Wednesday, March 11, 2020
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-17
A Kingdom Adoption
In Ancient Rome, adoption was a common practice, although not as we know it in our world. We think of adoption as a family taking in a vulnerable child or baby. In Rome, adoption was most often an older male. In the Roman world, a man had to leave his wealth and worldly possessions to a son, and if he didn’t have one, he would have to adopt a son to leave his possessions to, as well as carry on his legacy, mission, and perhaps the family business as well. Usually they would adopt a slave to fulfill this role. They would set them free and adopt them as their own, and they were treated and thought of as this man’s son, never to be thought of as a slave again. It was a powerful and meaningful thing, and slaves were adopted every day.
When a slave was adopted, their entire life was transformed. As slaves they were defined by their slavery and any debts they owed. They had no identity but that of slave. But when they were adopted, they had a whole new identity. All their old debts were paid in full and the power of their adoptive father was absolute. They were no longer identified as a slave. Now they were identified as the son of this man and they not only gained their freedom but had a role to fulfill. They were expected to step up and into the role as son and heir of their father’s legacy. They were to carry on his legacy, carry on his mission, continue the work he started, and carry on the family business.
We too were slaves and we have a Heavenly Father who has set us free and adopted us as His own. We no longer have to be identified by the lies of Satan, the sins of our past, our failures, or the ridiculous expectations we allow to be placed on our lives. Even though we have been set free and are heirs we are still slaves to things like comparison, control, perfectionism, worry, and fear. The verse above says we are no longer slaves to fear. We do not have to fear because we have a Father, a Heavenly Father, who we can trust. His power is absolute, and He has great gifts for His children. He is waiting for us to unwrap them.
He has great gifts and an amazing inheritance for us, waiting for us to step into them. Have you stepped into your inheritance as His son or daughter? What isn’t being done if you have not stepped into your purpose? What churches have not been built? What conversations are not happening that need to happen? What lives are not being changed? If you do not step up and into your role, His work will get done by someone else. He will not allow His work to go undone because we are not obedient in our calling, but what a blessing we will miss!
Because of who Jesus is and because as His children the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, we don’t have to be owned by fear, or any other thing. We are completely and wholly defined by our Heavenly Father who has adopted us as His own, as His heirs. He has forgiven us, freeing us from our past sin and debt. He has redeemed us and made us whole and we are His heirs.
Are you living in your inheritance? Have you stepped up as chosen, redeemed, treasured, known, and loved by your Heavenly Father? Step up now and claim your inheritance, open your gifts, and carry on His legacy.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:22
