"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
knowledge..." (Ephesians 3:18, 19). It all ultimates in our being "filled unto all the fullness of God." 7. We find a still further thought about the Holy Spirit's power in Romans 8:14, R.V., "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." The Holy Spirit has power to lead us into a holy life, a life as "sons of God", a godlike life. Not merely does the Holy Spirit gives us power to live a holy life, a life well-pleasing to God when we have discovered what that life is: He takes us by the hand, as it were, and leads us into that life. Our whole part is simply to surrender ourselves utterly to Him to lead and to mould us. Those who do this are not merely God's offspring, which all men are (Acts 17:28); neither are we merely God's children: "These are sons of God." 8. Further down in the chapter there is a new thought. Romans 8:16, R.V., "The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." The Holy Spirit bears witness with the spirit of the believer that he is a child of God. Note that Paul does not say that the Spirit bears witness to our spirit, but with it--"together with our spirit," is the exact force of the words used. That is, there are two who bears witness to our sonship: First, our spirit bears witness that we are children of God; second, the Holy Spirit bears witness together with our spirit that we are children of God. How does the Holy Spirit bear His testimony to this fact? Galatians 4:6 answers this question, "And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (R.V.). The Holy Spirit Himself enters into our hearts and cries, "Abba, Father." Note the order of the Spirit's work in Romans 8:2,4,13,14,16. It is only when "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (v.2), and so "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled" in me "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (v.4), and I "through the Spirit of God do mortify the deeds of the body" (v. 13), and when I am surrendered to the Spirit's leading (v.14), it is then, and only then, that I can expect verse 16 to be realized in my experience, and that I have the clear assurance of sonship that comes from the Spirit of God testifying together with my spirit, that I am a child of God. There are many seeking this testimony of the Holy Spirit in the wrong place; namely, as a condition of their surrendering wholly to God, and confessing the crucified and risen Lord as their Saviour and Lord. The testimony of the Holy Spirit to our sonship comes after all this is done. 9. An exceedingly important thought about the Holy Spirit's power is found in Galatians 5:22,23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." The Holy Spirit brings forth in the believer Christlike graces of character (Compare Romans 5:5; 14:17; 15:13). All real beauty of character, all real Christlikeness in us, is the Holy Spirit's work. It is His "fruit." He bears it; not we. Note that these graces are not said to be the fruits of the Spirit; they are the "fruit." There is a unity of origin running all through the multiplicity of