We learnt how the Spirit births us into God’s family, then raises us by writing the family law on our hearts and prodding us to obey it. All the while, He shapes God’s family traits, the character of God’s Son, in us. This development of obedience and character contributes to our sense of assurance, that we have been baptized into Christ and have been made sons and daughters of God.

Stephen Beck is founder of Mosaikkirche in Frankfurt-RheinMain and Professor at FTH – Freie Theologische Hochschule Gießen.