Romans 8:15 – What is the Spirit of Slavery?

Many believers know that God has forgiven them, yet they withdraw, self-punish, or strive harder when they fail. They’ve heard about the unconditional love of God, but they act as though they must atone for their mistakes.

If you are asking, “How could God forgive me?” or “Have I done enough for God?” you may be exhibiting symptoms of spiritual slavery. Don’t panic. Freedom is here:

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

Two spirits are mentioned in this verse: a spirit of slavery and a spirit of adoption. Some people say these spirits are mindsets, but there may be more to it than that. What are these two spirits? Let’s start with the easy one.

What is the spirit of adoption?

The “spirit of adoption” refers to the Holy Spirit:

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6)

When you came to Christ in faith, you received the Spirit of Christ. One sign of the indwelling Spirit is that we see God as our heavenly Father. This happens because the spirit of adoption, a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, teaches us to cry “Abba! Father!” In other words, he shows us that God is not a judge to fear or a distant and capricious deity. He is our loving Father who hears the cries of his children and provides for our needs.

Note 1: Abba is the Aramaic word for “father.” It is a word of familial intimacy, not unlike Papa (which is how some Bibles translate it).

Note 2: We don’t say “Abba! Father!” in a formal way, but we cry it out. It’s a cry of intimacy and love. It’s crying, “Father, I trust you because I know you love me and will never leave me. I know that whatever trials I face, you will be with me, and nothing will ever separate me from your love.”

Note 3: The Spirit of Christ within us does not cry “stop sinning” or “work harder” but “my Father!” These are the words God wants to hear.

What is the spirit of slavery?

The “spirit of slavery” or the “spirit of bondage” refers to the demonic lie that God is not your Father. He’s a judge to be feared and a tyrant to flee from. When the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden, he misrepresented the true character of God and the result was slavery and death.

A spirit of slavery is behind the demonic temptations of license and legalism. The licentious spirit says, “If it feels good, do it,” while the legalistic spirit says, “If it makes you good, do it.” Submitting to either lie will leave you enslaved and fearful.

How do we discern the difference?

Paul provides a simple test to discern between the spirits of slavery and sonship. The spirit of slavery promotes fear and anxiety, which are forms of bondage. In contrast, the spirit of adoption, a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, inspires you to cry out to your Abba Father.

Slavery example 1: The religious legalist worries, “Have I done enough?”

Slavery example 2: The licentious sinner wonders, “How could God forgive me?”

But when you know you have received the spirit of adoption, everything changes. You won’t hold back in fear, but you’ll come running to your Father to receive his love and grace.

So pause for a moment and ask yourself this important question:

When I stumble and make a hash of things, what usually happens next? 🤔

Whenever fear drives you away from God instead of toward him, you are listening to a spirit that does not know him as Father. Christians don’t struggle most with sin—they struggle with believing God is truly their Father even when they fail.

If you tend to run from God or try and fix things yourself, you may be under the influence of a spirit of slavery. This is not good. Renew your mind and believe what God’s word says about you. Learn to see yourself as God sees you.

Believer, you have received a spirit of adoption and by him you can cry out to your Father for help in your hour of need.

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