So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 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.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 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.
Romans 8:1-17 NLT
We have been set free to do what is right. For many people, freedom means the ability to do whatever they want; they don’t realize that our desires are the very things that enslave us. When a person accepts Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes inside and sets him or her free from sin. Desires change from the inside out, and that person has a choice to follow sinful desires or the way of Jesus. Paul is encouraging and challenging his readers to follow the Spirit; His way is life and peace (v.6), even when we suffer (v.17). The Spirit of God does not take us away our ability to choose; He gives us freedom to not be controlled by sin. Paul wrote this letter so that Christians, who are free, would freely choose to live as children of God.
We are children of God. Through the Holy Spirit, we can cry out “Abba, Father” to God. Through Jesus, we can approach our Creator without fear, shame, or insecurity. This is not based on what we have done but our right standing through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We trust in Him and live in the newness of this relationship with our Father who loves us, welcomes us home, forgives us, and walks with us. If you have accepted Jesus, YOU are a child of God. No matter what you have done, this is your identity, and He will always welcome you with open arms.
How has the Holy Spirit living inside of you helped you make better choices and overcome wrong desires? Why is it important to remember that you are a child of God: loved, forgiven, and always welcome home?
