By Diane Caston
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
We began this chapter with the proclamation that there is no condemnation to those who are “in Christ Jesus”, and are set free, because the law of life in Jesus has set us free from law of sin and death. Those who are in the flesh, those who don’t think on the things of God, the things of God are repugnant to them, that is death. Those like us who have the mind of the Spirit, who’s hearts long for the things of God, that’s life. We are not slaves to the flesh any longer. We can’t imagine living without Him, watching this world self-destruct around us, He calms our fears, and heals our heartbreaks. We are tremendous debtors to the Spirit of the living God.
Rom. 8:17 “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Bev shared with us about this idea of suffering. If we suffer with Him, we may be glorified together with Christ. We experience suffering in this world through rejection, abandonment, pain, persecution, sickness, all the troubles we have in this life. We suffer because this world is out-of-kilter. There’s a groaning in this world. Things are not right. The word, suffer, path'-ay-mah, defined as: misfortune, calamity, evil, affliction, externally through actions and internally through grief, loneliness, abandonment for the cause of Christ are all included in this word, suffer! The evil of this world is the price of sin in this world. Even Creation is groaning, as we ourselves are groaning. All of this is part of His original plan to save us after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden.
Joe Focht states, “We see the news of the day, and we see all that is wrong, and we groan. It’s not gripping, but groaning
Vs.18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Here Paul gives us a balance. He considers, or reckons, calculates, computes, meditates that whatever we suffer is not worthy of being compared with the glory which shall be revealed. Paul was not ignorant about suffering. He endured more than most of us will ever know. Yet he weighed his suffering against the glory to be revealed in us. Without hope the Christian life would be in vain. 1 Cor. !5:19 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
The coming glory will not only be revealed to us, but it will also be revealed in us. “The glory will be revealed, not created. The implication is that it is already existent, but not apparent.” (Leon Morris)
“2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”
Paul gave us his litany of all the things that happened to him in 2 Corinthians Chapter 11. Along with all of his beatings and distress, Paul saw heaven, and what he saw. made him say the difficulties we have now are light and short lived.
Do we ever imagine our pains to be light? No, but we need to compare, weigh them to what will be, what will happen in us.
Chuck Smith “We will suffer because we have become an alien in the world we live. We are a minority group. The majority of people in the world are living in the flesh. We live a totally different life from them, and when you are misunderstood you become a threat and a object of bullying and ridicule. Rejoice when you are persecuted.”
Instagram story. Over 250 responses to me directly most using the F Word in them!
Vs.19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Earnest expection; eagerly waits: “The whole creation is on tiptoe waiting to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own.” JB Phillips
Earnest expectation – anxious and persistent expectation, intense anticipation, the phrase in the Greek is apokaradokía with outstretched neck, to watch with head erect or outstretched, to direct attention to anything, to wait for in suspense
All of creation is waiting. Funny to think that the trees, mountains, stars, animals and people are all waiting for the fullness of God’s salvation to be revealed. As the saints are suffering for the kingdom, they are also waiting for it. Everything is waiting, inanimate things on earth, creatures on the earth and in the sea, hosts on high, true believers all waiting for the unveiling or “revealing”, like the removal of a covering, like revealing a statue or a painting.
Vs. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
Subjected to futility NKJ, vanity KJ, frustration NIV, because of sin. All the creatures are also under the curse- fighting to survive, suffering from sickness and death. Sin is a burden to all of creation. All of creation is subject to futility, vanity, and emptiness. In Ecc. 1:2,Solomon declares, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (or futility) Try as we might to satisfy the longing inside, nothing apart from the Spirit of God within us can fill that longing. But God ordained it to be that way. It was part of His plan to draw us to Himself. Otherwise, we would just live to and for ourselves. God subjected the creation in hope, hope that the futility would drive us back to the One who created us free of sin to begin with. The curse is upon us, but is subjected in hope because of the seed of the woman. Her son would bring salvation and the hope of resurrection of all of creation.
1 Chron.29:15“For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope .
This was and is a part of His plan which goes into eternity, and the hope that is yet ahead for the creation.
Vs. 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
All of the creation is going to be delivered from decay (law of entropy. Or the Second Law of Thermodynamics) along with the glorious liberty of the saints. The bondage of corruption and death is in all of creation. Death reigns in the earth, but Jesus overcame death. So our spirits have entered Into the glorious liberty, we have liberty in Christ, the liberty of grace now, and the liberty of glory await us at His return, where our bodies will be made new.
2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Is 11:6-9 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.
Is 55:12
“For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
2 Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Rev. 21:1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”
1Jn. 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Vs. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Because the creation is subjected to vanity or futility because of our sin. The whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now : “Creation is not undergoing death pangs... but birth pangs.” (Leon Morris)
All of creation is groaning. We see earthquakes, volcanoes, storms. We are not separated or taken out of this groaning but supported through it. 2 Cor 5:2 “longing to be clothed with our house from heaven” . We are able to sympathize with others around us. This is a precious thing , “to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men” Titus 3:2. Delivered from the law and worldly things, but not yet partakers of glory that is to come. We are kept in an unredeemed body, waiting. We can only groan.
Creation is groaning and travailing together, ceaseless labor, being in transition, waiting for the rebirth of our bodies.
Vs. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
This world is not our home. We long for our new bodies. This quickens our desires and encourages our hope. When we have those worship times, and we are in His presence, when we feel that joy of His presence in prayer, and the thrill when sharing the good news with others, we want to stay in that place, in that attitude. Our groaning in ourselves shows the strength and secrecy of these desires. Silent groans, the soul pained with the delay, what are we waiting for? Redemption of the body, resurrection, being adopted and living forever with our Abba, daddy. We long for it.
Phil 3:21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
I Cor 15:42-43 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
Vs. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
Our adoption is saved in this hope. Those that live with God must do so in trust, trust that we are truly citizens of heaven!
Heb 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance .
We set our hearts upon it. It is not hope if we see it. Hopes expects something better. The very meaning of hope is, the expectation that something now future will become present.
Heb.11:1 Faith substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.
Patiently waiting for His coming. But because we don’t see it; we eagerly wait with patience. In hoping we need patience to bear our sufferings and wait.
James 5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
We who are the first fruits of the Spirit, are waiting. We have a taste of the glory to come. We can feel it in our longing, groaning, wondering, imagining how it will be as our body ages and wears out. We experience all the pain and sickness and wounding in this life, and we agonize and long to be set free, because we have hope. We have the light, so we bear these things with difficulty. We want to be home. We want to see our parents and our kids there and bear the burden of hoping and praying that they will be there. The Spirit within us has spoiled us for this world. If you are toying with the things of the world, you are miserable, because of what you know. We are waiting to be adopted. We know from Rom 8:15 that we are already adopted, but we long for our adoptive Father to come and take us to His home. His plan for us is not only that our spirts be redeemed, but also our bodies. This is part of His plan of redemption. this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53 ).
We are saved by hope, really saved in hope. Our souls are already saved; we long for the redemption of our bodies. We haven’t seen it yet, so this keeps us in line, if we see it already, it is not hope. Faith comes in waiting, “eye hasn’t seen”We shall see His face, now we see it not, so we wait for that day with patience. We persevere in waiting, trusting that our Father is faithful, and one day we will be with Him in glory.