Romans 8

Monday, 22 July 2013

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? Romans 8:24

This is the final “for” of this subsection. Notice the logical progression of Paul’s thoughts as they come from the tip of his pen –

We are children of God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we indeed suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

For – the present sufferings are inconsequential to the glory which shall be revealed in us

For – the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God

For – the creation was involuntarily subjected to futility but the creation itself will be delivered from this state into the same liberty as God’s children

For – we know that even the creation is agonizing with labor pangs together until now, just as we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies

For – we were saved in this hope, but seeing isn’t hope, it is realization

Verse 16 spoke of our suffering which will eventually be replaced with our glorification. Since that verse, he’s built upon that thought to demonstrate what is intuitively known by all people, that this is a world which is not in an ideal state. It is something that is easily supported by observing the physical creation.

We are saved in the hope of being glorified and that hasn’t happened yet, so we are in hope still, being preserved for the glory to come. Just as the creation fell with the fall of man, so will creation be restored with the restoration of man. It is yet future, and this is our hope. If it were to happen to either, then it would happen to the other. Therefore, “hope” would be realized in sight. If creation were redeemed, then we would see it and there would be no hope yet future in this regard. As he says, “why does one still hope for what he sees?” The answer is, “They don’t – they live in that reality.”

And this takes us back to what the “for” of this verse is for. It is explaining the thought of the previous verse – “…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.”

The Spirit is our guarantee of the reality to come, not the final reality itself. Thus, the signs of the apostles which validated the indwelling of the Spirit, weren’t an end in and of themselves. They were given as a demonstration of this hope. This is why those signs were given at the establishment of the church. To give an anchor for the hope yet to come. And this is why, despite the flagrant abuses of charismatic churches world-wide, these signs aren’t necessary now. The Bible is published, the doctrine is established, and Jesus is revealed. Those signs are no longer necessary because we have the surety of God’s word which fully explains the work of Messiah.

If God chooses to give us a sign, such as healing, this is His prerogative in any age. He did it prior to the coming of Christ and when He chooses to do it now, it will occur, but it is not a necessary part of our life in Christ. The record which testifies to His power and authority has been made; it is sufficient for our faith and practice.

Life application: What is your hope? If you have hold of what you wish for, then you don’t have hope of it, you have what you wish for. At the present time, the work of the Spirit is a guarantee of what we hope for, not the final reality of the promises to come. The Spirit has breathed out the word of God for our edification. In it, we are told that we are sealed with Him when we believe. If the Spirit wrote the book, then the sealing must be true if the book is true. Is this your hope? If so, then your hope will be realized some glorious day when the sons of God are revealed.

Glorious, precious Lord – Your word tells me that I am sealed with Your Spirit the moment I put my trust in the work of Christ. Because He wrote the book, then it must be true. I am baptized in to the death of my Lord and raised to newness of life by the power of the resurrection. This is where my hope is grounded and this is where I find my peace. Wonderful, blissful peace. Amen.

Sunday, 21 July 2013

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. Romans 8:23

The thought “not only that” is tying our personal groaning in with the “whole creation” of the previous verse. Everything in creation, and those who have been redeemed understand the glory ahead, and are jointly waiting for that wondrous day. Paul notes those he is speaking about – “…we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit.”

Firstfruits is a term which looks back to the Old Testament Feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23 (and as noted in other OT passages). There, in Leviticus 23:9-13, the details of the feast are given. As with all of the Feasts of the Lord, they were fulfilled in the coming of Christ during His first advent. This particular feast was picturing His resurrection. Paul specifically ties them together in 1 Corinthians 15:23.

The Bible uses nature quite often to make spiritual applications. The wind, water, rocks, and agricultural themes, among so many others, are used in a manner which tell spiritual truths of the work of God in Christ, in Israel, in the church, and in the world at large. The firstfruits of the harvest picture Christ’s resurrection and therefore the rest of the harvest looks forward to the great day when we likewise will see “the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

There are several opinions as to who “we” are and also to the exact application of the term “firstfruits of the Spirit.” Some say it is the Jewish believers who received the Spirit at Pentecost, but Paul wasn’t among them at that time and so this view is unlikely.

Another view says that this is referring to the Spirit as a “pledge” of the good things to come in Christ. This can be assumed because the firstfruits during Israel’s history were just that, they were an offering in hopes of an abundant harvest once the entire field had ripened. This also doesn’t seem likely based on Paul’s wording here as well as Christ being the actual Firstfruits.

What is more likely is that it is speaking in general terms of the early Christians during the apostolic age. This was still the time of signs occurring for the establishment and building up of the church until the Bible was complete. After that time, the signs were no longer necessary because the Holy Spirit has completed that portion of His redemptive work, a work which testifies to the truth of the message of Christ.

The Romans would have been included in this period, obviously, because the epistle written to them is a portion of the Bible which we now possess and which testifies to the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The roles are now understood and so the time of firstfruits of the Spirit have moved into the ripening of the fields for the time of greater harvest to come.

Life Application: It is always good to return to the fountain and think through our position in redemptive history in comparison to the earlier stages which are recorded for us. The Bible is the well-spring of our faith in Christ and it testifies to what has been accomplished in the establishment of the church and the doctrine of our faith. Is it sufficient for faith and practice or not? The answer is, “Yes.” Cling to the words of Scripture as you await the coming of the Lord Jesus and the redemption of our bodies.

Heavenly Father, You have bestowed upon us the wondrous gift which is Your word, the Holy Bible. In it I find riches and treasure unimaginable. I find there Your love for us, the giving of Your Son for us, and the work of Your Spirit for us. In it, doctrine is established, the avenue to life is revealed, and the path for our current walk in holiness is shown to me. Thank You for Your precious word! Amen.

Saturday, 20 July 2013

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Romans 8:22

Again for the forth time in this section the verse is introduced with “for.” This is then being tied back to verse 21 which said that the “creation was subject to futility” and that it “will be delivered from the bondage of corruption.” He now explains, based on this knowledge that “we know…” In other words, what he is stating should be taken as a universal axiom – anyone can simply look around and tell.

“We know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs.” There are earthquakes, there are floods, there are hurricanes, there are famines, and there are plagues. There is unnatural death, stars explode, meteors crash into the earth, etc. All of these things, and so very many more are evidently not something one would think of as “normal” when thinking of an ideal world.

And yet, we have the intuition that there is an ideal that should exist. This is the stuff of dreams, legends, plays, and movies. It is something universally found in the heart and hope of man. This creation shouldn’t act as it does, but it in fact does. And these “groans and labors with birth pangs” continue “together until now.”

This was true at Paul’s time and it continues to be true 2000 years later. The world which is hoped for has not yet arrived. There is a universal fault which will be corrected as he previously stated, “for we know” that things aren’t as they should be.

Life Application: When you see a tsunami kill 200,000 people, you know that it isn’t something that should happen. Something has caused it. Is it a mean and vindictive God? Is it a God who can’t handle crises as they arrive? Or, is it that there is a fault which was caused by our own rebellion? If the last is the case, will God correct it? We know the answer because we have the instruction manual to the problem in our possession. When crises arise, let us use the situation wisely and share the good news of Jesus Christ. No matter what the calamity, small or large, we can use it for His glory.

Precious Lord Jesus, I see the immense devastation of floods, tornados, hurricanes, and the like and I know that you can use me during these times to help those who have been afflicted – both for their temporal and spiritual benefit. Give me the wisdom to use such times sensibly by sharing Your love and Your good news to those who have been brought low by these things. Amen.

Friday, 19 July 2013

…because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Romans 8:21

As noted in the preceding verse, not just man, but all of creation came under the curse that was executed upon man. The price and weight of sin is such that it affects not just the sinner but it corrupts everything. The trials, troubles, and distresses of nature are a result of our disobedience. This is the great lesson for man since the fall. But what is fallen will be restored.

There is coming a time of worldly renewal which was seen by the ancient prophets. This is known as the Kingdom Age where Christ will reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years. However, there will still be death during this period and only after that reign will come the final correction of what was lost so long ago.

The promise of restoration is a hope that we can cling to as absolutely certain. What has to be considered through the Bible’s words is that it was the devil who deceived man and it was because of this deception that the fall occurred. Without a restoration, the victory isn’t truly complete. This is the reason for the dispensations which have been introduced into the stream of humanity. Each has led us through the unfolding of God’s plan of this restoration.

In the end, this is a battle in the spiritual realm which is being realized in the temporal realm. John tells us succinctly the main reason for Christ’s coming –

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

The devil has wrought his destruction and so Christ has come to destroy what he has wrought. When the destruction is destroyed, then what is left will be as was intended. The final chapters of the book of Revelation detail the glory which lies ahead when “the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption.” As Godet says, nature “possesses in the feeling of her unmerited suffering, a sort of presentiment of her future deliverance.”

This deliverance from corruption’s bondage will be “into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” What is translated as “glorious liberty” is the phrase eleutherian tēs doxēs, “liberty of the glory.” All of creation will be delivered from the pains of corruption. Sin shall be expiated from man and the fallen creation will be glorified into the same liberty that is bestowed upon the children of God.

The End of the Garden of God
Charlie Garrett

Your sentence is pronounced
In pain you shall give birth
Your husband will rule over you
And he shall till the unforgiving earth

Your pains in childbirth will be increased
Indeed your labor will be most severe
But when from your womb the child is released
Again the joy in your heart will appear

And Adam, because you listened to your wife
And from the forbidden fruit you did eat
I shall give you a burdensome life
I’ve cursed the ground beneath your feet

For your crops you will till and the soil will resist
From it thorns and thistles will readily grow
But the things on which you need to subsist
Will take careful work with a plow and hoe

Someday you’ll return to that ground
As a seed planted in the soil
And if by faith you live your life
There shall be a reward for your time of toil

Now I will clothe you with garments of skin
And send you out of this garden of delight
Cherubs will faithfully guard the way back in
Until My Son makes all things right

And when He does you can come back in
Not because of anything you have done
But His blood alone will cover your sin
Such is the wondrous work of my Son

Hallelujah and Amen!

Life application: What the devil has fouled up through deception, Christ will fully reverse through truth and righteousness. In this world of woe there is a better hope. Fix your eyes on Jesus and the glory which lies ahead.

Lord, as I see things wear out and fall apart; as I experience physical pains; as I see the death of people and creatures around me, I know that this isn’t the way life was intended. At times, I wonder why You allow the trails to continue, but then I remember that You have a plan and that the glory to come will mean so much more because of the present difficulties. And so thank You, even for the trials. Amen.

T

hursday, 18 July 2013

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; Romans 8:20

“For” again is used to continue to explain the train of thought which proceeds from Paul’s instruction on our glorification. He is now building on what he said in 8:19 – “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Using personification of the creation, he says that it “eagerly waits.” This ties back to verse 14. Those who “are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”

Someday, those who have come to Christ will be revealed in glory. Until that time, creation waits in a frustrated state. Why? Because “the creation was subjected to futility.” This was seen in several examples from the Genesis account – the curse of the earth which now brings forth thorns and thistles, the enmity between men and animals, etc. This was done “not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope.”

The creation didn’t fall because it wanted to or because there was some type of fault in it originally. Instead it fell because of man’s sin. All creation came under the curse that was executed upon man. This was done to show humanity that sin exacts an immensely great price. God Himself subjected the creation to futility “in hope.” The hope isn’t God’s hope, but creation’s hope. Just as the creation was said to “eagerly wait” it is said here to “hope.”

We are being shown from the tip of Paul’s pen that creation has submitted to the futility wrought upon it on the account of man’s misdeeds. It has fallen in “obedience to that superior power which had mysteriously linked its destinies with man’s (Jamieson Fausset Brown Biblical Commentary). The perfection of man coincided with the perfection of Eden. The fall in creation coincided with the fall of man. And the glorification of man will coincide with the restoration of the creation which had once been so gloriously perfect and which will again be in that wondrous state. Great stuff here.

Life Application: The whole creation fell through one man’s sin which was done in innocence. Imagine the weight of our sin which is done with knowledge. Don’t sin.

Tragedy in the Garden
Charlie Garrett

The woman was enticed and she ate of the fruit
She passed it on to Adam and he ate as well
He became the second willing recruit
And together they left a sad story to tell

Their eyes were opened to their exposed state
They realized that life in sin just ain’t so great

They sewed together figs to hide their shame
And made coverings that just wouldn’t suffice
The Lord questioned them about their hiding game
And they realized that sin just ain’t so nice

“Where are you?” called the LORD. (Though he already knew)
“I was hiding because I realized something wasn’t right
I was afraid to answer, I’m naked … yes it’s true
And so I hid myself, like a shadow in the night.”

“Who told you that you were naked? What is this you did do? Have you taken of the fruit which I told you not to eat?”
“It was the women who did it… the one made by You
She told me of it’s yumminess,,, and how it was so sweet.”

I thought it would be so good, but I guess I paid the price
I’m beginning to see that sin really ain’t so nice

“Woman, what is this thing that you have done?
Traded life under the heaven’s for life under the sun.”

Oh my LORD it was the serpent. He deceived me and I ate
And now I’m seeing that sin just ain’t so great.”

Oh God that we could take it back and undo what we have done
Life was wonderful under the heavens
But it’s terrible under the sun

What can we do make things right?
Where can we turn to be healed?
How long will we be cast from Your sight?
How long until the grave is unsealed?

I have a plan children, but you’ll have to wait
Many years under the sun toiling in the heat
But I will someday open wide heaven’s gate
When my own Son, the devil will defeat.

I will send my own Son, the devil to defeat.

Glorious and Almighty God – I truly am overwhelmed at the promises contained in Your word. You have shown that creation was cursed due to man’s sin, but You have also shown that this will be corrected some glorious day. The creation itself will be changed to a state of perfection and wonder. Lord, I long for that day and I hail the Lamb who made it possible. I praise You for the work of Messiah, our Lord Jesus. Amen.