Our identity, acceptance, and approval comes from being IN CHRIST. As Jesus is, so are we. As much as He is loved and accepted, so are we.
“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:6-7)1
This verse is saying that the Holy Spirit Himself cries out of our hearts, “Daddy!” It’s an earnest, intense declaration of our belonging and our intimacy in the family. The presence of the Spirit of God inside proves that we are sons and daughters of God. The spirit of sonship brings with it a sense that we are right with God. The spirit of a slave brings with it the sense that we need to perform to earn the right to be in God’s presence. There is no way to be at ease in the presence of our heavenly Daddy if we feel undeserving.
Under law, God was the Judge. Under grace, God is our Father. As sons we do not need to fear judgment from God.
“For you did not receive a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of sonship by which we cry out Abba Father.” (Romans 8:15)
“Abba” is Aramaic for Daddy. It’s the word Jesus Himself used for His Father.2 God does not want us to have a formal uncomfortable relationship with Him that is based on fear. He wants us to have the spirit of sonship which gives us the freedom and privilege to call Him “Daddy.”
Our sonship comes from three things:
It’s our sense of identity.
It’s our sense of acceptance.
It’s our sense of approval.
Every human being was created to need those three things, and without them we are cannot function as healthy people. However, no human being is designed to meet our deepest need for these things. Only God can give us a true and lasting sense of belonging.
People under the performance based system of this world don’t walk in the inheritance and heritage as sons of God. They don’t walk with a sense of identity, approval, and acceptance released through grace. Today people are driven to gain their identities by the money they make, their appearance, their education, the achievements of their children, where they go on vacation, where they go to church, and even their ministries. Being driven by these things is a sign of religion because the law makes people insecure, always aspiring to BECOME, instead of resting in who they ARE.
Before Jesus went out into His public ministry and before He performed a single miracle or preached a sermon, the Holy Spirit came on Him and the Father said these words:
“This is my Son [identity], whom I love [acceptance]; with Him I am well pleased [approval].” (Matthew 3:17)3
And remember:
“As He is so are we…” (1 John 4:17)
(from pages 273-274 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
Shop Unveiling Jesus Products
Unveiling Jesus Book
Unveiling Jesus 20-Part Series
Original Unveiling Jesus, 10-part series
1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Mark 14:3
3THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
