As sons of God, we have received the spirit of sonship with the sonship (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5-6). Sonship is a matter of being a son. The sons of God have the life, the position, the right, the privilege, and the blessings of a son. The spirit of sonship is the spirit of being a son. If we did not have such a spirit but only a mind, there would not be a way for us to be the sons of God. It is possible for us to be sons of God only in our spirit, which has become a spirit of sonship. When we were regenerated, we received the spirit of sonship with the sonship. Therefore, now we have the being of a son of God.
Romans 8:15 tells us, “You have not received a spirit of slavery to fear again, but you have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father.” We received this spirit of sonship by the Spirit of the Son of God coming into our spirit. Because the Spirit of the Son of God has entered our spirit and we have been born of the Spirit in our spirit, our spirit has become a spirit of sonship. It is difficult to determine whether this spirit refers to the divine Spirit or to the human spirit. Actually, this spirit is a mingled spirit.
Galatians 4:5 reveals that God sent His Son that “He might redeem those under law, that we might receive the sonship.” Furthermore, God has sent forth the Spirit to impart His life into us that we might become His sons in reality. Basically sonship is a matter of life. The position and right of sons depend on the life. In order for us to enjoy God’s sonship, we need the Spirit. Apart from the Spirit, we cannot be born of God to have the divine life. After we have been born of the Spirit, we need the Spirit in order to grow in life. Without the Spirit we cannot have the position, right, or privilege of sonship. All the crucial points concerning sonship depend on the Spirit. By the Spirit we have the divine birth and the divine life. Through the Spirit we grow unto maturity. Because of the Spirit we have the position, right, and privilege of sonship. When the Spirit comes, the sonship is made real, and we fully realize God’s sonship in life, maturity, position, and right.
According to the New Testament, every son of God has a destiny, and this destiny is glory. We have been destined unto glory. Hebrews 2:10 reveals that God is “leading many sons into glory.” The last step of God’s great salvation is to bring His many sons into glory. We are sons of God, but we are not yet in glory. Therefore, the Triune God is still working to bring His many sons into glory.
Romans 8:21 speaks of “the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” One day the children of God will be glorified, brought into glory. With that glory there will be freedom, and that freedom will be a kingdom, sphere, realm, into which we shall be brought. When we are brought into this freedom, or kingdom, or glory, creation will be delivered from vanity, corruption, and slavery.
This glory is related to the redemption of our body, which is the full sonship (Rom. 8:23). Our body has not yet been redeemed, but one day it will be transfigured into a glorious body (Phil. 3:21). This full redemption of our body is the full sonship. Our spirit has been born of God, but our body has not yet been brought into sonship. The entire universe is eagerly expecting the final part of our redemption. The creation wants to see all the sons of God brought into glory to enjoy their full sonship.
All the sons of God will be brought into this glory. Then as the glorified sons of God, we shall shine with the glory of God. This is the full salvation for all who believe in Christ. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will eventually become a glorified son of God bearing the righteousness of God outwardly, being saturated with the holiness of God inwardly, and shining in the realm of His full glory as one of His sons. The day of our glorification will be the time of the revelation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19). At that time we shall enter into the freedom of the glory of God. We shall enjoy full liberation and shine with God’s glory. In this glory God will be expressed in a full way. This will be the ultimate issue of the dispensing of the Triune God.
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