In Jesus there is a new order of doing things. The new order revolves around the fact that Jesus is about life and living. Many things at work in the world seem to lead to dying, to slavery of some kind, to bondage that is rooted in fear. No so with Jesus. In fact, followers of Jesus are boldly told by the apostle Paul that by coming to Christ and by living in His life they are actually "putting to death the deeds of the body" that lead to slavery and fear and are ushered into a personal relationship with God that invites them to call Him, "Father" (Rom. 8:15).

In that family relationship followers of Jesus discover that they have been "adopted" by God the Father (Rom. 8:15) to such a degree that from that moment on they are to see themselves as "Children of God" (Rom. 8:16). Being a child of God becomes the context in which a new order of doing things is lived out, a context in which slavery finds no home and fear is denied access. The outcome in this new context is described by Paul in the little phrase, "You will live" (Rom. 8:13).

We are called to live in the context of the family of God. In this family we are enabled to say NO to the deeds that lead to death-embracing realities. We are called to say YES to life, life in which we find that we are safe in the arms of God who took the initiative to adopt and did the work necessary for it to happen.

There is a key to how this all works in a person's life, and it is that they are "being led by the Spirit of God" (Rom. 8:14). So, it's not passive belief; it is active responding to the leadership of God. As God's child we are ever moving forward into what God would have us be.

Take God's hand and let Him lead.