What Spirit have believers received instead of a spirit of bondage?
Believers have received the Spirit of adoption, not the spirit of bondage again to fear. This Spirit enables them to cry, “Abba, Father,” and bears witness with their spirit that they are already children of God, present tense, not merely a future hope.
Les explains from Romans 8 that as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons or children of God. Believers have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but they have received the spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are, present tense, already the children of God. Being children brings a family relationship: they are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Les illustrates joint heirship by saying what belongs to the husband belongs to the wife, and what is hers is his. This also looks forward to the believer’s role in Christ’s coming kingdom, ruling and reigning under the Lord.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
More Questions
Have believers received the spirit of bondage again to fear?
Believers have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.