12 So then, brothers and sisters,^* we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—¹³for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!^* Father!’¹⁶it is that very Spirit bearing witness^* with our spirit that we are children of God,¹⁷and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

For an explanation of Paul’s use of the word “flesh” readers can check my bible blog 765, of yesterday. Here Paul makes the astonishing claim that those who are moved by the presence of God (the creativeSpirit in the community) are children of God. This is the same claim made by the wrter of John’s gospel when he writes (John 1) “to those who did accept Him(The Word) he gave the right to become children of God.” Paul’s letter as probably written some 5o years before the Gospel, so we can give him the credit for stating this so clearly. Of course it may be that Jesus already did so, although his teaching on this matter is not recorded. Paul refers to Jesus when he quotes Jesus’ Aramaic word for God, “Abba” (dear father). Through the Spirit of God which is also the spirit of Jesus, believers share Jesus’ relationship with God, sharing all the glory God gives to his son, if we also share his suffering in the world. This last phrase anchors Paul’s theology in the world as it is. His doctrine of human being is, one might say, very optimistic-we are even now children of God; but also realistic-that status means sharing God’s suffering in this world.

WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD NOT SLAVES, Paul says. This phrase should be placed above the doorways of all churches where it might prevent the tendency of most church hierarchies to turn at least some of their members into slaves-to heirarchy itself, to doctrine, to scripture, to liturgy, to charisma, that is, to whatever gobbledygook creates power or wealth for opppressive leaders. Paul announces freedom in Christ; churches should listen.