John Calvin Commentary Romans 8:15

"For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." — Romans 8:15 (ASV)

He now confirms the certainty of that confidence in which he has already instructed the faithful to rest secure; and he does this by mentioning the special effect produced by the Spirit. For the Spirit has not been given for the purpose of harassing us with trembling or of tormenting us with anxiety, but on the contrary, for this end—that having calmed every disturbance, and restoring our minds to a tranquil state, he may stir us up to call on God with confidence and freedom.

He does not then pursue only the argument which he had previously stated, but dwells more on another clause, which he had connected with it, namely, the paternal mercy of God, by which he forgives his people the infirmities of the flesh and the sins which still remain in them.

He teaches us that our confidence in this respect is made certain by the Spirit of adoption, who could not inspire us with confidence in prayer without sealing to us a free pardon. And that he might make this more evident, he mentions a twofold spirit; he calls one the spirit of bondage, which we receive from the law, and the other, the spirit of adoption, which proceeds from the gospel.

The first, he says, was given formerly to produce fear; the other is given now to afford assurance. By such a comparison of contrary things the certainty of our salvation, which he intended to confirm, is, as you see, made more evident. The same comparison is used by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, where he says, that we have not come to Mount Sinai, where all things were so terrible, that the people, being alarmed as it were by an immediate apprehension of death, implored that the word should be no more spoken to them, and Moses himself confessed that he was terrified:

but to Sion, the mount of the Lord, and to his city, the heavenly Jerusalem, where Jesus is, the Mediator of the New Testament, etc. (Hebrews 12:22, 24).

By the adverb "again," we learn that the law is here compared with the gospel: for the Son of God by his coming has brought to us this invaluable benefit—that we are no longer bound by the servile condition of the law. You are not however to infer from this, either that no one before the coming of Christ was endowed with the spirit of adoption, or that all who received the law were servants and not sons: for he compares the ministration of the law with the dispensation of the gospel rather than persons with persons.

I indeed allow that the faithful are here reminded how much more bountifully God now deals with them than he did formerly with the fathers under the Old Testament; yet he regards the outward dispensation, in respect of which only we excel them. For though the faith of Abraham, of Moses, and of David, was superior to ours, yet as God kept them apparently under a schoolmaster, they had not advanced into that liberty which has been revealed to us.

But it must at the same time be noticed, that it was intentionally, on account of false apostles, that a contrast was made between the literal disciples of the law, and the faithful whom Christ, the heavenly Teacher, not only addresses by words, but also teaches inwardly and effectually by his Spirit.

And though the covenant of grace is included under the law, it is yet far different from it. For in setting up the gospel in opposition to it, he regards nothing but what was peculiar to the law itself, as it commands and forbids, and restrains transgressors by the denunciation of death. Thus he gives the law its own character, in which it differs from the gospel; or this statement may be preferred by some: “He sets forth the law only, as that by which God covenants with us on the ground of works.”

So then, persons only must be regarded concerning the Jewish people. For when the law was published, and also after it was published, the godly were illuminated by the same Spirit of faith; and thus the hope of eternal life, of which the Spirit is the earnest and seal, was sealed on their hearts.

The only difference is, that the Spirit is more largely and abundantly poured out in the kingdom of Christ. But if you regard only the dispensation of the law, it will then appear that salvation was first clearly revealed at that time, when Christ was manifested in the flesh. All things under the Old Testament were involved in great obscurity, when compared with the clear light of the gospel.

And then, if the law be viewed in itself, it can do nothing but restrain those devoted to its miserable bondage by the horror of death; for it promises no good except under condition, and denounces death on all transgressors. Hence, as there is the spirit of bondage under the law, which oppresses the conscience with fear, so under the gospel there is the spirit of adoption, which exhilarates our souls by bearing a testimony as to our salvation. But observe, that fear is connected with bondage, for it is inevitable that the law will harass and torment souls with miserable uneasiness as long as it exercises its dominion. There is then no other remedy for quieting them, except God forgives us our sin and deals kindly with us as a father with his children.

Through whom we cry, etc. He has changed the person, that he might describe the common privilege of all the saints; as if he had said—“You have the spirit, through whom you and all we, the rest of the faithful, cry,” etc. The imitation of their language is very significant when he introduces the word Father from the perspective of the faithful.

The repetition of the name is for the sake of amplification. For Paul intimates that God’s mercy was so published throughout the whole world that he was invoked, as Augustine observes, indiscriminately in all languages. His object then was to express the unity that existed among all nations. It therefore follows that there is now no difference between the Jew and the Greek, as they are united together.

Isaiah speaks differently when he declares that the language of Canaan would be common to all (Isaiah 19:18); yet the meaning is the same. For he had no respect for the external idiom, but for the harmony of heart in serving God, and for the same undisguised zeal in professing his true and pure worship. The word cry is used to express confidence, as if he said, “We pray not doubtingly, but we confidently raise a loud voice to heaven.”

The faithful also under the law did indeed call God their Father, but not with such full confidence, as the veil kept them at a distance from the sanctuary. But now, since an entrance has been opened to us by the blood of Christ, we may rejoice fully and openly that we are the children of God; hence this crying arises. In short, thus is fulfilled the prophecy of Hosea:

I will say to them, My people are ye: they in their turn will answer, Thou art our God (Hosea 2:23).

For the more evident the promise is, the greater the freedom in prayer.