Message Notes Romans 8:14-17

Hymn by Watchman Nee (#1137)

1 His countenance angels can often behold,
But ne'= er taste His love in His grace;

His saints, though they know= of His pure,

boundless love,

Have never yet once seen His face.<= o:p>

His saints will before long His visage behold,
E'en in His bright glory will share;=

But Mary, beholding His tears as He wept,
Could touch His heart's agony there.

Could touch His heart's agony there= .

2 We'll s= oon see the Lord, as He is, face to face,

We'll know Him as never before;

But that touch today, healing our broken heart,

In that day will be felt no more.

That day, though our lips offer unceasing praise,
No tears, then, nor prayers fervent burn;

Nor is there the comfort received through much pain,
N or trust gained through trials to learn,

Nor trust gained through trials to learn.

3 Exceedi= ng in glory, that day we'll be crowned,
Yet there'll be no cross to obey;

The sweet fellowship of His suff'rings for us
We only can share in today.

Once we've that rest entered, no weariness then,
N or chance will remain to partake

The trials nor the hardships, nor happiness lost,
Nor suffering borne for His sake,

Nor suffering borne for His sake.

4 Oh, cha= nces to suffer for Him are so few,

His shame and derision to bear;

Such blest opportunities soon pass away,

That He in our troubles may share.

All loneliness, misunderstandings and scorn
Despisings and sorrows will flee;

I treasure these blessings, for through them, 0 Lord,
I enter sweet oneness with Thee,

I enter sweet oneness with Thee.

5 I long = to behold, Lord, Thy countenance soon,
What rapture with Thee, Lord, to meet.

But neither seek I all these trials to avoid;
Such times, Lord, are too rare and sweet.
Have mercy on me, fill me with Thy great love, For Thee, Lord, to live at all cost;

Lest Thy servant, hoping for that blessed day,
That day, regret chances were lost,

That day, regret chances were lost.

In Romans 8:14 Paul mentions sons of God. In verse 16, he mentions children = of God and in verse 17 he speaks of heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Children have the life of God.&nbs= p; Sons are led by the Spirit of God to put to death the practices of the body. Heirs are full-grown sons who have passed through sufferings wi= th Christ to be qualified to inherit God Himself and become joint heirs with Christ.

The focus of these verses is sonshi= p. Our being led by the Spirit of God to put to death the practices of our bod= y is for this sonship. Sonship is our destiny. We have been predest= inated unto sonship (Eph.1:5). We have received a spirit of sonship (Rom. 8:15).= In our spirit is all the potential to become full-grown sons of God. Son= ship includes not only the life of God, but the enjoyment, the living, and the growth of God’s life to bring us to full maturity with the position a= nd qualification to eventually become legal heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

This pro= cess of growing as sons of God will include sufferings (Rom. 8:17). As we are open and willing to be l= ed by the Spirit of God to put to death the practices of our body, we will experi= ence suffering. In our unrenewed mind we may think this experience is a kind= of slavery and we may be fearful. But if we cry Abba Father in our spirit of sonship = we will realize that we are not slaves and we don’t have to be afraid! We have a life relationship with o= ur God. Our spirit witnesses to = this fact (Rom. 8:16). Our dear, s= weet Abba Father is caring for us and wants us to grow as His sons. The Spirit within is supplying us.= And the Lord can become so sweet to us as we are one with Him in the fellowshi= p of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10). = Our sufferings can afford us rich opportunities to experience Christ!

The Spirit is very living and active within us and operates all the time. His operation includes:

V. 11= 212;to give us life

V. 14= 212;to lead us

V. 15= 212;to witness together with our spirit

<= /p>

The Spirit’s operation needs our cooperation. We cooperate by:=

V. 14—being open and willing to be led by the Spirit

V. 13—putting to death the practices of the body

V. 15—crying “Abba Father” in our spirit of sonship

V. 16—witnessing in our spirit together with the Spirit that we are chil= dren of God

V. 17—willing to suffer with Christ