Paul told the Roman church that they are debtors (indebted, they owed a debt), not to the flesh, but to the Spirit. He said if we live according to the flesh, “you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). He goes on to say that those who are led by the Spirit are sons and daughters of God. Then comes the big takeaway: “You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” (vs. 15).
The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, “and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (vs. 17). Paul echoes this language in Galatians. He says, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:6-7).
This idea of being adopted as children and becoming heirs through the Spirit is incredible! God adopted us as his own and made us co-heirs with Christ. That means that God is giving us an eternal inheritance–the same one that Christ received as God’s son. This should give us the confidence to live out our faith and bear fruit for our Father’s kingdom.