Romans 8:18-27
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not 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. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
We talked last week about trials and suffering in this life, and how God builds us up through this to be stronger servants for Him. He also builds us up to be more like the image of His Son Jesus through these sufferings and trials. Life can get difficult, but we know that God is there to see us through it. The Holy Spirit is with us also to give us strength, direction and hope.
We must keep in mind one thing through all of this. This life we live is in no way any comparison to the life we are guaranteed in heaven.
Paul says in verse 18
Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Our sufferings can in no way compare to the glory of that which we will be consumed by on the day we enter in to the kingdom of heaven.
I can tell you this, there is no word or words to describe the overwhelming love, joy, fullness, & completeness that we will experience on that day. We can in no way, shape or form begin to understand the feelings that we will be overcome by when we see our God and our King before us.
This worldly life of suffering we unfortunately are obligated to live, is trivial at best to what God has in store for us when we arrive to our new heavenly home.
But as we learned last week we are obligated to be servants of Christ while we are here, to help in the furthering of His kingdom, to endure with joy the trials that we will encounter in life.
To endure with joy the trials in life because we know with certainty that which we have waiting for us. That is where the joy should come from the certain knowledge of an eternal life with Christ. What could possibly depress us in this world knowing with certainty that fact?
Our life here on this world is so very short in comparison to the eternity we will spend in heaven.
The old saying life is to short, it is only to short if all you have to look forward too is hell. This life and this world start to look very good when that is what you have to look forward to. Knowing this most people that lack faith just try and make hell seem like it’s not so bad a place don’t they. It’s just a big party. It may be a big party for the devil, lots of fun and games, but I can guarantee you that those who are going there won’t have any part in the fun.
Romans 8:19 – 21 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Romans 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
“The Creation waits in eager expectation” What is the Creation? The creation is the earth. It is the plants, trees, mountains, sky, ocean, birds, animals, whatever. But it does not include us (people). Why?
What it is talking about is that the creation is eagerly awaiting the saved to inherit not only there new body’s but also the new earth. We have put this earth under great hardship. We have polluted it, we have over worked it, we have used it in ways that it was not intended to be used. Now the creation, the earth, waits also for its regeneration also.
Romans 20 – 21 For the creation (the earth) was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it (people), in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not 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. Expound
24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Hope and Patience
Hope -Romans 5:3-5 “We know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Patience – The word patience used here for a Christian is not one of being passive or idle, this is an active but patient waiting. Keeping always busy and focused on doing Gods work and bringing Him Glory.
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
This is one of those verses that some like to twist and turn into something it isn’t.
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
What it doesn’t say
It doesn’t say that the spirit talks through us, causing us to in some way utter unintelligible grunts, groans and snorts.
What it does say
It says that the Holy Spirit who we know God has given to us to help us in our sanctification process, intercedes for us in our prayers. The Holy Spirit communicates with God in a way that we can not. The Holy Spirit who is in us, and who knows us best and what we need, can communicate things to God in a way that God understands them much better than any way we can communicate them.
Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts (God) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
God and the Holy Spirit being a part of the same unit (the trinity) understand each other very well. There isn’t any break down between the two in their communication. It is perfect in every way. It is exactly the way God has willed it to be.
