THE SPIRIT HIMSELF BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT: auto to pneuma summarturei (3SPAI) to pneumati hemon: (23,26; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 1 John 4:13) (2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 John 3:19-22; 5:10)

The KJV translation as “the Spirit itself” is explained by the fact that the Greek word “spirit” (pneuma) is neuter in gender; the personal pronoun according to the rules of Greek grammar must agree with its antecedent in gender, therefore, the translation “itself.” The translators followed a slavish, idiomatic method of translation here instead of translating according to sense. The Holy Spirit is a Person. The pronoun should be rendered “Himself.”

A comparison of verse 15-16 will bring out an important truth concerning the assurance of salvation. All too often a believer may come to the point of doubting his salvation because his sanctification has proceeded so slowly and so lamely. The Spirit, however, does not base his assuring testimony on progress or the lack of it in the Christian life. He does not lead us to cry, "I am God's child." Rather, he leads us to call upon God as Father, to look away from ourselves to him who established the relationship.

Barclay writes that Paul...

"uses still another picture from Roman adoption. He says that God’s spirit witnesses with our spirit that we really are his children. The adoption ceremony was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses. Now, suppose the adopting father died and there was some dispute about the right of the adopted son to inherit, one or more of the seven witnesses stepped forward and swore that the adoption was genuine. Thus the right of the adopted person was guaranteed and he entered into his inheritance. So, Paul is saying, it is the Holy Spirit himself who is the witness to our adoption into the family of God."

THAT WE ARE CHILDREN (born ones) OF GOD: hoti esmen (1PPAI) tekna theou:

Believers also are His children (tekna = “born ones”) by the new birth (Jn1:12,13 1Jn3:1,v2). The Holy Spirit bears testimony to our human spirit that we are children of God (teknon), without article, thus, children of God by nature), and our Spirit-energized spirit thus joins the Holy Spirit in a joint-testimony to that fact.

It is manifested, as Olshausen beautifully says,

 ‘in His comforting us, His stirring us up to prayer, His reproof of our sins, His drawing us to works of love, to bear testimony before the world, etc. On this direct testimony of the Holy Ghost rests, ultimately, all the regenerate man’s conviction respecting Christ and His work.’ ”

Wesley’s famous experience on May 24, 1738 occurred while listening to Luther’s preface to Romans, he felt his heart “strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

He certainly does that through the inner work of illumination and sanctification, as well as through the longing for communion with God. But here Paul does not have in mind just some mystical small voice saying we are saved. Rather, he may be referring to the fruit of the Spirit (Ga5:22,23), which, when the Spirit produces it, gives the believer assurance. Or, he may be thinking of the power for service (Acts 1:8), which when experienced is evidence of the Spirit’s presence, thus assuring one of salvation.

The nineteenth-century British pastor Billy Bray seemed never to have lacked that inner testimony. He had been converted from a life of drunken debauchery while reading John Bunyan’s Visions of Heaven and Hell. He was so continuously overjoyed by God’s grace and goodness that he said, “I can’t help praising the Lord. As I go along the street, I lift up one foot, and it seems to say, ‘Glory.’ And I lift up the other, and it seems to say, ‘Amen.’ And so they keep on like that all the time I am walking.”

"Children" (teknon) emphasizes family relationship based on regeneration, while "sons" (huios) stresses legal standing. A final truth about adoption is that it involves an inheritance (v17). In line with current legal provisions that enabled even a slave, once adopted, to inherit his master's possessions, Paul teaches that the Christian follows a similar course: a slave (to sin), a child, then an heir (v15-17; cf. Ga4:6, 7). How unexpected and how breathtaking is the gracious provision of God! The marvel increases with the news that we are co-heirs with Christ. Sharing his sufferings may be looked at as simply the cost of discipleship. Yet it has a brighter aspect, because it is the prelude to partaking with him of the coming glory (cf. 1Pe4:13).

HEIRS ALSO HEIRS OF GOD: kai kleronomoi kleronomoi men theou: (Matthew 25:21; Luke 22:29,30; John 17:24; 1 Co2:9; 3:22,23; Rev3:21; 21:7)

The cry of "Abba" is the first mark of new life in Jesus Christ, the sign of being a Christian, the sign of being a child of God -- you know the Father. But the sign of a son is somewhat different. The sign of a son of God is that he is an heir of God, and has begun to possess and enjoy his inheritance. I realize that the son and the child are the same person. If you are a child, this also makes you the potential heir -- this is certainly true. But there is a difference between entering into the full possession of your inheritance and simply having it held in abeyance for you until you reach your age of majority. This is what the apostle is talking about here. In other words, until you begin to live in the fullness of the Spirit of God, you are like a minor child who has not yet entered into his inheritance. For it is those "who are led by the Spirit of God" who "are the sons of God." This is what he is talking about all along. Paul is trying to urge us to enter into our inheritance.

This picture that he draws comes from the Roman custom of adopting their children. A Roman father, if he had male children, never referred to them as his sons until they were of age. They were his children, but they were not his sons. But, when they became of age (which was about 14 in the Roman system) he took them down to the public forum, and, there, they were publicly adopted by their own father and thereafter regarded as his heirs. They entered into participation in their father's business, and had a share in his inheritance. This is what Paul is referring to here. As long as we are just children of God we know the Father, we are in the family of God, but we never begin to enter into our inheritance until we learn to walk in the Spirit as sons of God.

William Newell has a thoughtful comment on the phrase...

"If born-ones, then heirs--We have noted that the word for children here, tekna, is different from the word for adult-sons (huioi) of v14. The word indicates the fact that we are really begotten of God through His Word by His Spirit, and are partakers of His nature. Heirship is from relationship. The young ruler who came running to the Lord saying, "What good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" was a perfect example of a legalist. Indeed, Nicodemus, beloved man, "understood not these things"--of being born again. Now, if a man is really a child of God by begetting and birth, he becomes indissolubly God's heir! This is a fact of such overwhelming magnitude that our poor hearts hardly grasp it. It is said of no angel, cherub, or seraph, that he is an heir of God. Believer, if you will reflect, meditate deeply, on this, I am born of God; I am one of His heirs! earthly things will shrink to nothing. Now, J. D. Rockefeller, Jr., has inherited his father's wealth: why? Because he was his father's born son. The young ruler said, "What must I do to inherit?" a contradiction in itself!" (Romans 8: Expository Notes Verse by Verse) (Bolding added)

As Christians, we need to begin to see that salvation never really begins to make sense until we start acting as mature sons of God. This is when our salvation begins to count -- when we enter into the wonderful liberty of the sons of God.

Ray Stedman asks...

"Well," you say, "can you own something that you don't possess?" Oh, yes. I have just been working through my library, and I find that I own a lot of books that I don't possess. I own the books but I don't have them; they are not in my possession. They have been loaned out, and others have them in their libraries. But, also, as I was going through my library, I found a two-volume set that had been given to me by my uncle some time ago. When I opened the cover I discovered that it was a Christmas gift to my great-grandfather, who was a preacher, given to him by his son on Christmas in 1863 -- almost a hundred years ago. Now I have that book, and, in that sense, I am my great grandfather's heir -- I own what was once his. This is what the apostle is talking about when he says that when we begin live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, and are led by the Spirit, we become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ: What once was his now becomes ours. As you read through the record of the life of Jesus, you are struck with that remarkable life that he lived -- the compelling power of his words, the tenderness of his actions, the courage and manliness of his deeds, his keen insight into human nature, the marvelous calm and poise that was his in every circumstance, the unforgettable impact that he made upon everyone. What is the secret of a life like that? Wouldn't you like to discover it? What are the hidden resources of this sinless life, mighty in word and deed? Is it because he was himself the Son of God, God the Son now come into human flesh? Is his deity the reason he had such a wonderful life? Well, the strange thing is, as you read through the Gospels, you discover that the one thing he kept saying about himself was that he himself was nothing: When they challenged him about his healing of the impotent man, he said, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do," {Jn5:19b KJV}. And when they challenged him on the judgment that he passed, he said, "I can of my own self do nothing," {cf, Jn5:30a KJV}. Over and over this was his continual plea -- that, as the Son, he did nothing. You see, in all that wonderful ministry of his, he was simply living in fellowship with an indwelling Father. He shows us, in his life, that man was intended to be a son of God like that. The true son is one who himself is nothing, but who lives in continual dependence upon an indwelling one within who does everything -- both of them distinct beings, both of them thinking, and feeling, and willing, and acting -- yet one is nothing and the other is all.

And then he said, "As the Father has sent me, even so send I you," {cf, Jn20:21 KJV}, i.e. "as the Father lived in the Son, so Christ lives in the believer today." The same wonderful secret that made him mighty in word and deed is the same secret that is available to every believer in Jesus Christ who desires to enter into the full inheritance that we have in him. I hope that you can see that this is not some pleasing and convenient addition to life which we can take or leave. This is not something optional -- there is no other life than this! Anything else than this is living death. The Bible declares it, and experience confirms it. "Without me," Jesus said, "you can do nothing," {cf, Jn15:5 KJV}. This is a fundamental necessity if I am ever to know life, and live it to the full. That is why Paul puts this right in the very center of the book of Romans -- this is the essential thing! Immediately, the shattering revelation is made that, if you and I begin to live this kind of life, it will lead inevitably into some kind of suffering. Did you notice that?"

AND FELLOW HEIRS WITH CHRIST: sugkleronomoi de Christou:

"With Christ" God appointed His Son to be heir of all things (Heb1:2). Every adopted child will receive by divine grace the full inheritance Christ receives by divine right (cf. Mt25:21 Jn17:22 2Co8:9). The rich young ruler asked Jesus, what must I do to inherit? (Lu18:18). But the rich young ruler missed the point, because inheritance is not a matter of doing, it is a matter of being - of being in the right family. Are you a child of God yet living with the attitude of the rich young ruler?

In many families children inherit their parents’ estates; each child is an heir and the children together are co-heirs. Similarly, since Christians are God’s children, they are His heirs (Ga4:7), and they are co-heirs with Christ. They are recipients of all spiritual blessings (Ep1:3) now, and in the future they will share with the Lord Jesus in all the riches of God’s kingdom (Jn17:24 1Co3:21-23).

William Newell comments on "heirs of God...fellow heirs

"I could not have the presumption-to write these words if they were not in God's holy Book. That a guilty, lost, wretched child of Adam the First should have written of him, a joint-heir with Christ, the Eternal Maker of all things, the Well-beloved of the Father, the Righteous One, the Prince of life--only God the God of all grace could prepare such a destiny for such a creature. And, we may humbly say, perhaps, that God could only do this by joining us in eternal union with His beloved Son, as the Last Adam, the Second Man; having released us from Adam the First and all his connections, at the cross, and having placed us in Christ Risen, in all the boundless and everlasting rights of His dear Son, whom He has "appointed heir of all things!" Ages after ages of ever-increasing blessing forever and forever and forever, lie in prospect for believers--for the joint-heirs!!" (Romans 8: Expository Notes Verse by Verse)

IF (since, as is the fact) INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM: eiper sumpaschomen (1PPAI) hina kai sundoxasthomen (1PAPS): (Mt16:24; Lu24:26; Jn12:25,26; Ac14:22; 2 Co4:8-12; Php1:29; 2Ti2:10-14)

The "birthmark" of a child of God. Proof of the believer’s ultimate glory is that he suffers—whether it comes as mockery, ridicule, or physical persecution—because of His Lord (Jn15:18-21 2Co4:17 2Ti3:12 Php1:29). Suffering is an expression of our union with Christ, i.e., we are to suffer with him. This is very important because just suffering alone is not the thing that accomplishes anything in our life, but it is suffering with Christ that does it. There can be a lot of suffering that goes on in your life and mine that is not with him, but it is only the suffering that is with him that accomplishes anything. If his life is in us, and expresses itself through us, then we are bound to suffer because his life is love -- and love always suffers in an imperfect world. In fact, the test of true love is willingness to suffer. (SEE NOTE under Suffer)

John MacArthur explains that...

Self-centered Christians who serve the Lord halfheartedly seldom have to pay a price for their faith. They are of little threat to Satan’s work because they are of little benefit to Christ’s. (I would dare take this thought a step further and say could it be that one who never ever has had to suffer for his faith in Messiah may not be a genuine partaker of Christ? Why would the Spirit teach in so many places it is he that holds fast to the end who is a partaker of Christ [Heb3:14]...who is His house [Heb 3:6]?)

Kenneth Wuest emphasizes that

the “If” in this verse introduces "a fulfilled condition. That is, the Spirit constantly bears testimony in company with our spirit that we are children of God, and since children, also heirs, on the one hand, heirs of God, on the other hand, joint-heirs with Christ, the identifying mark of heirship, suffering together with Christ in order that we, the believer and Christ, may be glorified together."

Marvin Vincent says that...

"Roman law made all children including adopted ones, equal inheritors. Jewish law gave a double portion to the eldest son. The Roman law was naturally in Paul’s mind, and suits the context, where adoption is the basis of inheritance.”

On the phrase, “suffer with Him,” Vincent adds that

"Mere suffering does not fulfill the condition. It is suffering with Christ.”

Denney says;

“The inheritance attached to divine sonship is attained only on the condition expressed in the clause, ‘if so be we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.’… Paul was sure of it in his own case, and took it for granted in that of others. Those who share Christ’s sufferings now will share His glory hereafter; and in order to share His glory hereafter, it is necessary to begin by sharing His sufferings here.”

IN ORDER THAT WE MAY ALSO BE GLORIFIED WITH HIM: hina kai sundoxasthomen (1PAPS):

Some believe that the more a believer suffers in this life for the sake of his Lord, the greater will be his capacity for glory in heaven. Jesus made this relationship clear in [Mt20:21-23], when He told James, John, and their mother that elevation to prominence in the future kingdom will be related to experiencing the depths of the cup of suffering through humiliation here and now. As with the relationship between works and rewards (1Co3:12-15), the spiritual quality of our earthly life will, in some divinely determined way, affect the quality of our heavenly life.

John MacArthur comments

"It should be added that since the ultimate destiny of believers is to glorify God, it seems certain that our heavenly rewards and glory in essence will be capacities for glorifying Him."

The suffering in this life creates reactions that reflect the genuine condition of the soul. God allows suffering to drive believers to dependence on Him-an evidence of their true salvation. Suffering because of our faith not only gives evidence that we belong to God and are destined for heaven but also is a type of preparation for heaven.

Wayne Barber explains that

"The word "heir" ("heirs of God") is the word that means you've got to be a member of the family to qualify. Fellow In the Hebrew mindset the idea of a "double portion" was linked with inheritance, but not in the Roman way of thinking which spoke of equal shares. Everything given to Christ we share in equally…we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  So free from the condemnation of the FLESH, the control of the flesh and the coercion of the flesh. As we allow the Holy Spirit to control us, we realize in practice all these freedoms that we already have been given IN CHRIST.  Now we have been brought into the FAMILY OF GOD, been given a "garment of righteousness" to wear, possess His promised Spirit dwelling within us and one day soon will be taken to a place that "EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." (1Cor2:9). So how in the world could you even think about going back and living like you used to live doing things of which you are now ashamed. You have been absolutely born from above, changed from within & made to live as one set free from Flesh's condemnation, control & coercion. We need to pray that God would open the eyes of our heart to understand that we access God's grace by faith and that when we turn to God and not to the Law or to our Flesh, casting ourselves upon God's unchanging truth and His faithful character, THEN we began to realize and walk in the victory that has been there all along IN CHRIST. When you look at this verse, it doesn't say that He suffers with us but that we suffer with Him. The suffering that Paul is describing here is that which comes from our identifying by choice with Jesus Christ. Paul expresses a similar idea in 2 Cor 4:10 "always carrying about in the body THE DYING OF JESUS, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Cor 1:5 "For just as THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST ARE OURS in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." Php 3:10 "that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, being conformed to His death". 1 Pet 4:13 "but to the degree that you SHARE THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation." John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you." Christ is the real target of persecution so in (Ro8:17) Paul is referring to the suffering that comes to us as He lives His life through us. Suffering is guaranteed. But the good news is that we are JOINT HEIRS with Him so that whatever was given to Him to enable Him to suffer, will be given to us to enable us to suffer.