For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:14–17).

My two grandsons (ages 10 and 12) adore their father. When he talks to them about music or math or soccer or growing up in Brooklyn, they hang on his every word. But the thing that that really illustrates just how much they adore their dad, is how they invent nicknames for him. Pet names that seem to change every time I visit. Two that I recall are “Chimmy” and “Chonk.” 

Yes, I know. Those do not sound like terms of endearment or words of adoration. But they highlight a relationship I would characterize as

—affectionate,

—respectful, and

—trusting.

The way families ought to be!

In Romans 8, Paul celebrates just such connections. When we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in the gospel, we’re no longer unclear about where we stand in the family of God. Adopted as his kids, we are the heirs of our heavenly Father and co-heirs with our big brother Jesus. 

And coolest of all: we get to call God “Abba!” 

Dad.

But then, after all those affirmations, Paul completes the thought with a perplexing conditional clause: 

"…if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Huh? Does that mean there’s a

—Basic Salvation Package

—Preferred Adoption Package

—Premium Heir Package 

that come with conditional strings or additional costs!? 

Maybe you’re thinking, “Now THAT sounds like my actual (messy) family—with nasty rivalries and shifting alliances, phony suck-ups and ruthless hoop-jumpers, strategic power brokers and self-pitying sore-losers. (pause) Besides, I’m not even sure I feel comfortable calling God ‘Dad.’”

Actually, there’s only one moment in Scripture where Jesus addresses God the Father as “Abba.” Let’s drop in on that conversation. 

The setting is the Garden of Gethsemane. The subject is the cross.

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

Jesus calls God “Dad,” as he meekly asks him to remove “this cup”—namely, the death he is about to face. The chasm that is about to open between Jesus and the Abba with whom he has been ONE, from eternity past.

Jesus knows he can ask anything of his Father because they have a relationship of trust. He freely expresses his heart’s desire. Yet he knows the salvation of humankind depends on his willingness to surrender. To turn to his Father and say, “Your will, not mine.”

In Romans 8, Paul’s use of “Abba” points us to Jesus’ struggle in the garden, offering it as context for what it means to be an heir of the Father and co-heir with Christ. 

Reminding us that God’s idea of “family” includes

—Sonship that expresses both honesty and submission 

—Fatherhood that promises to sustain us even when obedience is hard 

—Trust that is tested at our most desperate and vulnerable moments   

Paul completes his thoughts by putting SUFFERING and GLORY into eternal perspective:

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:19).

As adopted kids, we can call out to God, invoking the name that Jesus used. We can trust him like children who absolutely adore their dad. We can even make up personalized nicknames that express our unique love for the heavenly Father! 

(Just remember that “Chimmy” and “Chonk” are already taken!)