22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
So I guess you could say for two weeks now my run-down, virus-hosting human body has been groaning inwardly awaiting the day when I will have a body that is no longer subject to viruses and allergies. :)
Isaiah 24:6 says "therefore half the curse devoured the earth." And Jeremiah 12:4 says "how long shall the land mourn and the herbs of every field wither for the wickedness for those who dwell in it. The beasts are consumed and the birds." All the animals die. All the plants die. All the grass dies. The whole of law of entropy, the breaking down of matter and the disorder and disarray, all the death in the universe is a direct effect of sin. Nature's destiny is inseparably linked with mans. And the whole creation, verse 21, says, "is in slavery to corruption" and waiting to be set free into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. So that when Christ brings his own back, first he takes us to glory, as you know in the rapture of the church. Then he brings us back to establish his kingdom. When he does that, he rejuvenates the earth. He restores paradise. That glorious manifestation of the children of God and that restoration of creation is what the creation now groans for.
Verse 22, the whole creation groans and sufferers, like the pain of childbirth. Why does he use that metaphor? Because childbirth pains are very strong. They are very powerful but at the same time they are very anticipatory. There are many pains in life that anticipate nothing but death. Is that not true? There are some pains that bring forth nothing but death. Birth pain is a pain that brings forth life. And that's why he chooses to use that. Because the pain of the creation is the pain in anticipation of the glorious life that will come at the glorious manifestation of the children of God when the Lord comes back to establish his kingdom.
The previous post talked about the groaning of creation. The verses in this post talk about the groaning of believers. MacArthur says that our groaning is a literal groaning. The groaning of creation is as described above: everything dies, the circle of life, breaking down of matter, etc. Our groaning is caused by our burden of sin and the guilt we carry because of it. Non-believers (generally speaking) don't carry a burden of guilt because they think they are generally good people who make mistakes, so there isn't much of a burden there. Believers, however, are aware of the burden of sin. The fact that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, the fact that we've accepted and believe that Jesus died to cleanse us, makes us aware of the burden of our sin.
But once we have been converted and transformed and the Holy Spirit takes up residence and we possess the first fruits or the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of future glory. That creates the conflict. It is the power and presence of the spirit of God in our transformed lives that gives us holy longings and holy desires which are so debilitated by the presence of sin and that's why we groan.
You are a new creation with holy longings coming out of that transformed new creation but you have to battle your way through that incarceration of your unredeemed flesh and so, back to Romans 8. It's not wonder he says in verse 23 "we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons" namely the redemption of our body. I want a new body. I want to get rid of this fallen flesh, with its tendencies towards disease, death and sin. I want to get a new body.
Moving on to verse 24, talking about hope:
Hope, he says, that is seen is not hope. For why does one also hope for what he sees? If you see it, you don't hope for it. If it's there, it's not something you hope for. Salvation is in hope. We have not yet entered into the fullness of our salvation. This is not the end. This is only a small, small part. There's so much ahead for us. Verse 19 of Hebrews 6, what a wonderful verse. "This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast." That's the thing that just anchors us is the pledge and the promise of our eternal hope in Jesus Christ.
When you really hope for something that you don't have, you persevere. You wait eagerly. So beloved, there is an unseen element of salvation and it really is the great element of salvation, glorification. It's not wishful thinking. It's not guessing. It's a confident assurance. It's an absolute hope based upon the word of the living God. We are confident of this very thing. "If he, which began a good work in you, shall perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6. We are confident that what the Lord began, the Lord will complete. We live in hope.
AMEN.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: Romans 8:26-27.
1 comment:
Oh how amazing that we can be confident that what the Lord began the Lord will complete. Thank you Jesus.
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