The Mark Of A Son Or Daughter

If through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.   Romans 8:13-14

When you are in Christ, you are able to destroy the deeds of your sinful nature by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a long campaign with many setbacks, but it will end in victory for all of God’s people.

Paul tells us why it’s so important for us to fight this battle: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14). Notice the word for. For shows that the second half of a statement is an explanation of the first.

The reason you must “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature” is that “all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” In other words, the distinctive mark of the sons and daughters of God is that they follow the Holy Spirit into battle against the deeds of their sinful natures.

When Barnabas is described as the “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36), the word son is describing character. That’s also how we’re to understand the Bible’s description of Adam as “the son of God” (Luke 3:38). Adam was created in the image and likeness of God; he reflected something of God’s glory.

God called Israel his son because the nation was to reflect his character (see Exodus 4:22). That’s why Israel was given the Ten Commandments, which reflect the character of God. As God’s children lived by these laws, his glory would be seen among the nations. But throughout the Old Testament, God’s people turned out to be unlike the Father.

They did not reflect the Father’s glory, so the Father sent someone who did. God himself took human flesh in Christ—the Son of God par excellence. He is the image of the invisible God, the exact representation of his being (see Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The apostle Paul takes up the same language and talks about our being “children of God” (Romans 8:14). Think about that! God wants his character and likeness to be reflected in your life.

For further reading, see John 14