What has the Christian saint not received?
A spirit of bondage leading again into fear. From the context, it seems Paul is referring to the Law of Moses which, working together with the law of sin abiding in the parts of our body, brings us into bondage and death. 26. What has the Christian saint received? A spirit of adoption that causes him to exclaim, “My Father!” 27. What do the Holy Spirit and our spirit both testify? That we are children of God. 28. What is true of us if we indeed are God’s own children? We are God’s heirs, coheirs with Christ of God’s possessions. 29. What is necessary if we are to realize our coheirship with Christ? We must be sharing His sufferings so we may share His glory, being glorified together with Him. The incorruptible life and glory for which we are hoping proceeds only from participation in Christ’s death. Attainment to the first resurrection, the resurrection of the royal priesthood, flows from conformity to Christ’s death (Revelation 20:6). Christ died and rose again two thousand years ago.
