THE ADOPTION OF SONS

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

From the moment we trusted our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and placed our faith in what His blood accomplished by the cross, God the Father justified us and placed us into Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The first chapter of Ephesians is a short version of God’s overall plan for the church of the body of Christ, notice how many times Paul says “in whom”, or “in Christ”, but before we were “in Christ” we were:

IN ADAM

CONDEMNATION
1. Under sin: Worthy of receiving God’s wrath because men are sinners by nature Rom.1:18-32.

2. Unrighteous: No man can escape the judgment and wrath of God by himself, he is declared guilty in the sight of God; but the only righteousness that the justice of God will accept is “patient continuance in well doing”Rom.2:7, this means that their whole life has to be perfect and without sin, a life filled with “well doing”, we know this is impossible by what Romans 2:23 says; “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, and also Romans 3:10 “there is none righteous, no, not one”Rom.2:1-3:20.

3. Enemies: Our former identification; as if being under sin, and being unrighteous was not enough to condemn us, God the Father looked upon us as such. An enemy is someone who works contrary to you, and that hates you, also this person can also be harmful to you as well Rom.5:10.

ABOMINATION

1. Servants of sin: Not only were we under sin, but we “served” sin; we were a slave to sin, and we had pleasure in our flesh in the things we did Rom.6:20.

2. Dead to righteousness: We were “free from righteousness”; there was no “sweet savour” unto God. What we did was an abomination to God and counted as “dung”, we were functionally dead to righteousness and our works were seen as “filthy rags” in the sight of God Rom.6:20-21.

3. Followed after the course of this world: We brought glory and honor to Satan in the things that we did, our life was “well pleasing” to Satan. In Genesis chapter three Satan chartered a course for this world, and man has been walking in “his ways” not God’s Eph.2:1-3.

ALIENATION

1. Gentiles in the flesh: We not only were dead in our sins as a son of Adam, we were twice dead gentiles, and we were also dead in sins apart from Israel. God gave His nation a name and He gave us a name also, being alienated from God we had no hope, even our own attempts to satisfy Him would not work. Israel was “nigh” unto God and we were “nigh” unto Satan Col.2:13, Eph.2:11-12.

2. Belonged to Satan: We were subject to the power of darkness, when Col.1:13 says we were “delivered from the power of darkness”, we belonged to him. In Luke 4:5, Satan boasts about his “power”, and about the “glory” of all that belonged to him, and we see that the Lord did not dispute against Satan’s claim that the kingdoms of the world was his, and that he receives “glory” being “the God of this world”Col.1:13.

3. Good citizens of Satan’s kingdom: Satan is “the prince of the power of the air”, we did whatever his will called for, our conversation was in unfruitful works and of this world, we were “far off”, we had “no hope”; even a unsaved person today has a “hope” to get saved, we being twice dead gentiles had no chance and was worthy of the wrath of God Eph.2:1-3.

It is easy to see that “in Adam” we were lost and without hope, and God looked upon us as “enemies” and contrary to Him, our works were vain and counted as “dung” with no chance of producing righteousness that the justice of God would accept. Romans 6:3 and 1Corinthians 12 talks about saints being “baptized into” Jesus Christ, the only baptism that can place you “into Christ” is the baptism by the Spirit of God. Water baptism was a “rudiment” of the world, it was there to show Israel the need for God Himself to perform a washing for their inner man, and that would produce a sanctification and a new identification. In Col.2:11 Paul talks about the saint being “complete” in Christ, and then he says we have the real circumcision and the real baptism all done by “the operation of God”, not of man “putting hands on”, or putting you in water. Israel’s baptism in Matt.3:22 is described as a purification, and Heb.9:13 gives us a definition of Israel’s baptism; that it is a “washing” unto a “purifying”, unto “sanctifying”. A baptism is purification, unto sanctification, into a new identification. In Adam our lusts labeled us, and gave us a name “in Adam”, whether it was thief, backbiter, killer, ect., we were “called” unrighteous, that’s who we were. Paul in 1Corinthians 6 says three times “ye are” when talking about our standing “in Christ”, and that it’s done by the Spirit of God, not man.

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

In our former standing “in Adam” we had no chance to “inherit the kingdom of God”, but now by the “operation of God” we are “washed”, we are “sanctified”, and we are “justified”, our standing now is no longer “in Adam”, but:

IN CHRIST

JUSTIFICATION

1. Forgiven of all sins: once we trusted the gospel of our salvation, we were forgiven ALL our sins past, present, and future Eph.1:7; Col.2:13.

2. Imputed with Christ’s righteousness: It is God who is the justifier, His justice is satisfied by the payment made for our sins, now God is imputing righteousness to us instead of our sins Rom.3:20-26.

3. Permanent atonement: We “were” enemies in the sight of God, but now we have “peace with God”, and now being “reconciled” our standing in the sight of God is permanent, and “we have now received the atonement”. The atonement ( the at-one-ment) is the issue of a saint’s standing in the eyes of God being “at one” with Him. Not only are we “at one” with God, we have a permanent standing, (the “ment” at the end of the word atonement, is used in reference to something being final or permanent like cement, or pavement, ect.)Rom.5:1, Rom.5:6-11.

SANCTIFICATION

1. Dead to sin: “Grace Reigns” with us because once we trusted the gospel, “grace did much more abound” Our sins and we were “made free from sin” Rom.6:2.

2. Alive unto God: We now have the ability to “bring forth fruit” unto God being “alive from the dead”, in our former identity we brought fruit unto Satan Rom.6:11.

3. Sons of God: As Sons we are able to “prove what, is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God. A son not only knows what is good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God, but he learns how to “prove” things that come up in his life; in other words he makes “godly” decisions based upon the “will of God” Rom.8:18, Rom.12:1.

EXALTATION

1. One new man: The things that we do in the details of our life can now bring God glory, because of who we are “in Christ”. When we start to “renew our minds” with the doctrine, we learn to do things that are God pleasing; not self pleasing Eph.2:6-18.

2. Citizenship in Christ’s heavenly kingdom: We are “translated” out of “ the power of darkness” we no longer have to follow the course of this world and it’s ways, we are to know that what this world has to offer cannot be compared “with the glory which shall be revealed in us” Col.1:12-13, Eph.2:19, Phil.3:20.

3. Heavenly vocation and impact: Walking worthy of who we are “in Christ” to God’s glory, not only are we to make an impact on this earth as “sons”, we also have an impact in heavenly places as well, Satan does not want this impact to be made because it puts him to a open shame, that’s why we wrestle Eph.6:2, Eph.4:1, 3:9-11.

When God the Father justified us He made us to be “the righteousness of God” in Christ, and being a just saint, He also sanctified us (set us apart), and “much more” He exalted us also. When we fail to realize who we are “in Christ” people will try to live their Christian lives based upon the law, and not the way God designed for the doctrine to work within us. It is an insult to the grace of God to try to live our lives under the law, the law covenants for one to ‘self-justify’, and to ‘self-sanctify’ himself, God “proved” to Israel that they could not be spiritually fit on their own, and that they needed His grace and mercy. If a person does not understand justification it would be impossible to understand sanctification, and if one does not understand sanctification, then exaltation is a mystery to them also. Satan wants to produce corruption in all three parts of who God has made you to be in Christ, first with a person’s understanding concerning justification, but if he can’t do that because someone understands salvation, he will try to get you to think contrary to the way God would have you to think concerning your sanctification, and also your exaltation. Most of the church world today has the thinking that to get someone saved he has to first change his ways, they will expect a person to first ‘show fruits’ so they can justify themselves before men, this is a ‘self-righteous’ attempt by man to ‘self-justify’ and ‘self-sanctify’ himself . Understanding our sanctification is a very important issue, today we are to walk “after the Spirit” in Christ. In Col.2:6 the Apostle Paul says “walk ye in him”, our “walk” is the issue of sound doctrine “effectually” working within us, which will produce the inner man to become educated in the will of God, then we can let the doctrine work from the ‘inside-out’, the key issue of successfully living the Christian life is understanding and appreciating who God has made you to be in Christ, and responding properly to the things that come up in our life, by the doctrine working “effectually” within us.

1Thess. 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

This verse is the key to living unto God as He expects, by letting His word produce within us His thinking, and His ways into our lives. The word “effectually” is not the same as ‘effective’, man has many ‘effective’ ways for dealing with things and getting things done, but God never uses the word ‘effective’ in the Bible, because “effectually” is the best and complete way to get something done, that’s the way God designed for His word to work within us. This is how God intended for His word to work in man since the beginning, he intended for man to be a “godly” creature, the key to understanding who we are “in Christ” is understanding “godliness”.

GODLINESS

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Godliness (god/li/ness) means god-like-ness, when God created Adam He made man after His “likeness”. Godliness is made up of three components also: thinking like God does, doing things His way, and working together with Him in what He is doing. That’s how He intended for man to be, but man sinned, and instead of man thinking “like” God does, he started to think “like” Satan. When a person does not think like God does; he cannot do things His way, or work together with Him, but in turn he will think like Satan, and do things his way, and work together with Satan in what he is doing today.

Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.

When Adam sinned, man was born “in Adam” and born after his “likeness”, not God’s “likeness” anymore. Before Adam sinned he was a “help-meet” to God, Adam thought like, and did things God’s way, and he worked together with Him, but man began to learn Satan’s thinking, and go after his ways, and do his works. God gives us outline of godliness from Romans- Philemon:

1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do:

Paul says “godly” edifying is what these saints need to be established in; not just edifying, it’s a re-newing of the mind that has to take place; that is thinking like God does, but if someone doesn’t, then they will give “heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith”.

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

When a person does not understand godliness then they do not know how to pray for people in power that has control over whether we can lead a life in peace and godliness.

1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
Paul says that if a woman is “professing godliness” then she would not be highly concerned with what she wears, but she would dress in “modest apparel”.

Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Godliness was not a mystery, as we seen before Adam displayed godliness in the garden, but there is a mystery aspect to godliness concerning us today. The mystery aspect of it is God the Father using twice dead gentiles to put godliness on display in the heavenly places, as well as allowing His word to work effectually within us in the details of our lives. In “times past” the “house of God” was with Israel, ”but now” Paul talks about “the church of God” today being “the house of God”, Satan had no idea that such a “great” thing would take place with creatures who belonged to him, and had “no hope, and without God in this world”.

1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

When we “exercise” ourselves “unto godliness”, that’s the issue of a saint applying time and energy into thinking like God does, and doing things His way, and working together with Him in what He is doing, and not applying our time and energy to what this world values and esteems. Paul also talks about us having “promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come”, as “sons” God has two promises for the body of Christ, being godly we can make an impact on this earth and in heavenly places when we let the doctrine work within us, and also we have a heavenly vocation that we will fulfill in the life “which is to come”.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

If a person is not thinking “godly” they will place a high value on carnal things of this world, and assume that “gain is godliness”, and they will not set their “affection on things above”, but on things on the earth. A godly response to our “gains” would be as Paul’s was:

In Satan’s plan to be “like the most high”, he never thought that God would create creatures that would be “like” Him, created after His “likeness”. Before man was created, Satan was God’s most beautiful creature, but when he saw man, and the fellowship that he had with God, Satan became full of envy and was lifted up “in pride”. Satan hates the members of the body of Christ because we can “exercise” godliness; we can put it on display, we can be ‘God-like’ creatures even after all that Satan tries to produce within this dispensation of gentile grace. Christians can also cooperate with Satan in what he is doing today; this is called Christian “ungodliness”.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Failure to “rightly divide the word of truth” will cause someone to make an error concerning scripture, notice these people were preaching “the resurrection”; so we know they were preaching Christ, but because they were not using scripture the way God intended, their words were nothing more than “profane and vain babblings”, and the things that these men were preaching were dangerous to these saints, and it caused corruption in their thinking and in their edification.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

A “form of godliness” is a clever tactic of men that deceive the “hearts of the simple”, and confuse people with “another gospel”. These men will use their outward appearance and “fair speeches” to seem “godly”, and in most cases it works to appeal to people that the “god of this world has blinded”. In having a “form of godliness”, these men and women, display a fake appearance of godliness and righteousness, but it is the inner man that God has designed to display “godliness”.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

GOD’S DESIGN FOR OUR EDIFICATION

The book of Romans is the first of Paul’s 13 epistles, even though it’s not the first epistle written by him, God designed that Romans be the ‘first-thing-first’ in our Christian lives for our edification and establishment. When Paul says in Romans chapter 1 that he has a desire to established the saints, it also God’s design and desire that “to the end that we may be established”. Our edification is to be built upon foundational doctrine for our establishment, God has designed that we go from ‘milk to meat’ in our sonship education. We know that buildings are sometimes called ‘establishments’, we also have a building process in our sonship edification. Paul’s epistles are placed in the correct order in our bibles; there is a God given design for a saint to be doctrinally edified, and that is to follow God’s design for establishment. We must understand Romans-Galatians before we can move on to and fully understand Ephesians-Colossians. In Eph.3:1-9 Paul knows that these saints had already been established with the doctrine of Romans-Galatians, that’s why Paul says “as I wrote afore”, and Paul says “if ye have heard”; Paul knew that they had received the doctrine about the “mystery” “afore”, but he was giving these saints the ‘why’ of it. Eph.3:14-19 talks about having all understanding and knowledge of the “love of Christ”; it’s the maturity of what they learned in Romans through Galatians about “the love of Christ”. Ephesians through Colossians explains the wisdom of God in your edification. The Romans-Galatians saints were “carnal” in their way of thinking, doctrinally they were “babes in Christ” they were not ready for the “meat” doctrine, in Romans-Galatians Paul reproves these saints over and over about their “foolish” way of thinking. From Ephesians through Colossians these saints could now handle”meat” doctrinally, and now they can be “a perfect man” and have “full knowledge”. First and second Thessalonians shows a mature saint that now has “all knowledge” and is able to let the word “effectually work” within him, these saints were “ensamples” to the whole world on proper edification in a saint, their love “abounded” and their faith grew “exceedingly”. These saints could not only handle “all knowledge” and think like God, but they were now fit to be utilized by God to do things His way. First Timothy through Philemon is the advanced doctrine of a son now being capable to be utilized by God to work together with Him in what He is doing. Paul says in 1Tim.3:15 “church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”, Paul uses a building terminology when talking about the “church”, it’s the issue of faithful saints now being able to display true “godliness”, by letting the word of God work “effectually” within a son so that he can now take the advanced doctrine that he has learned, and teach it to other saints as well. This part of a son’s education is the most important part, because now Satan looks upon you as a threat and a danger to what he is trying to accomplish. Now this once ‘twice dead’ gentile that used to follow the course for this world, and that “belonged” to him, he now has the ability to accept the gospel of his salvation, understand the wisdom in it, bring glory to God with it, and most importantly he can now teach it, and re-produce it. As we advance through Paul’s epistles you will see that the epistles get shorter and shorter, and when you come to the last epistle Philemon, it is his shortest epistle, the reason for this is, when you are dealing with a adult son with complete knowledge, there is not much that needs to be said, he has been operating on the correct doctrine and doing things the correct way in being who God has made him to be “in Christ”.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SONSHIP

Gal 4:1 Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

In many cultures and in the biblical ages, a son became ready to enter into adulthood at the age of 12. Before the age of twelve the child was under a “tutor” and a “governor” until the “time appointed by the father”. The child would be ‘schooled’ by the tutor, and the governor would govern his decisions and would teach the child how to conduct himself. The child was not yet ready to be educated in his father’s business, he longed after the time when he would be ready to begin to be taught by the father. The father also has a burning desire to begin to educate his son in his way of thinking, so the son can do things his way, then the son can begin to work together with him in what he is doing. When a child nears the age of “adoption” is at that time a son begins to see that he can now make decisions on his own, and also he can now understand right from wrong. A child knows that this is the most important time of his life, and the same can be said about the father, because the father also has been looking forward to the time when he can give his child “the adoption of sons.”

Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

So when a child reaches the age of “adoption”, a father knows that it is time for he and his son to have the ‘talk’. A father knows that a son is now mentally ready begin to be taught by the father, and the ultimate objective of the father is to have his son to learn to think like his father, and learn to do things like his father, and finally learn to work together with him in what he is doing. A father wants his son to listen, accept, and operate upon the education that he is going to ‘school’ him in. A father’s desire is that his son not only operates upon what his father tells him, but also that he ‘comes back for more’ education in his father’s thinking, how his father does things, and how he can help his father in what he is doing. The ultimate objective of a father is to have his son be ‘like father-like son’, and he knows how important this education is for his son, and that if his son does not understand his ways, then he will go after what the world has to offer.

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

If a father and son have yet to have the ‘talk’, then a son will begin to think like the world does, and do things the world’s way, and begin to work together with the world in what its doing. A son would begin to see ‘what the world has to offer’, and he will make his decisions based upon the world’s standards, and viewpoints, soon he will begin to ‘think’ that the world’s ‘way’ is the best way. A son will soon begin to do things the way the world does things, and finally he will begin to have a desire for those things, and he will want to work together with the world by promoting the world’s ways, and walking contrary to his father. When a father begins to educate his son, he wants to give his son basic ‘first-things-first’ doctrine, he knows that his son is not yet ready for “meat”, his design is to have his son’s education to ‘get off on the right foot’. He wants his son to not only grow in the basic “milk” doctrine, but to understand and appreciate it, so that he can operate upon it as well. A father wants to see that his son is now ready to move on in the next stage of his sonship education. God the father’s design is that we also grow doctrinally in our education the way he intended, so that we too can move on from “milk” to “meat” in our education. Paul knew of God the Father’s design for a son’s edification, he knew that these saints were “not able to bear it”, Paul “could not speak unto” the saints with advanced doctrine.

Luk 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Luk 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
Luk 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
Luk 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
Luk 2:44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
Luk 2:45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
Luk 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
Luk 2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
Luk 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Luk 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

The gospel of Luke gives the account of when Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His parents went up to Jerusalem for the Passover, on the way back Joseph and Mary noticed that Jesus was not with the group, so they returned back to Jerusalem to find Him. Three days later they found Him in the temple, Jesus told His parents that He was about His “Father’s business”. The Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had reached the age of adoption; He was now ready to get His education underway.

Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

It was at this time that the Father would begin to educate Jesus in His business, and “morning by morning” the Lord was educated as a Son in His Father’s affairs.

Isa 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Isa 50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

Sonship was designed by God to be displayed by Israel, Romans chapters 9 through 11 explains why unbelieving Israel did not receive the “adoption”.

Rom 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Rom 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God and the promises;

We now have the opportunity to put sonship on display in this dispensation of gentile grace, because of who we are in Christ we now have the opportunity to be utilized by God the Father as “sons”, with the ultimate objective to “conform us to the image of His Son.”

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 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.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Now that we have seen basic information about “adoption”, now we will take a look at the mechanics of sonship, and how to get the education underway, and also being committed to wanting the education, and last of all; letting the word of God work “effectually” within us as adult sons “in Christ”.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Now knowing who God has made us to be in Christ, we are “beseeched” to “present” ourselves unto God with a godly attitude, and when Paul says that he beseeches us by “the mercies of God”, we ought to be “mindful” (the issue of having our minds full of doctrine) of all of God’s graciousness and mercy, so by all of God the Father’s goodness and “mercies” we ought to present “our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. And because of all the “mercies” we have “in Christ” presenting ourselves this way is the only “reasonable” thing we should do. A son “in Christ” would not be “conformed to this world” but he would be “transformed”, this would take place by “renewing” his mind “daily” with doctrine so that he can “prove” the things that come up in his life; that is the ability to make a godly decision based upon if what he is going to encounter will be self-pleasing, or will it be the “good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. The key to being an adult son of God is to be “led by the Spirit of God”; to be “led by the Spirit of God” is being led by the doctrine that God has designed for him. We can now “bring forth fruit unto holiness” by “walking after the Spirit” just like Romans chapters 6-8:13 has taught us. By the time you get to Romans chapter 12 you should already understand and appreciate the fact that we are a “living sacrifice”, and that we should not be “conformed to this world” but be “transformed” by having our minds renewed with our Father’s doctrine.

Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The first two chapters of Proverbs are about the virtues that a son is to possess so that he can fully have a successful sonship life. We will see how God the Father gives the blueprint for a son to doctrinally grow; the Proverb gives an outline of the different stages in which a son is to receive his education. When we placed our faith in the finished work of the cross, God did not just save us so we won’t go hell, God the Father’s will is that all men “be saved, and come into the knowledge of the truth”. There are saints that trust the gospel of their salvation, but never understand that God has two different plans for all mankind, this is a saint that is a justified person, but he cannot be fully utilized by God in His plan and purpose for members of the body of Christ. It is like if someone you know buys a new car and leaves it parked in the garage forever, you would assume that the car has little use to the owner, and cannot be fully utilized by him, and the car if not used, it will begin to see corruption by sitting in the garage instead of being used for the purpose in which it was created. There are also saints that understand God the Father’s two-fold plan and purpose for the nation of Israel and for the members of the body of Christ today, but never truly understand what it means to do things His way, and work together with Him in what He is doing, this saint cannot be fully utilized by God in His plan and purpose for the members of His body. We will look at the different stages for sonship edification.
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity.

When a son reaches the age of “adoption” God the Father wants him to “receive the instruction of wisdom, justice and judgment, and equity”, which is knowing what is doctrinally correct, and accepting and acknowledging it, and also it is also the son wanting to be educated by the Father in these virtues, so that he too can fully operate upon the same “wisdom”, “justice”, judgment”, and “equity” as the Father. Because we have “wisdom” in what is “just”, we need to be able to make the proper “judgment” also. Now once a son “receives instruction of wisdom, justice and judgment” he is now beginning to display godliness, now he can not only make the proper “judgment”, but he can do this on a consistent basis, he can display godly love in all fairness and “equity” to others.

To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

These are the different stages in a son’s growth in his education: the “simple” man, the “young man”, the “wise man”, and the “man of understanding”. The simple man is the saint that has been instructed in basic doctrine, he is the fundamental Romans-Galatians saint. The young man is one that has now learned to ‘think’ like God does, he has the “knowledge” of God the Father’s will and what He values, this is the Ephesians-Colossians saint. The wise man understands how to let God’s word work “effectually” within him, he is now able to do things God’s way, this is the first Thessalonians-second Thessalonians saint. The man of understanding can now work together with God in what He is doing, this is a son who is fully capable of being who God has made him to be “in Christ”, this is a saint has the ability to teach the doctrine as a father, and he fully understands what first Timothy-Philemon is all about.

Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Just as a saint once trusted the gospel of his salvation, he has to also “trust” that the doctrine that he receives is going to work for him effectually, and it is going to meet every expectation that God the Father has planned for us as members of His new creation. He has to place his all out faith in the doctrine that his Father has designed for his edification, and that it will get its job done in working for the son regardless of any opposition that would try to hinder his education for growing. We should have a great enthusiasm to get our education underway, we should be fully dedicated in getting our education, and just the idea of having the opportunity to be taught by our Father should cause within us a great joy for getting our education started. Inclining our “ear unto wisdom” is having the proper attitude in wanting to be edified by the Father, rather than going after things of this world.

Apply thine heart to understanding:

This is the next step in being a faithful student in our Father’s sonship education for us as “sons”. Appling our “heart to understanding” is evaluating our ‘hearts desires.’ These are the things that we value and esteem, the things that we think are meaningful and joyful to us, and that fulfill our lives. We need to “renew” our way of thinking about these things, and the only way to do that is to be “mindful” of all the glories that we have “in Christ”. When we look at all that we have “in Christ”, we will soon see that the things that we used to value and esteem are not “worthy to be compared” to what our Father has to teach us.

Pro 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

When we give the Father our “heart”, it’s the issue of us letting God the Father replace our desires with his own. A son should much rather walk in His “ways”, rather than the world’s ways.

Psa 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.
Psa 119:31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
Psa 119:32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

Enlarging our hearts is what every son needs to take place, by doing this is the issue of a son ‘cleaning house’ so-to-speak with his hearts desires, by “renewing our minds”, a son will see what is really important in this life and the next, and have our hearts filled with the new ‘loves of our lives’; our father’s doctrine.

2Co 6:11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
2Co 6:12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
2Co 6:13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

The Corinthians were “straitened” in their own bowels in getting their proper education, they were “babes” in understanding, and they were not dedicated to getting the edification that God had designed. When we learn to give the Father our “heart” we will be like David; “a man after His own heart”, we will learn to “walk in his ways”, then we will end up doing things His way. We will see that the world’s ways and the things we loved are nothing more than “foolish”, and what we thought was contentment, gain, pleasure, and happiness, was nothing more than cheap substitute and a counterfeit for our ‘hearts desires’.

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures

Rom 8:15 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.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Crying “after knowledge” is the issue of a son saying ‘I want this!, I am ready to be fully utilized by you’, we should want to “cry Abba Father” as sons, and we as “sons” should possess the same zeal that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had in the garden, it was at this time that He was ready to be what God the Father called upon Him to be.

Mar 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

When we can fully understand that we ought to ‘seek’ and ‘search’ after God’s knowledge and not after the world’s gains and definitions of success, we will see it nothing more than a waste of time, the things that the world can produce have no eternal value at all, and what things of this world would actually be of any use for our heavenly vocation?. The knowledge of this world’s advancements and financial gains is what man “seekest” and “searchest” for, and what the world calls happiness and gain is actually failure and loss in God’s eyes and it ought to be looked upon the same way by the son also.

Prov.2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

In chapter two God the Father gives His ultimate objective for the son’s edification process, that if he follows the proper blueprint he will be fit to be what God has made him to be “in Christ”. When the son has reached the proper stage in his sonship edification, he is able to “understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity” and instead of walking after the worlds “ways”, he will now understand “every good path”. Now “wisdom entereth” into the “heart” of the son, not this world’s wisdom, now the Father’s “knowledge is pleasant” unto the son, not what the world calls pleasure. With his godly decisions, and his full understanding he is now capable of walking with all charity, and being a “living sacrifice”, and living a successful sonship life.

Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

God the Father has provided us with the proper doctrine to “preserve” a son so he doesn’t become ‘side-tracked’, if a saint does not have the proper zeal and understanding, he could find himself leaving “the paths of uprightness, to walk the ways of darkness”. By not possessing the proper zeal for staying on the right “path”, a son can end up giving the things that he used to do a ‘new lease on life’, he could end up going back to the things of this world, and follow after “the ways” of this world. The Proverbs is an inter-dispensational book that educates us in the wisdom of God, and it gives us understanding in the behavior of man. There is design for a son to be educated by the Father found in the first two chapters of the Proverbs, and there is also design found within Romans through Philemon for the education of the son today.

The “simple” man educated within Romans through Galatians:

This doctrine deals with a son in the first stage of sonship; this is the foundational doctrine for the saint to get his education properly underway. This doctrine also goes over God’s wrath against man’s ungodliness, Israel’s blindness, and conduct issues within the church, these saints are called “babes”, and “foolish”.

The “young man” educated within Ephesians through Colossians:

This is when a son begins to learn to think like God does, this is why Paul goes over “knowledge” and “wisdom”, and his desire for us to have his understanding in it.

The “wise man” educated within 1Thessalonians through 2Thessalonians:

This is when a son learns to do things God’s way, he now understands how God’s word can work “effectually” within him, and how to apply it within his life as a son.

The “man of understanding” educated within 1Timothy through Philemon:

Now the son has the ability to be fully utilized by God the Father in His business, he can now work together with God in what He is doing, he can now teach the doctrine as a father, and establish other saints in the doctrine for their souls.

1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours

As sons the “wisdom of this world” should not entice us into being “fools” also, as we expose the things “of this world” for being nothing more than just a waste of time, we will start to see just how “foolish” these things are. We will notice how much time and energy we have once put into acting like “fools” in following after the “craftiness” of men. Instead of being God-like, men want to be man-like, man loves to “glory in men”, man promotes his success in life, and his scientific knowledge, and inventions, and technology as being the pursuit of happiness, and “godly”, but it is based upon carnal pleasures, and things that have the counterfeit look of godliness. With godly thinking we will see things for what they are, and we will develop the same thinking that our Father has for these things, we will have the same disregard and disgust for these things knowing that they only hinder our growth. Also we cannot be our ‘own worst enemy’ by giving heed to this worlds “craftiness”, in doing so we will be ones who “oppose ourselves”, it all comes down to a son being honest with himself, and knowing that getting his sonship edification is the most important thing that he can do in being what God wants him to be; a godly creature, with the ultimate objective in being “conformed to the image of his son”.

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

In Christ we have been “called unto liberty”, and because we have been justified, sanctified, and exalted, we should not ‘misuse’ our position “in Christ”, we were made “free” when we trusted the gospel of our salvation, and by that we were made “dead to sin, and alive unto God”, and because of what God has given us in Christ, it would be selfish for us to “serve” our own flesh with what it “lusteth” after, rather than “by love serve one another”. In love is how a son is to “walk” toward “one another”, our flesh can lust after some of the things that Paul goes on to describe, but if we are “led of the Spirit” we “SHALL NOT fulfil the lust of the flesh”. Notice the word Spirit is used with a capital S; this is being led by the doctrine of the Holy Spirit written down in our King James Bibles. Paul uses all the “works of the flesh” to provoke us to think about these things for what they are, we are to look at “such things” the way God the Father looks at them; in disgust, in knowing that “such things” are “contrary” the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and it should be “contrary” to a son also, as one who is “led of the Spirit”.

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

It should be our desire to be a “beloved son” also, with the ultimate objective of having God the Father being “well pleased” with our sonship growth as well, knowing that Satan is behind every attempt to stop your sonship edification growth from taking place.

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

A son’s prayer life is very important part in a successful sonship education, but sad to say, most of creation (including Christians) are ignorant of how, and why, we are to pray. Prayer should not be mechanical; which most people will do only at bedtime, or when sitting down at a meal or in a mindless chant, or in crying for God’s help. Most Christians want someone to make decisions for them, that’s why they will say “pray for me”. God designed prayer in the beginning to be a direct communion between Himself and man in a mutual thinking and understanding, knowing each other’s hearts and minds. With Adam the communion with himself and God was ‘face to face’, when Adam sinned God removed Himself from Adam’s presence, then later He removed Himself from the face of the earth as man became more “ungodly.” Prayer is God communicating through His word, and saints responding to His word through communion and prayer. Today a son is to have the ‘face to face’ communion with his Father also; it should be as if we were actually sitting down with the Father ‘face to face’ when we pray as well. God designed prayer to work in his saints in response to what his word says about what he is doing, and our understanding of it. It is the son knowing the heart and mind of the Father, and the Father “searching the heart” within the son. Being “led of the Spirit” is not the issue of man waiting for God to reveal something to him, and him being “led” by God in his decisions, that would be similar to the “tutors and governors” system where someone makes decisions for you, it is the son making adult decisions based upon the doctrine, and what his father has taught him. The aim is that the Father and son be of one mind and of one accord, we should not only crave the opportunity to learn, but we should understand the necessity to do so, this requires the son to be in a constant and in close touch with the Father. The main goal of prayer is to express our understanding, and appreciation, and our application for what we have learned. When a father “searches the heart” of his son he wants to hear from his son’s mouth the fruits of what he’s been taught, and to see the effectual working within that son. God “searcheth” our hearts whether we understand our sonship or not, but He can rejoice in delight when a saint fully understands his sonship, and who God has made him to be.

Pro 23:15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Pro 23:16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

We as sons should want to “prove” to our Father that His word is “effectually” working within us, and how we do that is through prayer; at ‘anytime’ , and at ‘anyplace’, it is the son letting the Father know how his sonship education is progressing and how it is working in his life. The “Spirit helpeth our infirmities” by the word effectually going to work in our prayer life, when we take the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and we pray according to “the will of God”, not our will, or our wants, and desires. God makes “intercessions for the saints” by His word, and when we “know not what to pray for as we ought”, we can be “mindful” of the doctrine, and we can base our prayer upon “the will of God”. Prayer should be natural and “instant”, we should let our Father know our feelings about our education, and how precious it is to us.

OUR EXALTATION

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

As “sons” we are given doctrine by our Father to understand the “sufferings of this present time”, we have come to know that we are “heirs of God”, and not only that but “joint-heirs with Christ”.

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake

Not only do we as “sons” have the privilege to work together with Him in what He is doing, but we also are “given” the opportunity to “suffer with him” as “joint-heirs”. As Philippians 1:29 explains; we have been “given” the gift of salvation when we believed “on Him”, but not only that; we were “given” another gift also that many saints want no part of, that is to suffer “for His sake”. So having this “joint” operation “with Christ” we as sons have the opportunity to let the word of God “work effectually” within us in our times of sufferings. We have the privilege to use God’s word when we suffer, the same way the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ used the word of God as “comfort” in His suffering and tribulation. This is a marvelous gift that we have been given to suffer “for His sake,” this is one of the greatest aspects of our sonship edification. Now as a son we have to “renew our minds” toward our aches, our troubles, our short-comings, and our failures. The doctrine is designed to work so that we can say “for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”. When you “reckon” something, you count that thing to be true, we are to “reckon” that whatever suffering that we face in our lives are “not worthy to be compared” to our being “glorified together” with Him. We are going to take a look at the different types of sufferings that a son is going to encounter, and the doctrine that is designed to work “effectually in us that believe”. There are three different type of sufferings that we can encounter: “the suffering of this present time”: “the suffering of Christ; and suffering because of our own stupidity, we will only look at the first two, because I think we all know how we can cause our own problems in our lives.

THE SUFFERING OF THIS PRESENT TIME:

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

This suffering is common to all “creation”, the “whole creation” to some degree experience sickness, pain, disease, crime, death, and any other tribulation that can come up in our life. This type of suffering can be tough to deal with because it is a personal one that can overwhelm us and cause great discomfort in our lives. This type of suffering cannot be avoided and all mankind goes through it: the unsaved: and “ourselves also” experience the “sufferings of this present time”.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

When the “suffering of this present time” come up, the body reacts to the souls response to the suffering, the greater the suffering; the more the body reacts to what it is experiencing. The soul drives the body’s reaction to each suffering that we experience; that’s where the “word of God” is valuable in our edification, when our soul is overwhelmed with grief and tribulation, the “word of God” steps in and divides “asunder” the soul, and the spirit. When the soul is crying out for help, the word of God steps in with doctrine for the spirit, and because of what the son has been taught, his spirit is now full of doctrine that can now aid and comfort his soul, and his body. When our souls cry out to our spirit, as a son we ought to have the correct doctrine within us so that the “word of God” can work “effectually” to comfort us in all our tribulation. Now let’s take a look at the doctrine that we are to be “mindful” of:

2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man IS renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In this dispensation of gentile grace, God never promised us a physical healing, the only man that God promised to heal is the “inward man”, we to know that “our outward man” is going to perish; meaning it is going to experience suffering, sickness, and eventually death. We know that the things that the “outward man” can see and experience can be very painful, but we are to “look not at the things which are seen”, we are not supposed to give it so much of our attention, we can end up letting these things rule our lives, we can let our anger, our sufferings, our pains, and all of our tribulation get all of the “glory” in our sonship lives by spending all of our time dwelling on our problems, when that time could be spent getting our edification and giving God glory. When a son learns to “renew” his mind with the correct doctrine, he will ‘see’ that our light affliction is but for a moment, and temporal, and that it actually works “for us” in the Father’s goal to conform us “to the image of his son”. If God were to deliver us from our problems, we would never have the opportunity as sons to let His word work “effectually” within us, our deliverances would be “temporal”, it would show the graciousness and mercy of God, but as a son; there would be no edification taking place, and as a “babe in Christ” he would depend on the Lord to work out any and every problem that he has. Our sufferings “worketh” for us and “far more exceeding” any deliverance that we can have from our tribulations. The eternal “weight” of glory right now are “not seen”, but it is real and as we renew our minds with God’s word, we learn to “look” at the things which “are not seen”. God never promised to change our circumstances, but He did promise to change our way of thinking about our circumstances.

2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul is our example in how a son’s mind is to be renewed toward sufferings, he learned not to “look at the things which are seen” when sufferings came in his life, but also he learned to “glory” in them, then he finally learned to take “pleasure” in them. Paul knew that when he suffered it was for “Christ’s sake” and that when he went through these things, that it was going to “work for” him, and not only for him but the Lord also. Paul took “pleasure” in that when he suffered, he was able to let God’s word work in him, and he knew that by not being delivered, he was letting the “power of Christ rest” upon him.

2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Man has designed many ways to “comfort” ones in tribulation, medicine, mental therapy, drugs alcohol, self-help books, and many other ways to help you get over your problems. These things are effective, but not effectual, God has designed for His word to effectually “comfort us in ALL our tribulation”. If God were delivering us from our problems; we would never be able to know Him as “the God of ALL comfort”.

THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST:

2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2Co 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

The “sufferings of Christ” can only be experienced by a justified son that understands God’s two-fold plan and purpose with creation. Because of Satan’s hatred for Christ; he also has a deep hatred for members of the body of Christ also, we are ones that can make an impact on this world, and in heavenly places also. This impact can frustrate Satan, and it puts him to an open shame and an embarrassment every time we experience the “sufferings of Christ”, and we use the doctrine to not only “endure” them, but also to “rejoice” in our sufferings. This type of sufferings deals with attacks against you because of who God has made you to be “in Christ”; these attacks come in the form of any opposition that may try to hinder your sonship growth, attacks against your character because of the gospel you are proclaiming, physical attacks, and the things of this world that our flesh can lust after, this “warring” of our flesh can cause a saint to battle quite a bit with his lusts, but with a renewed way of thinking he can expose these things for what they are to him and God. God has promised us “salvation” from our “afflictions” and sufferings. This “salvation” comes from the comfort that we receive when we use God’s word in our tribulation.

2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

The persecutions that Paul faced were because of who he was “in Christ”, these “evil men and seducers” gave Paul much affliction, but Paul said he “endured” ALL of the sufferings that he faced by being “delivered”. God the Father’s word gives us the comfort when we endure our sufferings, and once we let God’s word work “effectually” within us, we can be “delivered” from any sufferings that may come up in our lives by trusting in it that it will work for us, and by that we can find the “comfort” in the doctrine for our souls.

1Co 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
1Co 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
1Co 4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

2Co 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2Co 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
2Co 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

The things that Paul “gloried” in people want deliverance from today; the sufferings of Christ can be avoided; when you stop acting like who God has made you to be “in Christ”. As sons we have the privilege to experience some of the same sufferings that Paul and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ experienced while on this earth, when we suffer we have the opportunity as a son to let the doctrine work in our circumstances, and we ‘put it into practice’ in our sonship education.

Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Php 4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

Paul “learned” through his sonship education how to think concerning his “wants”, he “learned” to be content concerning the things that he wanted, also he “learned” how to respond positively to the sufferings in the things that he needed as well. Even though Paul was going through “afflictions”, and sufferings, Paul says that he is “strengtheneth” through Christ. Paul became “strengtheneth” by what he had “learned” in his sonship education, he learned how to change his way of thinking concerning his sufferings. Most will say that they become “strengtheneth” by their desires, and lusts being fulfilled, and will say that they are ‘blessed’, and that God is supplying their “wants”, but this is not the case. When Paul says he can do “all things”, he is saying that he can do “all” the sufferings that he named in verse 12; because of what he had learned, he can now be content in any suffering by the doctrine that “strengtheneth” him. As sons we too are “instructed” by our Father to renew our minds towards our “affliction”, and sufferings, then we too can learn to ‘deal with’, and “do all” those “things” in a godly manner like the Apostle Paul “learned” to do.

1Co 4:8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
1Co 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
1Co 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
1Co 4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
1Co 4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you

The Corinthians were looked upon by the world as being “wise in Christ” and the world saw these saints as being “honourable”, and living godly, but they were not experiencing the sufferings of Christ, they were not committed to getting their proper sonship edification. Paul “warned” these “sons” that they were not acting like who God has made the to be “in Christ”, Paul was “despised”, and suffered “need”, and was looked upon as “the filth of the world”, but the Corinthians thought that godliness was displayed by “Having a form of godliness”, and that their “gain was godliness”, but actually in eyes of God their “gain” was nothing more than a “shame”. Are you “straitened” in your bowels at getting your edification?, do you want to seem as “wise in Christ” in the eyes of men, or rather be looked upon as “fools for Christ’s sake?, are you more concerned with the carnal things that you have, rather than what your “inward man” has in being enriched with the doctrine for his sonship edification?. We are also “made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men”, so we need to ask ourselves; are we more concerned with pleasing men, or God?, when we face persecution, and sufferings, can we learn not to think about our “sakes”, but “be renewed” in our thinking, and suffer “for Christ’s sake”?, we need to “enlarge” our hearts so we can change our way of thinking about “the sufferings of Christ”.

Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As the Father “searches” our hearts though prayer, He looks to see if we have “enlarged” our hearts, and renewed our minds toward our suffering by what we are taught, He wants to see if we have replaced our old wants and desires with the things He values and esteems,
this is to see if we have the “mind of the Spirit”. The Spirit “maketh intercession” when we look on the pages of the word of God, we see what the Spirit says our thinking ought to be “according to the will of God”. In the word of God we find the doctrine that makes “all things work together for good” in our times of sufferings. God the Father has given us the means by which we can live a successful sonship life. He has made provision for us so that in ALL our sufferings these things “will work together for good”. God the Father’s ‘chain of provision’, is found in Romans 8:29-30; when we look at all that God has done “for us”, it should motivate us in knowing all that we have been given, God wants us to consider “these things”(“foreknow”, “predestinate”, “called”, “justified”, “glorified”), he says in verse 31:

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Because of what we have in Christ, we should thoughtfully consider “these things” when we face any sufferings in our sonship lives, we ought to be able to “say” and understand that God IS “for us”. Whatever the sufferings we need to understand that God has not ‘given up on us’, nor is He giving us ‘a test’, we need to renew our minds to understand that these are the things that we should “look at”, not the problems that come up in our life. Because God has “freely given us all things” (the things in verses 29-30), not the “things” of this world, we ought to know that God is “for us” in all our tribulation.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We ought to know that because of “the love of God” toward us, nothing should cause us to think that God is not “for us”. In all our tribulation and sufferings we are to be “more than conquerors”, meaning if you are going to be a conqueror over your sufferings; that would mean God is not going to take your sufferings away from you, you are to “endure” these things with a renewed mind. The ultimate objective is to think like Paul did concerning all the tribulations and sufferings that he faced, Paul says “for I am persuaded”; we ought to have that type of motivation towards our sufferings. The things that ought to “persuaded” us is: knowing that God is “for us” in all our tribulation, and we can trust that the doctrine is going to do its job to “comfort us in all our tribulation”, and because of who we are “in Christ” we have the privilege to suffer for “Christ’s sake”. So instead of giving all of our attention to the sufferings that may come up (the things mention in verses 35-39), we should be “more than conquerors” in our sufferings, and not let our sufferings get the best of us, and with godly patience and endurance we too can say that we are “persuaded” that God our Father is “for us”.

OUR HEAVENLY VOCATION

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

When Paul speaks of “the creature”, he is speaking of creation itself; that is everything created in the heavens, and the earth. All of creation was “made subject to vanity”, meaning when Adam sinned, it had effect on all creation, that includes everything in the earth, and in the second and third heavens as well. The book of Psalms speaks of a time when the stars and the moon, and the hills and all creation give God praise, is that possible?.

Psa 148:2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Psa 148:3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
Psa 148:4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
Psa 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
Psa 148:6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
Psa 148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Psa 148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Psa 148:9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Psa 148:10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
Psa 148:11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
Psa 148:12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Psa 148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

After the Lord has His day of wrath, and the Kingdom is set up on this earth, God’s overall plan is to create a “new heaven and a new earth”, at that time all creation will be able to give God glory and “praise” being “delivered from the bondage of corruption”. We are also “waiting” for the “adoption”, which is when we get our glorified body.

Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Being a son that is “justified”, and “sanctified”, the son is also “risen with Christ”, God the Father has made us “meet”(or fit) to be fully utilized by Him. God the Father “raised us up” for His purpose, and his plan, and “made us” spiritually fit for His use. At this moment we cannot physically see our “inheritance”, but it is real, and a very important part of our sonship.

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Our heavenly vocation is the overall objective for the members of “His body”. There are “principality, and power, and might, thrones and dominion” on this earth, as well as it is in heavenly places. Man has governmental offices set in place to rule here on earth, and God also has a governmental structure set in the heavenly places as well. The main part of our exaltation is filling the governmental offices that Satan and one third of the Angelic realm fell from. Verse 22 says that Jesus Christ is the “head” over “all things”; Christ is “the head” over all the governmental positions in heavenly places, and it says He is the head over all things “to the church”. When it says “to the church”, it is to the benefit of the church, the church benefits from being members of His “body”. Verse 23 explains our purpose in the heavenly: it says we are members of “His body”, and that we are the “fullness of Him”, meaning we are the instruments by which His heavenly plan can be fulfilled, and it says the fullness of Him that “filleth all in all”; we are going to ‘fill’ those positions in heavenly places, which is what our heavenly purpose as members of His body is all about.

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Verse 19 says that in Him should “all fullness DWELL”, we are His “fullness”, and we are going to “dwell” in those positions where Christ has “preeminence”, verse 20 explains that when God saved us, his plan was not just to save us “by the blood of His cross” so we won’t go to hell, but we are part of His plan to “reconcile all things unto Himself”.

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

In Christ “dwelleth all the fullness”, we being members of His body fulfill His plan to “reconcile all things” back unto Himself, we being His “fullness”; we “complete” His plan and purpose in being “the Godhead”, and we are “complete in Him” being members of his body, with Christ Himself being the Head.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Being “members of on another”, we ought to value and esteem each member of the body of Christ as God values the members of His body. Even though most of the world preaches a message of ‘self-esteem’, and will tell you to believe ‘in yourself’, and you are ‘number one’, we are told by our Father that we should not think more about ourselves than we “ought to think”.

Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

We need to keep in mind that God has given every member of His body the same riches and mercy “in Him”, so when we trusted in the gospel of our salvation; God dealt to “every man” the same amount of grace and mercy. And because we are treated the same by God, we also have the same purpose, with each member working together with the same common goal: to be fully utilized by Him as members of “one body”. The “gifts” that are spoken about in verses 6-8 were in operation in the beginning of the dispensation of grace, but are done away with, and are not in operation today. Paul is saying that the things that we do being “members of another” ought to be to the benefit of the body of Christ as a whole, and because we have the privilege to work together with Him in what he is doing, we all have our ‘part’ or “office” in His purpose, whether we are preaching the word of God in truth, or giving to a ministry that preaches sound doctrine, or whatever a saint does to the benefit of the edifying of the body of Christ, we have been given the opportunity to work together with Him in what He is doing. If God was still giving spiritual gifts to some today, it would show favoritism toward some of the members of His body, also it would give some members the reason to think “more highly of themselves”, not to mention; a saint that operated upon spiritual gifts can never have the opportunity to let the “word of God” work effectually within them as a son, they would never have a chance to grow doctrinally the way God designed. When a saint operated upon spiritual gifts, it was as if he was under the “tutors and governors” system, as a son we have the opportunity to make intelligent sonship decisions, with spiritual gifts someone makes decisions for you. The one “gift” that every member ought to display is godly love, we are taught the love of God from Romans-Galatians, then in Ephesians-Colossians, the saints are taught of God to love one another, then in 1Thessalonians-2Thessalonians we are taught to “abound in love”, then from 1Timothy-Philemon deals with godly love and charity; and how to love the things the Father loves, notice the whole book of Philemon is about Godly love and forgiveness toward one another.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The Father’s ultimate objective is for the son to be “conformed to the image of his son”, as sons we each have our role as members of “one another”; this ought to cause such a great joy within us knowing that we have a part in working with our Father in His business. Also it ought to cause us to look at this worlds ‘ways’ as being nothing more than a counterfeit, cheap excuse for happiness, contentment, pleasure, and wisdom. We ought to know the “wisdom of this world” cannot assist us in our edification, and it is actually useless to us. As we renew our minds during the course of our sonship education, we begin to see these things more clearly for what they are, and that Satan and ungodly men are behind the world’s wisdom and happiness, and pleasure, we need not to give in to Satan, and man’s attempts to hinder our sonship growth, knowing who God has made us to be “in Christ”. We all can come to a particular point in our sonship education where we need to ‘take a step back’ and “examine” ourselves, it is that time when we need to “prove” ourselves, meaning we need to be “mindful” of who we really are, not only are we “in Christ”; but He is also in us that believe as well. I hope this study has been helpful to your sonship education, and that you can see the desire that our Father has to educate His sons in His business, and I hope you have a desire to be taught by the Father as you ought, knowing who you are “in Christ”.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2Co 13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
2Co 13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

For further information contact:

Rod Jones
rodjonesinchrist@yahoo.com

Charts by: Mark Newbold trianglebiblechurch.org

Please visit enjoythebible.org for more edification in God’s word of truth.

By Rod Jones

Posted by admin on Jul 19, 2011 in Bible Studies, Studies by Rod Jones | Comments Off

THE ADOPTION OF SONS

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