Through the Spirit we call God our Father.

Imagine being born into a very poor family that is also dysfunctional.  A family with no hope, no future that does not care for you. Now imagine that a kind and wealthy couple come to you and offer to take you into their home and family as their own child.  They offer you everything you desperately need, free of charge. All you have to do is believe that the offer is real and agree to it. 

It does sound like a fairy tale, but this is what happens when we trust God’s promises and we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our living Lord.

In Romans 8 Paul explores the wonder, the miracle and the joy of the freedom we have in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit in us.  He assures us that every saved person becomes part of God’s family and enjoys all the privileges of his eternal Son, Jesus our Lord.

We read these comforting words in Romans 8: 14 – 15: Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit given to a child of God. And by the Spirit we cry, "Abba, Father."

According to Paul we became the children of God. We know this because we are led by the Holy Spirit. We have a new family.  God is our Father, Jesus is our friend and Saviour and the Spirit provides us with a sense of “being a child of God” by gracefully working in our inner consciousness. 

Paul tells us that when we are part of God’s family, through faith, the Sprit helps us to act like God’s family.  If a person in faith accepts the offer to be a child of God, he or she soon develops behaviours that are common to the Father's family. The Spirit makes God’s presence known through us as we walk with God every day.  

We are not slaves of sin who fear punishment but we call God by the intimate, personal name which is Father, or even the less formal word, “Abba” that translates to “Daddy”. Praise the Lord! We have a new family and a new Father!

It means that we have a new freedom. No more forced labour for evil or the tyranny of our own human weakness.  Our minds have been changed by the Spirit to love and serve God above all. 

As a result of our relationship with God, we are able to call him Father. Abba! Daddy!