Romans 8:16-17 : The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. These verses do not seem to ex-press thoughts additional to those expressed in Romans 8:14-15, for there is no connecting conjunction; they seem rather to be an explanation or further development of what had just been said. All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God and yet, though they are children of God, they are also servants of God. But these children of God, though they are also servants, serve in the spirit of children, not in the spirit of slaves. They have received the spirit, or disposition of sons. Serving in the spirit of sons, they have assurance that God is in reality their Father. "The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God." In Barnes commentary on Romans we have this: "Beareth witness, testifies, gives evidence. With our spirit. To our spirit. This pertains to the adoption; and it means that the Holy Spirit furnishes evidence to our minds that we are adopted into the family of God." Barnes thus changes "with" to "to," and yet there is quite a difference in the meaning of the two prepositions. Besides, the language of the verse shows that our spirit is one of two witnesses. To say that the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit is to make our spirit a judge, and not in any sense a witness. Many who hold this theory regard what they feel as superior to what God says. A theory that discredits the word of God is wrong. Then another idea is presented, namely, that the Holy Spirit has given his testimony as to what one must do to become a child of God, and our spirit testifies that we have done those things and thus the two witnesses bear witness together, that we are children of God. This idea has this merit: It does not discredit the word of God, nor encourage disobedience; but does it set forth the meaning of Rom 8:16? Does the term "our spirit" refer to our inner man, or to the spirit, or disposition of the Chris-tian? Notice the context. The preceding verse spoke of the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of adoption," or sonship. The "spirit of bondage" did not refer to an intelligent being, but to a disposition, or an attitude ; and so also did the "spirit of adoption." Then why should not "our spirit" refer to the disposition, or attitude, of the Christian? Our spirit as Christians is the spirit of faithful sons, the spirit of loving obedience. That is the spirit Paul had just mentioned, and that is our spirit--the Christian spirit. The Holy Spirit gives testimony as to what one must do and be to be a child of God, and our spirit of filial submission shows that we possess the characteristics of sonship. In this way we prove, not only to ourselves, but to the world also, that we are children of God. A life of devotion guided by the testimony of the Holy Spirit is double evidence that we are children of God. It is convincing evidence to right thinking people of the world. Jesus said "Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). The fruits of sonship; Heirs of God--joint-heirs with Christ. But this is not an unconditional inheritance. Weigh well the condition "if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him." This however does not mean cannot mean--that we will have the same degree of glory that he has.