of God; loved with the same love, and joint-heirs with him of the same inheritance. We are like him in nature; for his Spirit dwells in us, having new-created us. We shall be like him perfectly, in every sense shortly; only we shall not be divine, or be entitled to his official glories. Chosen in him, united to him, inseparably identified with him, "as he is, so are we in this world."
We are the objects of God's special love. A man may love his property, his neighbours, his servants, his friends; but his love to his children is greater than his love to all these. So God loves his creation, loves his angels, loves the world; but his "great love" is that with which he loves us, his children. In eternity he loved us. His covenant was but an effect of his love to us: the wondrous work of redemption, with his promises, gifts, graces, and the prospects unfolded by his word, are but so many streams flowing from the ocean of his love. His love to us is wonderful, it passes knowledge. "Herein is love, not that we loved God—but that he loved us, and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
We are entitled to peculiar dignity and wealth. What an honour, to be the sons of God! What a prospect of wealth, to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ! We are kings and priests unto God, and we shall reign with him. We are entitled to the unsearchable riches of Christ. Riches of grace, and riches of glory, are ours. As one with Christ, we inherit in Christ, and shall share with Christ. "What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God!"
The Proof. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God—they are the sons of God." The Spirit who leads, also illuminates and sanctifies. By him they are led to see the utter hatefulness of sin, and the surpassing beauty of holiness; and to perceive the loveliness of Christ, in his person, offices, and work. They are led to feel a deep and abiding hatred to sin, and a strong and increasing love to holiness.
The Spirit leads them to Christ, shows them his exact adaptation to them, and enables them to close with him, as the author of eternal salvation.
He leads them to holiness, separating them from the world, consecrating them to God, and making them zealous for good works.
He leads them to war with sin, both in themselves and in the world; to the enjoyment of peace with God, and communion with the Father and his Son; and puts them in possession of true spirituality.
They now see the beauty, excellence, and value of spiritual things, and therefore they mind the things of the Spirit.
To be "led by the Spirit" is to be under the government of the Spirit as a TEACHER, who unfolds and leads into the truth; as a SANCTIFIER, who cleanses from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; as a GUIDE, who leads from earth to heaven; and as a COMFORTER, who comforts us in all our tribulations.
If we are led by the Spirit, we shall love the Bible, prize divine ordinances, be much in prayer, come out from the world and be separate, and walk in holy fellowship with God; we shall resist Satan, watch against temptation, and avoid the very appearance of evil.
Let us, then, obey the Spirit, as he speaks in the word. The precepts of the New Testament proceed immediately from the Holy Spirit. To resist them is to resist him. To neglect them is to pour contempt on him. To disobey them is to disobey him. To obey them is to obey him. Let us, then, make the written word our rule, and seek in all things to know the mind of the Spirit, in order that we may obey the dictates of the Spirit.
Let us, then, yield to the Spirit, as he works in the heart. Dwelling as he does in us, he works on the understanding, affections, and will. He often prompts us to do good, and checks us when we are about to do evil. If we, in all things, and at all times, yielded to him—we would honour Jesus more; we would adorn the gospel more; our distinctness from the world would be more complete; our usefulness in the world would be much greater; and our attachment to the Lord's people would be much stronger.
He ever leads us from evil, and every evil way; he ever leads us into the way of holiness and the paths of truth. Let us, then, walk in the Spirit, leading us in the way.
As to walk in love, is to walk under the influence of love; so to walk in the Spirit, is to walk as influenced, directed, and guided by the Spirit. We must either yield to the Spirit—or resist him; we must walk in accordance with his dictates—or contrary to him. If we live in the Spirit—let us also walk in the Spirit. If we profess to be spiritual, let our spirituality appear in our lives, appear everywhere.
If we profess to be led by the Spirit—then let it be seen in our walk, that no one may have reason to ask, "Does the Spirit of God lead into such company, into such amusements, into such practices?" May our light so shine before men, that they, seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven.
Let us beware of grieving the Spirit, who, next to Christ, is our greatest friend. Jesus did all for us on earth, and is now engaged for us in heaven; but the Holy Spirit does all within us. As Jesus is our Redeemer, so the Spirit is our Sanctifier. Now, the Holy Spirit may be grieved by our inattention to the lessons he teaches, or the word he has inspired; so also by our lightness and frivolity, by our pride and worldliness, by our anxiety and covetousness, by our love of ease and selfishness. Nor will the Spirit be less grieved by our bad thoughts of God, or low thoughts of our Lord and Saviour. It is his office to glorify Jesus, and unless we sympathize with him, and assist him in this, we grieve him.
If we have not the Spirit, we have no vital connection with Christ. The Holy Spirit is the bond of union between Jesus and our souls; nor does the union of the soul and body more depend on the breath, than the union between Christ and believers on the Spirit. Well, therefore, may David cry, "Take not your Holy Spirit from me." If we have no vital connection with Christ, we have no spiritual connection with God. As the Spirit unites us to Christ, so Christ unites us with the Father; hence he says, "I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one." God is in Christ, and we are in Christ, and it is in Christ that our souls meet with God, become united to God, and are made happy in God.
No spiritual connection with God—no son ship. Only those who have the Spirit of God, who are in union with the Christ of God, and who realize fellowship with God, have satisfactory evidence that they are the sons of God. No son ship—no inheritance, for it is a family inheritance. If I am not a child of God, heaven will be no home for me; for it is the family residence, the Father's house, the inheritance of the saints in light.
Oh, for such a fullness of the Spirit as will leave no doubt as to my vital connection with Christ, or my spiritual connection with God, or my title to the adoption; so that I may live in joyful expectation of soon partaking of the inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for the children! And for such a measure of grace, that I may so live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, as to prove to all that I am led by the Spirit, and am therefore a son of God!
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