The "Call"- This passage speaks of "adoption;" it is those who are led by the Spirit to whom such adoptive status is conferred. The led-by-the-Spirit image is deeply embedded in the wilderness wanderings of Israel who were led by the pillar of cloud and fire. As NIB states,

"Those symbols of God’s powerful presence are here replaced, as we might have guessed from the ‘indwelling’ theme-the Spirit-who now does for God’s people that which the tabernacling presence of God did in the wilderness, assuring them of divine adoption and leading them forward to their inheritance . . . the God who sends the Son now sends the Spirit of the Son in order to adopt as sons and daughters all those in whom the Spirit dwells, or those who are led by the Spirit." [1]

Inward Witness - The inward witness of the Spirit was of supreme interest to John Wesley. In a sermon written in 1767, he says of Romans 8:16:

I observed many years ago, ‘It is hard to find words in the language of men, to explain the deep things of God. Indeed there are none that will adequately express how the Spirit of God works in his children . . . By the testimony of the Spirit, I mean an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God immediately and directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God; that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God.’ After twenty years further consideration, I see no cause to retract any part of this. [2]

Try to shape your Christian story-your journey with God-in the adoptive language of this passage. We normally don’t use such language to describe Christian experience. I wonder how this image might sound as a description of our personal Christian journey.

What "witnesses" do you value most to describe your faith?

Get the scoop about adoption-its etymology, ancient and modern practice.

 

Tell a story about an adoption of a child that you experienced or that a friend of yours experienced.

Move into the text-and draw on the transferable concept of "adoption" that Paul also speaks about.

Connections-applications-learning curves can be drawn from your conversation with ancient text and contemporary situation.

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[1] The New Interpreter’s Bible X (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002), page 593.
[2] The Works of John Wesley V (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1872, rpt. 1958), page 124.