8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν). The presence of the Spirit of God within believers and within the believing community is evident in the change the Spirit effects in their desires. Their new desire to please God shows that they, like ancient Israel, are God’s beloved people.

The “for” (γάρ) introduces the reason why Paul can say that his readers “will live” if they put to death the deeds of the body by means of the Spirit. If they do this, they show themselves to be among those who “are led by the Spirit of God” and are “sons of God.” Paul has already said that no believer is without the indwelling Spirit of God, and now he makes clear that the Spirit is powerfully active within believers to reshape their desires and give them the ability to please God by submitting to his law (cf. 8:7–8).

The passive verb “led” (ἄγονται) is a forceful term that Paul could use elsewhere of people “led” to stray after idols (1 Cor 12:2) or to give in to sinful desires (2 Tim 3:6). It was sometimes used in antiquity to refer to the compulsion to act on a particular inner feeling such as desire or pleasure (Euripides, Med. 310; Plato, Prot. 355a). This does not mean that those “led by the Spirit of God” were forced by God’s Spirit to act in certain ways.⁵⁵ Paul could use the same term to speak of disobedient people being unaware that God was trying to lead them to repentance (2:4), and Plato, using the exact grammatical construction Paul uses here (the passive verb with a dative of means), could speak of desires that are “directed by calculation” (λογισμῷ ἄγονται). Paul’s meaning is that the Spirit helps those in whom he dwells to make decisions about their behavior that please God rather than decisions that give in to the sinful desires of the flesh (cf. Gal 5:17–18).

The phrase “sons of God” introduces a new theme intended to assure Paul’s readers that if the Spirit is leading them to live in ways that are pleasing to God, then they belong to the people of God. The notion that God’s people are his children comes from the Jewish Scriptures (e.g., Exod 4:22; Isa 1:2; Hos 11:1), and Paul asserts here that those in whom God’s Spirit dwells may rest assured that they belong to this people (cf. Gal 3:26; 4:5–6).

The title “sons of God” for believers also recalls the title Paul had given to Jesus at the letter’s beginning and introduces into the discussion a theme that Paul will develop further in the sentences that follow. Believers are united with Christ in his suffering, but especially in his resurrection, the resurrection by which he was appointed Son of God in power (1:3–4).^[1]

1如今那些在基督耶稣里的，就不定罪了。

2因为赐生命圣灵的律，在基督耶稣里释放了我，使我脱离罪和死的律了。

3律法既因肉体软弱，有所不能行的，神就差遣自己的儿子，成为罪身的形状，作了赎罪祭，在肉体中定了罪案，
4使律法的义成就在我们这不随从肉体，只随从圣灵的人身上。

5因为随从肉体的人体贴肉体的事，随从圣灵的人体贴圣灵的事。

6体贴肉体的，就是死，体贴圣灵的，乃是生命，平安。

7原来体贴肉体的，就是与神为仇。因为不服神的律法，也是不能服。

8而且属肉体的人，不能得神的喜欢。

9如果神的灵住在你们心里，你们就不属肉体，乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵，就不是属基督的。

10基督若在你们心里，身体就因罪而死，心灵却因义而活。

11然而叫耶稣从死里复活者的灵，若住在你们心里，那叫基督耶稣从死里复活的，也必借着住在你们心里的圣灵，使你们必死的身体又活过来。

12弟兄们，这样看来，我们并不是欠肉体的债，去顺从肉体活着。

13你们若顺从肉体活着必要死。若靠着圣灵治死身体的恶行必要活着。

14因为凡被神的灵引导的，都是神的儿子。

15你们所受的不是奴仆的心，仍旧害怕。所受的乃是儿子的心，因此我们呼叫阿爸，父。16圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女。

^[1] Thielman, F. (2018). Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. (C. E. Arnold, Ed.) (pp. 389–390). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.