Rom 8:8-17 The second Reading for Pentecost Sunday
[Rom 8:9-17] You, however, live not by your natural inclinations, but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you. Indeed, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But when Christ is in
you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead has made his home in you, then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give
life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the habits originating in the body, you will have life.
All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, `Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself joins
with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, provided that we share his suffering, so as to share in his glory.
We read again:
All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, `Abba, Father!'
What is my image of God? This is such an important question. There are many Biblical images of God. In the old Testament God is El Shaddai, the remote and hidden one who is feared. To go near the mountain was to incur death. To touch the Arc of the Covenant was to die.
In the new Testament God is Emmanuel – God with us. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus has taught us that God is Father, Abba, and today in the second Reading the Holy Spirit is teaching us that through the Spirit of Jesus we are adopted children of God. We are truly family of God. We are rightful heirs in the Royal family. And we have a Father who has adopted us. There is no distance in the relationship. He is Dad (Abba) and we are children.
I pray that the Spirit of Jesus teaches me how to relate to God the Father as His child in the simple trusting call of a child. As Abba He is waiting for me.
[Rom 8:9-17] You, however, live not by your natural inclinations, but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you. Indeed, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But when Christ is in
you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead has made his home in you, then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give
life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the habits originating in the body, you will have life.
All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, `Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself joins
with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, provided that we share his suffering, so as to share in his glory.
We read again:
All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, `Abba, Father!'
What is my image of God? This is such an important question. There are many Biblical images of God. In the old Testament God is El Shaddai, the remote and hidden one who is feared. To go near the mountain was to incur death. To touch the Arc of the Covenant was to die.
In the new Testament God is Emmanuel – God with us. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus has taught us that God is Father, Abba, and today in the second Reading the Holy Spirit is teaching us that through the Spirit of Jesus we are adopted children of God. We are truly family of God. We are rightful heirs in the Royal family. And we have a Father who has adopted us. There is no distance in the relationship. He is Dad (Abba) and we are children.
I pray that the Spirit of Jesus teaches me how to relate to God the Father as His child in the simple trusting call of a child. As Abba He is waiting for me.
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