Those Led by the Spirit of God Are Children of God

This passage deals with how the disciples were changed from fear to boldness through the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and makes clear that the Holy Spirit is not a mere phenomenon but the one who fully gives God's power and wisdom. Those who receive the Holy Spirit can be freed from the power of sin and death and enjoy true freedom, and this makes us reflect on our own reality: like a prisoner behind bars who is afraid of freedom, we cannot break free from the familiar bondage of sin. God does not bring about salvation by force; he has left people to choose and take responsibility for themselves, so we must choose the life of the Spirit by following the Holy Spirit's leading.

Amid the fierce conflict between the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit, the sermon stresses that those who are led by the Holy Spirit are the true children of God. Believers who have received not a spirit of bondage but the Spirit of adoption know the Father's will, work alongside him, and enjoy the privilege of becoming heirs. But this privilege comes with a spiritual battle: bearing suffering with Christ and fighting off the desires of the flesh. The Holy Spirit testifies that we are God's children, and guards and leads us against the temptations of the world and evil spirits.

If living by the Holy Spirit's leading is the way to be recognized as God's children, we must look at which spirit is ruling us now. What choices are we making to leave behind the comfort of familiar sin, put to death the deeds of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit, and move toward life?