As Christians, we know that the past is full of many great thinkers and heroes. Our holy faith was not born last week but is from before the foundations of the earth (cf. Eph. 1:4). We should expect then to find godly counsel wisdom and instruction from brothers and sisters in the faith who have come before us. I want to glean from the wisdom of one influential pastor-teacher whose work on Romans 8:16 is worth considering today.
Herman Witsius (AD 1636-1708) served the Reformed churches in the Netherlands as a minister and a professor of theology. His works continue to this day in his writings on the Apostles Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and God’s covenants. For our purposes today, we will look at his comments in his work “The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man” vol. 1, looking chiefly the benefit of our adoption into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:16, ” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (ESV) When Witsius looked at this passage, he spoke about the text providing “two witnesses, agreeing in one testimony.” What does that mean? He meant that the Apostle Paul taught that we could know that we are the children of God by the testimony of our own spirit and know the same through the testimony of the Holy Spirit who lives within Christians.
His hope was to provide Scriptural guidance to help us grow in the assurance of our own salvation. There is nothing holy or God-honoring about a lack of assurance in our salvation. God has gifted His church with promises, and sometimes we miss it. There are Christians who struggle with knowing that they are saved. Likewise, there are some who presume they are saved or “right with God” but have no foundation for such ideas.
Witsius reminded his readers that “It is necessary, that our spirit be very exactly instructed from the word of God about the marks by which a child of God may be known and distinguished.” In the end, the only qualifications that matter are those given by God in His Word, the Bible. Witsius’ call to action was simple for his readers, “a most careful self-examination should be added, whether we have the marks which God has given of his children in the scripture.” Just as we have marks for identifying our own children today, so God has the same.
The first evidence of a child of God is a life that reflects the character of Christ. According to Witsius, there must be “a holy conformity to our Father and elder brother [Jesus Christ].” This conformity to Christ is more than skin deep or observable behavioral changes. He continued writing that true sons of God would have “a true and sincere love of God …. what genuine son does not love his father?” This love is birthed from our understanding of who God is and all that He has done for us. How could we not grow in our love for Him who gave everything to us in Christ as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Everything we have is from Him.
Alongside these marks of holy conformity to the image of Christ and a true love for God, Witsius added the importance of “filial fear and obedience.” What does that mean? The word “filial” stems from the Latin word filius meaning “son.” So it is a son’s respect to His father. Therefore, such a mark is a desire to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength because of His love to us. There is a respect for God and everything surrounding His character and demands. This is one of the easiest marks of a true Christian because our world hates God. Simply ask them to abide by His designs, His laws, His demands on their lives. Although some may feign charity and appreciation, anything other than wholehearted allegiance to God is inherently treason which dishonors God and the person themself made in His image. For this reason, as Christians we are jealous for His honor and glory because God is jealous for His honor and glory. We are zealous for holiness because He is the holy God. The chief aim or goal of a Christian’s life is the glory of God, not his or her own glory; a non-Christian cannot share that.
Lastly, Witsius taught that a mark of one who had been adopted into the family of God included a Christian’s “unfeigned brotherly love … for all those in whom he observes the image of God.” The Lord Jesus Himself taught us, ” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)
Where are you today with this list? Do you have clear evidence in your own life that you are a son or daughter of the living God through faith in Jesus? So often, we want to call ourselves Christians but our attitudes, our words, our dispositions, our actions are less than Christ-like. So often in my encounters with people is that they say they love God but cannot stand His church. Beloved, this is likely one of the most winsome tactics of the Devil in our land. You cannot claim to love the Head and Groom (which is Christ) while simultaneously hating His body and bride (the Church).
What sort of community would we find if our aim was to demonstrate every day that we are part of the family of God instead of seeking to dismantle it? What sort of Christian community would emerge if we were more concerned with our own marks of holiness than others marks of unholiness? What is the benefit according to Witsius? Such self-examination leads to “the consolation of God’s children.” Simultaneously, it would lead to the discomfort of those who merely pretend. Therefore, it is my prayer for you that you would examine your hearts, and if find evidences of your adoption in Christ this week, praise God. However, if you do so and find the evidence lacking, I pray that you would call out to this God is a mighty savior able to seek and save the lost, who is able to save to the uttermost all who drew near to God through Christ Jesus.