Heirs of Abba…Yet Still in This Body

There is something I have been thinking about lately.

Scripture tells us that we have received the Spirit of adoption and that by that same Spirit we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

We are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are also heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. That is an incredible thing to consider.

But here we are, still living in these human bodies and still dealing with the flesh. We still struggle. We still feel the pull of our old nature. We still have thoughts, attitudes, and desires that need to be surrendered to the Lord.

Paul doesn't hide any of that.

He tells us the wonderful truth that we are God's children, while at the same time telling us that by the Spirit we must put to death the deeds of the body.

That has caused me to think about something.

If I really understand that I am a child of God, an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, what keeps that knowledge from becoming pride?

I think the answer is grace.

I didn't earn my place in God's family. I didn't accomplish something that caused Him to adopt me.

I received it.

Paul asks a very simple question in 1 Corinthians:

“What do you have that you did not receive?”

That question has a way of putting things back into perspective. Everything I have from God is a gift.

The Holy Spirit is the One who reveals to us that God is our Father. And if that revelation truly comes from the Holy Spirit, it shouldn't cause us to think more highly of ourselves. It should make us incredibly grateful.

At the same time, I am still very aware of my flesh.

Romans 7 gives us such an honest picture of that struggle. Paul knew what it was to want to do one thing and find himself wrestling with something else.

I understand that struggle. Maybe we all do.

Knowing that I still need the Lord every single day doesn't leave much room for boasting. If anything good is being produced in my life, I know where it came from.

It came from Him.

I also think there is something beautiful about the word “Abba.” It reminds me that I am a child.

A child is dependent on his father. He trusts his father. He looks to his father for provision, direction, protection, and wisdom.

There is tremendous security in knowing that I belong to my Father. But that security doesn't have to produce arrogance.

It can produce gratitude.

And then I look at Jesus.

If we are joint-heirs with Christ, then we should also look at the way Christ lived. Jesus humbled Himself. He obeyed the Father. He served. He surrendered. He went to the cross.

So if I am becoming more like Jesus, shouldn't my life begin to look more like that too?

The flesh will always look for a reason to take credit. Even something as wonderful as understanding who we are in Christ can become something the flesh tries to use for pride.

That is why we continue to need the Holy Spirit.

The same Spirit who tells me that I am a son of God is also the Spirit who reminds me that I can do nothing apart from Him. The same Spirit who gives me confidence to call God “Abba, Father” also teaches me to depend upon my Father.

I don't think those two truths oppose one another anymore. I think they belong together.

I can know completely that I am His child while also knowing completely that everything I have came from Him.

Loved, but dependent.

An heir, but still surrendered.

Confident in who my Father is, without needing to make much of myself.

That is something worth sitting with for a while. Especially in the quiet place.

Because the longer I sit with Him, the more I realize how much of this life really is a gift.