If you thought of any of the following, you are wrong. If you thought I’m a failure, I’m ashamed, I’m unworthy, I’m no good, I don’t deserve God’s love or forgiveness. Let me say this is not what God sees when He looks down upon a person who has accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. What God sees when He looks upon a Believer is the Blood of Jesus, which cleanses and redeems a son or daughter. You are the beloved child of God and forever in the family of God!

One of the great challenges of being a Christian is trying to live a sinless life. Living a sinless life is a lifelong struggle and at times, a very difficult challenge. While a sinless life is impossible to achieve in this life, we should always strive for that goal! Living righteously is the sure path to peace, success, and love in your life.

We understand that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has erased all of our sins, and we are new creations in Him; however, we still deal with temptation and sliding back to our old ways. I heard someone say recently, “we may be done with sin, but sin is not done with us.” In other words. we still have to deal with temptations and trials of the flesh; we know that they come from the enemy of our soul Satan. The Devil’s purpose is to cause us to feel defeated and condemned! When we feel condemned and defeated, we often pull away from the Lord; that is the Devil’s strategy. We feel so unworthy of God and ashamed, we spiral into a downward fall that draws us away from the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of Jesus Christ. 

Romans 8 gives us four essential principles to receive by faith, and if we learn to walk by these four principles, we will indeed be able to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” because He loves me and at the same time He’s not finished with me.

The first principle is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. It is worth repeating that you have to accept the truth and believe by faith that the Holy Spirit lives in you. The Holy Spirit is your helper to overcome temptation and break old unrighteous habits. You can’t do it without Him; He is your helper and comforter. When you stumble and fall into sinful behavior, the Holy Spirit will not abandon you because He is in you. The Holy Spirit will convict you, strengthen you and urge you to repent and turn away from that behavior that displeases the Lord. You can’t do it alone.

The second principle is that we need to recognize that we have a new position in our relationships with the Lord, “we are sons!” Sonship will be the subject of today’s message.

The third principle is that life is a struggle! It is sometimes hard and unfair; however, you are never alone. Jesus promised that He would never leave you nor forsake you. He is present in you through the Holy Spirit.

The fourth principle is the fact that nothing and no one can separate you from the love that God has for you! The Lord’s love is total and absolute. You are unconditionally loved!

Let’s Look at the second principle, What it Means that We are Viewed as Sons by the Lord!

Romans Chapter 8:12-17

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 

The Seal of The Father is the Evidence of Our Adoption.

The evidence of our salvation is the Holy Spirit of God living in us. Christianity is not a religion of rites, traditions, and formalities, but a living relationship with our Lord. The Holy Spirit is the evidence of our “sealing” by the Lord. 

• 2 Corinthians 1:21 “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

• Ephesians 1:13” In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Our Position as Sons

The Apostle Paul states in clear terms who his faith is in. His faith is not in a church building, a denomination, or the beliefs of some leader. Instead, Paul’s faith is in one person- “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1Corinthians 2:2).

1. We are adopted as sons. 
2. “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” (Ephesians 1:5).
3. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

• Jesus is The Son of God, and we are His brothers. “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:10-11).

• Because of our sonship position, we have access to God.
  • “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

Son vs. Stranger

         Remember the question at the beginning “When God looks down on you, what do you think He sees?” The Apostle Paul did not define himself by what he did or thought, but he defined himself by what God said of him. God said he was a son, and therefore Paul chose to live as a son! Paul saw himself as a son who decided to serve his Father. Isn’t this what Jesus demonstrated for us throughout His life in His obedience to Father God? “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

Let’s take a closer look at God’s idea that we are sons in Galatians 3:26-29.

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”.

• Notice in verse 28 God makes no distinction of position, gender, status, or reputation. All that is required is to be in Christ. 
• Notice also that God does not distinguish between male or female. That means that sonship is not about gender but position in Christ. It may seem odd to us, but it is perfectly acceptable to God that a female can be a son in position!
• In verse 29, sons are declared to be heirs. That means we have access to the promises of God because only sons inherit.

Paul continues to teach about sonship in Galatians 4:4-7

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,   crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.

1. Success as a Christian happens when you understand that your identity is to live by faith as a son!
   1. You are not defined by what you do but by what God says of you… you are a son!  
   1. An illustration of believing God- Private Chauvin 

 In the early 1800s there was a story about Nicolas Chauvin, a private in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army.  Private Chauvin was standing at attention while King Napoleon reviewed the troops riding on his white horse. For some reason, the horse became startled, Napoleon dropped the reins, and the horse ran out of control with Napoleon still on the horse. Immediately Private Chauvin ran after the King, grabbed the reins, calmed the horse, and brought Napoleon to safety.

Napoleon said, “What is your name soldier”? To which Chauvin said, “My name is Private Chauvin, sir.” The King then said, “Thank you Captain Chauvin.” Immediately Chauvin went to his quarters, took off his enlisted uniform, and replaced it with an officer’s uniform, that of a Captain! His fellow soldiers began to ridicule him and challenged his right to wear the uniform of an officer. To which Captain Chauvin said, “I have the right to wear this uniform because My King called me Captain”! Your King calls you son!

• As a son, you inherit the promises of God. Write down these scripture verses and study them to strengthen your faith and walk in the Lord!
  • Your Father is God (Matthew 5:16, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:8, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:36).
  • You have access to the Throne Room of God (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:12).
  • God’s Holy Spirit dwells in you (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, 1Corinthians 3:16, 1Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 5:18, 2Timothy 1:14).
  • Supernatural power and authority are available to you to fulfill God’s ministry, mission, or assignment(Luke 10:19-20, John 16:7, Acts 1:8, 2Corinthians 12:9, 1John 4:4).
  • You are anointed for service (2Corinthians 1:21)

Jesus Christ purchased your Position as a son. His death on the cross of Calvary opened a door into a New Covenant that describes our new relationship with God.