In past messages we have covered the first thirteen verses of Romans 8, and now we come to verse 14. In this verse two things are covered: one is the matter of leading, and the other is the matter of sonship. It reads: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Of course, both God and the Spirit of God are also in this verse, but the crucial points are the leading and the sonship. The little word “for” gives us a clear view that this verse is a conclusion of the preceding verses.
Even up to now, most of us have probably never had a proper realization of the matter of leading. Our way of realizing the matter of the leading makes it so shallow, so general, and not so meaningful to our Christian life. But as such a verse which concludes the first thirteen verses of chapter eight includes the matter of leading, it must be crucial. This is the crucial mentioning of a crucial matter to conclude all the thirteen preceding verses. Although we may not understand those thirteen verses adequately, yet we cannot deny that there are too many crucial points revealed there.
For example, there is the law of the Spirit of life; there is the walking according to the spirit; there is the setting of the mind upon the spirit; there is the residing of the Spirit of God; there is God’s life giving; and there is the putting to death the practices of our mortal body. All these items are crucial; they are not small things. Then after all these crucial and important things are revealed, there is a conclusion that uses the thought of leading. By this you can see that the matter of leading should not be a shallow and insignificant matter. It has to be a crucial matter.
In this message we would not get on the matter of sonship. Once we get on the sonship, it will take many weeks to complete it. Actually verse 14 to the end of the chapter is on the sonship. Verse 29 says, “Because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He should be the Firstborn among many brothers.” Firstborn among many brothers means Firstborn among many sons. Verse 14 says that these are sons of God. Verse 29 indicates that we have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. This is not the only begotten Son, but the firstborn Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers. By comparing these two verses you can see that the last part of this chapter is altogether on sonship.
Now we need to consider why in verse 14 this thought of being led by the Spirit of God is brought in. We need to discover what particular point or points indicate that this portion of the Word will bring us to the matter of the leading of the Spirit of God. It is not so easy. It is not a light matter; it is not a small matter or a shallow matter. Many Christians say they have the leading of the Lord to move here or to go there or to marry a certain person. This kind of concept concerning the leading of the Lord is somewhat religious and shallow. Some Christians would consider that the circumstances or the happenings in our life are always confirmations to God’s leading. In some cases it may be so, but a number of times it may not be.
For example, Paul went to a number of places where he experienced opposition (Acts 13:45, 50; 14:5, 19; 16:19-24; 18:12; 19:29; 21:30). This means that outwardly speaking, the circumstances were opposite to the inner leading. To say that the outward circumstances are always confirmations to the Lord’s leading is not so safe. We have to find the reason that the matter of the leading is clearly revealed in verse 14. It says that “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Sons of God is an expression which shows us the reason why this matter of being led is brought in. Why do we need to be led by the Spirit of God, and why are we led by the Spirit of God? It is because we are sons of God.
Let me illustrate: a monkey behaves itself in a certain kind of way because it is under a kind of leading. It behaves like a monkey because it is born of a monkey. Both dogs and cats also have a certain kind of leading in their behavior. The leading of these animals is based upon the life that they have. Whatever life they have is expressed in the leading. Dogs are led this way or that way simply because they are born of dogs.
If you move somewhere simply because you are a son of God, this is right. If you move for some other reason such as the weather, this is wrong. The matter of leading is brought up in this verse because Paul’s intention is to show us the proper sonship. He shows us what it is to be a genuine son of God. If you consider the previous verses, you can realize that walking according to the spirit is very close to the matter of leading. Walking needs some leading. You cannot just walk without any direction or destination or way. You do not walk blindly without any sense. When I intend to come into the meeting hall I walk under a lead. Walking surely needs the leading. The leading is a kind of guide to our walking. So in verse 4 there is a hint in the matter of walking concerning the matter of leading. To walk according to spirit needs a lead.
Verse 13 reads: “For if you live according to flesh, you are about to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.” By reading this verse carefully you can see that leading is implied. It could also be expressed in this way: you put to death according to the leading of the Spirit. By the Spirit actually means according to the Spirit, according to the leading of the Spirit. Of course, it also includes the power and the strength of the Spirit.
In verses 9 and 11 God resides within us as the Triune God, not only to give us life but also to lead us. He leads us in how to follow His residing and how to follow His life giving. This means if you get into the depths of the first thirteen verses you could see something of the leading of the Spirit is there. If you get into the depths of God’s residing in us and of God giving life to us and our putting to death, you could see that the leading of the Spirit is there. This is why I have said previously that the leading of the Spirit is just the totality of these three things: God’s residing, God’s life giving, plus our putting to death. The divine residing and the life giving by God and your putting to death the practices of the mortal body become the lead. Actually the practices of the mortal body are just the flesh. It is another way to mention the flesh. This one expression, the practices of the mortal body, is the actual flesh. It is the flesh in your actual activity of your daily life. This is the practice of the flesh. Many times our talk concerning the flesh is too doctrinal; it is not practical.
The lead for you to make any kind of decision should not be based upon circumstances or some kind of reasoning. The lead must consist of these three things: the residing of the Spirit, the life giving of God, and the putting to death of your practical and actual flesh. When you are under this threefold lead, you are led by the Spirit. You will know where you have to go and what you have to do. You will know whom you have to marry and at which school you have to study. Many Christian teachers tell people to pray much and to wait upon God to know His leading. I don’t oppose this kind of teaching because there is a certain amount of truth in it.
Let me illustrate. Suppose you are a Christian who is not much under the lead of the residing of Christ, nor under the lead of the life giving, nor under the lead of putting to death. But when you spend some time to pray to God, your prayer will bring you to some extent into the experience of the residing, of the life giving, and of the putting to death. I am not opposing the matter of waiting on God, but this is not stressed in the New Testament. Some have spent time with the Lord talking with Him, and by this their inner sky became so clear. While this may be good, it is somewhat abnormal. The normal way is that every day, every hour, every minute, even every second your sky must be clear. You must be under the clear sky all the time by being under the lead of the residing, by being all the time under the lead of the life giving, and by being all the time under the lead of putting to death. All the time a clear sky is above you and within you. When something comes up, in a sense you don’t need to pray. Right away you know the lead. You know how the threefold lead will lead you and guide you. You are clear.