Precious Promises

11 August 2013 AM – Romans 8:10-17 – Romans – Scott Childs

Introduction: When I was a little boy, my brother and I slept over one night at my Granddad’s house. He promised to take us to town and buy us our own bottle of cool drink. That was a big deal in those days and we were very excited. What a day that was!

God has given us promises in His Word that are far more exciting than that trip to town and with far greater benefits.

Transition: If we know Christ as our Saviour, exciting promises lie ahead. Our text points out three precious promises that ought to cause us to rejoice greatly and praise God.

I.              God Will One Day Resurrect Our Bodies (10-13)

A.     Christ living in us is the key to this promise (10).

1.      In verse 9, we learned that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ are not true Christians. In verse 10, we learn that those who have Christ in them, though their body will die because of sin, their spirit (through the indwelling Spirit) will live. This is because Christ has made them righteous.

2.      Your resurrection to eternal life rests totally on Christ living in you.

B.     Christ’s resurrection assures our resurrection (11).

1.      It was the Spirit of God who raised up Jesus from the dead.

2.      If the same Holy Spirit lives in you, God promises that He will one day raise you from the dead. Your mortal body will become immortal to live forever in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

3.      Unbelievers live after the flesh (9). However, since Holy Spirit convicted us, revealed Christ to us, saved us, and gave us eternal life, we are indebted to live after the Spirit (12-13). God is not warning genuine believers that they may lose their salvation. They will never be condemned (Romans 8:1). However, until resurrection day, we ought to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to kill the sinful deeds of the body so we can do good works for God’s glory.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In addition to being resurrected and receiving immortal bodies, God gives us a second precious promise. . .

II.            We are the Sons and Children of God (14-16)

A.     This is true of all who are led by the Spirit

1.      Remember, those who are “let by the Spirit” are those who “walk after the Spirit” – those who are “in Christ” and genuinely saved.

2.      God promises that all genuine believers are the “sons of God”. This refers to both genders (Gal 3:28).

a)      They have become part of God’s family.

b)      They share God’s nature.

c)      They are entitled to the things of God.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

3.      In verse 16, Christians are called the “children of God.”

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Constable points out that: The term “children” identifies our family relationship based on regeneration whereas “sons” stresses our legal standing based on adoption. We are both God’s children and His sons.

B.     God also gave us the Spirit of adoption

1.      God did not give us a spirit of fearful bondage but a Spirit of loving adoption. Salvation is not bondage but adoption into God’s family.

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

2.      God does not treat us as slaves but as sons. God is not our stern Master but our loving Father.

Constable tells us that: “Abba” and “Father” are equivalent terms, the first being a transliteration of the Aramaic word and the second a translation of the Greek.

3.      God has adopted us into His family. We have a loving relationship with God that we do not deserve.

Peter Pett notes that: This has reference to the Greco-Roman practise of the ‘adoption’ of a son, in some cases when he became full grown, and therefore able to take on responsibility, so that he might be the heir.

MacArthur adds: In the Roman culture of Paul’s day, however, an adopted child, especially an adopted son, sometimes had greater prestige and privilege than the natural children. . . If [a father] was disappointed in his natural sons’ skill, character, or any other attribute, he would search diligently for a boy available for adoption who demonstrated the qualities he desired.

Because of our adoption into God’s family, we are given yet a third precious promise. . .

III.           We are Joint-Heirs with Christ (17)

A.     Since we are God’s children, we are His heirs.

An heir is a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another. (Wordweb Dictionary)

1.      Being an heir of God is a great privilege.

2.      Our inheritance will never lose its value.

1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

3.      The value of an inheritance is determined by the worth of the one who bequeaths it. In our case, we are heirs of God, the Creator of the universe and owner of all things that exist.

God records in Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Based on that Psalm John W. Peterson penned these words: God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, The wealth in ev’ry mine; He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills, The sun and stars that shine. Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell – He is my Father so they’re mine as well; God owns the cattle on a thousand hills – I know that He will care for me.

B.     The benefits of being an heir of God is threefold

Paul used three compound words in this verse that explain these benefits.

1.      Joint-heirs. We will share everything that the God the Son, Jesus Christ, inherits. There could be no greater privilege than that. All that belongs to Jesus is mine!

2.      Joint-sufferers. The word translated “if” does not imply possibility but rather the idea of “since.” Every genuine Christian will suffer to some degree for the cause of Christ. We may not die for Christ as have many heroic martyrs, but we will be mocked, hated, and laughed at for being a Christian.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

3.      Jointly-glorified. We will share Christ’s praise and honour in heaven. It is hard to imagine me sharing honour with Christ when I am so unworthy, but that is what God has promised.

Constable states, “Our glory then will be in proportion to our suffering for His sake as His disciples now.”

Peter Pett concludes, Those who would share the glory must share the cross. For it is the destiny of believers to experience suffering on the way to glory.

Conclusion: Do you see the picture? If you know Christ as your Saviour, you have much for which to rejoice. Rejoice that you will be resurrected to live forever in heaven. Rejoice that you are a child of God. Rejoice that you are a joint-heir, joint-sufferer, and will be jointly-glorified with Christ. Being a Christian and living for Christ is worth it and will be worth it all for all eternity.

If you are not a Christian, repent and trust Christ today and these precious promises will be yours as well.

Song: When We See Christ, 149