21. On this "spirit of adoption," that is on what the apostle means
when he says "whereby we cry, Abba, Father," I have spoken at some
length in my sermon on the text Galatians 4, 6, where the same words
are used. In short, Paul describes here the power of the kingdom of
Christ, the real work and the true exalted worship the Holy Spirit
effects in believers: the comfort by which the heart is freed from
the terror and fear of sin and given peace, and the heartfelt
supplication which in faith expects of God an answer and his help.
These blessings cannot be secured through the Law or our own
holiness. By such means man could never obtain the comfort of God's
grace and love to him; he would always remain in fear and dread of
wrath and condemnation, and, because of such doubt, would flee from
God, not daring to call upon him. But where there is faith in Christ,
there the Holy Spirit brings the comfort spoken of, and a childlike
trust which does not doubt that God is gracious and will answer
prayer, because he has promised all these--grace and help, comfort,
and answer to prayer--not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the
sake of the name and merit of Christ, his Son.
22. Of these two works of the Holy Spirit, comfort and supplication,
the prophet Zechariah (ch. 12, 10) said that God would establish a
new dispensation in the kingdom of Christ when he should pour out
"the spirit of grace and of supplication." The spirit he speaks of is
the same who assures us that we are God's children, and desires us to
cry to him with heartfelt supplications.
23. The Hebrew word "Abba"--which, as the apostle himself interprets
it, means "Father"--is the word which the tiny heir lisps in
childlike confidence to its father, calling him "Ab, Ab"; for it is
the easiest word the child can learn to speak: or, as the old German
language has it, almost easier still, "Etha, Etha." Such simple,
childlike words faith uses toward God through the Holy Spirit, but
they proceed out of the depth of the heart and, as afterwards stated,
"with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom 8, 26. Especially is
this the case when the doubtings of the flesh and the terrors and
torments of the devil bring conflict and distress. Man must defend
himself against these and cries out: O dear Father! Thou art, indeed,
my Father, for thou hast given thine only and beloved Son for me.
Thou wilt not be angry with me or disown me. Or: Thou seest my
distress and my weakness; do thou help and save me.
"The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
children of God."
24. That we are children of God and may confidently regard ourselves
as such, we do not learn from ourselves nor from the Law. We learn it
from the witness of the Spirit, who, in spite of the Law and of our
unworthiness, testifies to it in our weakness and assures us of it.
This witness is the experience within ourselves of the power of the
Holy Spirit working through the Word, and the knowledge that our
experience accords with the Word and the preaching of the Gospel. For
thou art surely aware whether or no, when thou art in fear and
distress, thou dost obtain comfort from the Gospel, and art able to
overcome thy doubts and terror; to so overcome that thy heart is
assured of God's graciousness, and thou no longer fleest from him,
but canst cheerfully call upon him in faith, expecting help. Where
such a faith exists, consciousness of help must follow. So Saint Paul
says, Rom 5, 4-5: "Stedfastness worketh approvedness; and
approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame."
25. This is the true inward witness by which thou mayest perceive
that the Holy Spirit is at work in thee. In addition to this, thou
hast also external witnesses and signs: for instance, it is a witness
of the Holy Spirit in thee that he gives thee special gifts, acute
spiritual understanding, grace and success in thy calling; that thou
hast pleasure and delight in God's Word, confessing it before the
world at the peril of life and limb; that thou hatest and resistest
ungodliness and sin. Those who have not the Holy Spirit are neither
willing nor able to do these things. It is true, that even in the
Christian, these things are accomplished in great weakness; but the
Holy Spirit governs them in their weakness, and strengthens in them
this witness, as Paul says again: "The Spirit also helpeth our
infirmity." Rom 8, 26.