Groans for Glory - Part 1 (Romans 8:19-27)
INTRODUCTION:
Last Sunday we began speaking of the completion of our salvation, when we will receive our glorified bodies like the glorified body of Jesus Christ, and we will be co-heirs with Him because of our adoption as children of God which makes us heirs of God. Paul began this chapter by telling us that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and then has showed us that through the ministry of the Holy Spirit He secures this verdict of no condemnation for all believers. Paul uses the promise of our future glory that we looked at last Sunday to focus our attention on the hope, the anticipation of that glory and in the passage that we will begin this morning we will find three groans mentioned that we will look at, the groan of creation, the groan of believers and the groan of the Holy Spirit. A groan is defined as a low, deep sound of grief or pain which could be produced by physical, emotional, or spiritual grief or pain. The groans that we will begin to look at this morning, only examining one of the three, show us a condition that is both painful and sorrowful, these groans are a cry to God for deliverance from the corruption brought about by sin. Let’s pray and then read the passage that gives us the groans for glory.
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Romans 8:19-27, the passage we will begin looking at this morning. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Romans 8:19-27,
“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:19–27, NASB95)[1]
THE ANXIOUS LONGING OF CREATION (Romans 8:19)
Paul does not leap immediately to the first groan, but instead speaks of an anxious longing of the creation. Remember in verses 17 and 18 he had spoken to those of us who have put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and said that we will suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Paul had just told us that Christians will suffer in this world that is controlled and dominated by Satan. Last week we had spoken of the suffering that many believers in other parts of the world experience because of their faith. I said that if our nation continues to go the direction that it is going today that we who make a biblical stand for Christ are going to suffer persecution more than the ridicule and scorn that we might experience at this time. Our suffering for Christ I believe is going to increase in this nation unless Christ returns soon but Paul reminded us in verse 18 that even the most severe suffering cannot even be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us.
In verse 19 Paul then speaks of the anxious longing of the creation. This phrase translated “anxious longing” is a single word in Greek that if literally translated it would be “watching with outstretched head.” It has that idea of straining with the eyes, stretching forward looking ahead with concentrated expectancy. The Greek word used here begins with the Greek prefix apo which suggests removal or withdrawal and absorption. In other words, the removal or withdrawal from anything that might draw one’s attention away from the anticipated object and the absorption in the object that is expected until the fulfillment of the expected object is realized. It is being so absorbed by what you are expecting that it drowns out everything else. What is it that the creation is so absorbed by? The creation is straining forward waiting eagerly for, looking eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. The words “waiting eagerly” speak again of waiting in great anticipation of something. They are waiting in great anticipation for the revealing, this is the word from which we get our word “apocalypse” and the name of the last book of the Bible, “Revelation.” It is a word in Greek that refers to uncovering, or unveiling, or revelation. The creation is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God. We know from the verses prior to this that the sons of God are true believers, we know this but the world does not comprehend who we really are, that we are sons and daughters of God by adoption. John had spoken of this in his first epistle in 1 John 3:1 he wrote, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1, NASB95)[2] The world does not know who is a Christian and who is not one for certain. The world has its own ideas about what makes a person a Christian and what does not.
But at the revealing of the sons of God there will be no doubt as to who is a Christian because we will be glorified and we will vanish from the earth as we go to meet the Lord in the air and when Christ returns to reign on the earth we will return with Him. This is the revelation that the creation is waiting for, Paul explained it this way to the Colossian believers in Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4, NASB95)[3] This revealing speaks of the fact that we will be eternally separated from sin and from the unredeemed flesh that we have here on this earth at this time, we will be eternally glorified with Christ’s own holiness and splendor, we will be revealed in our immortal, imperishable, glorified bodies.
THE SUBJECTION OF THE CREATION (Romans 8:20-21)
You see when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and sinned, it did not only have consequences for the human race, but the earth and all that was on it was cursed and corrupted. When God came to Adam after he had sinned, God said to Adam in Genesis 3:17-19, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17–19, NASB95)[4] Before Adam disobeyed God’s command, no weeds, no thistles, no thorns, no poisonous plants, no death, no decay existed that would cause man misery or harm. But after Adam sinned Paul writes in Romans 8, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it…” (Romans 8:20, NASB95)[5] In other words, the earth and all that was on it was cursed by God, as the Creator of it God is also the owner of it and it must submit to His will, and He subjected it to futility. This word translated “futility” is a Greek word that carries the idea of being without success or being unable to achieve a goal or purpose. This same word can be translated vanity or vain, whatever it does comes to nothing. This earth and all that is on it no longer exists as God originally created it, God cursed it because of man’s sin.
Creation as Paul is referring to it here does not include the heavenly angels, although they were part of God’s creation, we know that they are not subject to corruption. Neither does this term creation refer to Satan and his demons, they were already corrupted and sentenced to eternal torment. It cannot refer to believers because as we will see, believers are mentioned separately in the verses following these verses on creation. Nor is Paul referring to unbelievers who are cursed with death. When Paul speaks of creation in these verses, he is referring to the natural world including plants and animals and all inanimate things such as mountains, rivers, plains, deserts, seas, lakes, heavenly bodies and so on. All this is now cursed because of man’s sin, it is subjected to futility. And no matter how hard the environmentalists try to protect and restore natural resources and regions; they are unable to stop the corruption that continues to devastate both man and his environment since the Fall. One man’s sin of disobedience to God has brought corruption on our world. Decay, disease, pain, death, natural disasters, pollution and all forms of evil will never cease until Jesus returns to reign on the earth and the curse is reversed and then the final reversal will be the removal of this creation and the creation of a new heavens and a new earth. It is when Jesus returns that the sons of God will be revealed, and the curse will be lifted.
Even though we live in a creation that has been subjected to futility by God’s curse upon it, much of the beauty, wonder, and benefits of this creation remains for us. In this creation there still exists the majesty and graciousness of God for all to see and for this reason no one has an excuse for not believing in God. Remember Paul’s words in the first chapter of Romans, verse 20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20, NASB95)[6]
Paul goes on in the next verse to let us know that the creation’s future is linked to man’s future by an inseparable bond. Because Adam sinned, the rest of creation was corrupted with him. In this same way, when man’s glory is restored, creation will be restored as well, and both restorations will be an act of God. Because of this Paul says that the creation was subjected to futility in hope, there is hope and that hope is expressed in verse 21, “that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21, NASB95)[7] In this verse we see that inseparable bond between creation and the children of God. The freedom of the glory of God’s children will be the freedom of creation’s slavery to corruption due to sin, creation will be returned to its divinely intended perfection and glory just as redeemed man is returned to his divinely intended perfection and glory. Understand that the creation will continue to deteriorate in a downward spiral as long as it remains in slavery to the corruption of sin. Even though this is true, neither man nor creation will bring about their ultimate destruction, this alone can be brought about by God, He is in control and He is sovereign over His creation. Creation one day will be set free from its slavery to corruption, this phrase “will be set free” is a passive phrase in Greek, which simply means that creation will not restore itself, but creation’s restoration will be done by God.
The freedom of the glory of the children of God will be that time when all true believers will be set free from the presence of sin, will be set free from their sinful flesh, and will be set free from their humanness. It is at this time that we will begin to eternally share God’s own glory, God will clothe His children in His own glory. Paul describes this event in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” (1 Corinthians 15:51–54, NASB95)[8]
Can we fully wrap our finite minds around this and understand it fully? No, but we can believe it because the Holy Spirit who indwells us confirms this truth and we can be absolutely confident that our eternal life with God is secure. We can agree and acknowledge Paul’s words to the believers in Philippi written in Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20–21, NASB95)[9]
THE GROAN OF CREATION (Romans 8:22)
We can also acknowledge with Paul that all creation also waits eagerly with hope for our redemption because they will share in that redemption in their own way. But as it anxiously longs and eagerly waits for that wonderful day and anticipates it coming Paul writes that “…we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (Romans 8:22, NASB95)[10] And here we have the first groaning for glory, that the glory it once had be restored.
This groaning and suffering will one day cease, because God will lift the curse and deliver the creation from its corruption and futility. Until that time though it groans and suffers the pains of childbirth. This curse of painful childbirth was the curse that Eve received for sinning against God by disobeying His command, and creation endures its own kind of labor pains. I believe that this is a beautiful picture of what the earth is going through because like Eve and all her female descendants the pains of childbirth announce new life.
Paul in this passage does not tell us how the world will be restored to its former glory, he does not go into detail concerning the stages that this will take place in, other parts of Scripture speak of the curse being lifted during the 1000 year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth that ultimately ends in the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Paul’s purpose here is to assure his readers that as we suffer with the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may be glorified with Him, the creation also suffers waiting for our glorification so that it too can return to its former glory. We do not suffer alone; God’s master plan of redemption encompasses the entire universe.
CONCLUSION:
This morning we have looked at the first groan for glory, the groaning of creation as it eagerly awaits with great anticipation the redemption of God’s children knowing that it will share in that redemption in its own way being restored or redeemed to its original glory.
The fact that the creation suffers in its slavery to corruption due to sin should be of great encouragement to us who have put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ believing that He died as a substitute for us, suffering God’s wrath against sin and paying the full penalty for sin by His death. We believe that He was buried and on the third day rose from the dead. His resurrection is the proof that sin and death have been defeated and forever conquered. His resurrection is the guarantee of our future resurrection and glorification. And we as God’s children are the guarantee to creation of its future restoration to its former glory which God intended for it when He created it. Not only this, but we have the indwelling Holy Spirit as our pledge and seal of our future glorification. Paul said it this way in our Scripture reading this morning in 2 Corinthians 5:4-5, “For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.” (2 Corinthians 5:4–5, NASB95)[11] Are you anticipating being clothed by God’s glory so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life, true life, eternal life. Thank God that he has given you His Spirit as a pledge, He is the guarantee that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.