The Sons of God Led by the Spirit of God
C. Hodge, D.D. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit is everywhere present. He controls all the operations of nature. He operates on the minds of men, endowing and controlling them. He specially operates on the children of God — 1. In renewing them. 2. In imbuing them continually with a new life. 3. In determining their inward and outward life. I. WHAT IS MEANT BY BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT? It is not by blind suggestions or impulses. It is not by a miraculous or abnormal operation, directing what text the eye shall fall upon. The Spirit is the determining principle of the life, and His leading — 1. Is consistent with our rational nature, liberty, and responsibility. 2. Mingles with our consciousness, and determines it, but cannot be distinguished from it. 3. Is not always irresistible. Hence men are said to resist, grieve, quench the Holy Spirit. II. THE RESULT OF IT. 1. The knowledge of the truth — not by inspiration or revelation, but illumination. 2. The love of truth, or the conformity of our hearts to the standard of God's will. 3. The conformity of our outward life to the will of God. (1) It leads to the government of the tongue, the control of the passions, the ordering of the conduct. (2) It gives right views and motives to determine us in all emergencies. (3) It enables us to choose that Christian work for which we are best qualified. III. WHY ARE THOSE WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT THE SONS OF GOD. 1. What is meant by the sons of God? Those who — (1) Partake of His nature by regeneration. (2) Are adopted into His family and made the objects of His parental care and heirs of His kingdom. (3) Governed by a filial as opposed to a slavish spirit. 2. Why are such led by the Spirit? Because(1) Submission to the spirit of our whole inward and outward life is the only evidence of our sonship. (2) The Holy Spirit is in His nature the Spirit of adoption. He is not a servile Spirit, but the Spirit of the Son, and therefore sent into sons. Those only who are actuated by this filial Spirit are the sons of God, i.e., are such in their inward character and temper. (3) In so far as sonship involves the idea of exaltation, power, blessing, etc., the indwelling of the Spirit is the immediate source of all these distinctions. IV. THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS ON OUR PART IN ORDER TO THIS GUIDANCE. 1. We must renounce our own guidance and that of others, whether of the world, Church, or individuals. 2. We must submit to, and have full faith in, the guidance of the Spirit. (C. Hodge, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. WEB: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.