Romans 8:18-22
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. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.
Paul had just said that if we are willing to suffer with Christ, then we will also share in His glory – referring to us sharing heaven with Him. Now he goes on to say that the sufferings (whatever shape or form they take in our lives) are in no way comparable with the glory that will be revealed in us in heaven. He seems to tell us to endure these sufferings with the expectation of our eternal glories in mind. When we have this eternal perspective in mind, it helps us endure the daily struggles we face. It’s like an athlete taking every step in a race better when he has the finish line in mind than if he were to only have the next few steps in mind.
He goes on to say that not only are we, as believers looking forward to the glory to be revealed, but that the whole of creation seems to be eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed.
When God cursed the ground, he subjected it to man’s destructive ways where man has, and continues to ravage the earth for his own selfish ends, and therefore the earth seems to fulfil no noble purpose except to be destroyed by man. But God caused this to happen only after Adam sinned. He did this in the hope that one day it would be delivered from decay and the misuse of man, when the children of God are revealed.
All of the elements of nature seem to be working in ways that are not as predictable as they used to be, and though man may blame himself for this climate change, there seems to be a divine reason for this occurrence. It seems like nature itself is in birth pangs, waiting to give birth to a new earth.
Romans 8:23-25
23 Not only that, but we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 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? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Not only is nature groaning waiting for a rebirth, but we who are saved by God and have been born again by the Holy Spirit, are also groaning within ourselves, waiting for this final step of adoption as children of God, to take place. At this time, our bodies too will be redeemed, when we receive a new and glorious body. It is with this hope that we were saved in the first place.
But if we see what we hope for, then we can’t really call it hope, can we? But, when we hope for something that we do not see, that’s true hope, and in that case, we wait for it with patience and perseverance. We won’t give up, but will eagerly expect it to happen one day.
Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Not only is nature groaning waiting for the revelation of the children of God; not only are we groaning within ourselves waiting for the same thing, but the Holy Spirit is also groaning on our behalf as He intercedes to God on our behalf. For there are times of weakness in our lives, when we do not know how we are to pray. We may not even find words to pray, and it’s in those times that the Holy Spirit prays to the Father on our behalf, with groanings that cannot be uttered.
Now God, who searches the hearts of all people, also knows the mind of the Holy Spirit who is making intercession on behalf of us, whose hearts may be broken, and disturbed, because of the situations they are in. These intercessions are based on the will (desire) of God. So even when there are times that we do not know what, and how to pray, we can be assured that the Holy Spirit is praying on our behalf, and praying according to the will of God at that. The best prayers one can pray are those that are in accordance with the will of God, and when we don’t know that will, it’s really comforting to know that we have an Intercessor that is praying accordingly for us.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
When we go through difficulties, we can be assured that all things will eventually work for the good of those who love God. We who love God are called to live out His purposes in our lives and not seek to fulfil our own purposes. So if that’s the case, when things happen to us, over which we have no control, we can be assured that God’s purposes will be accomplished through them.
And what is God’s ultimate purpose for our lives? It’s not that we live extremely long earthly lives, absolutely healthy and increasingly wealthy, as we’re so tempted to believe, based on popular prevalent teachings. God’s ultimate purpose is that we get conformed to the image of His Son Jesus, and we reflect the character/nature/image of God in our lives.
God knew who would make a commitment to Christ – He did not decide it, but because He is all-knowing, He knew that. And so, He determined ahead of time that those who make a commitment to Christ, will be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus, who is the first-born (the most important and supreme) over all believers, in the family of God. God called them, as He did others as well but they responded, and those who responded, He justified (made righteous), and those He justified, He also glorified, meaning that we are now prepared for glory. Paul comes back to the thought of the amazing, splendid glory that awaits those of us who are willing to suffer for the sake of Christ.
Romans 8:31-34
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
When we have this assurance of God’s work in our lives, and on our behalf, we can then ask the question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” It doesn’t really matter who’s against us when God is for us.
If God was not willing to spare His own Son Jesus, but rather gave Him over to death, so as to save us all from eternal death (a lost eternity), then won’t he freely give us all things? We need to be careful that we don’t interpret ‘all things,’ to mean ‘all fleshly, selfish desires,’ but rather, that we will receive all that we need to live a life that’s according to God’s will, and in line with His character. We would then become conformed to the image of His Son Jesus. It’s with that goal in mind that God sent Jesus into the world.
Who then can bring an accusation to God against us who are chosen by God Himself (God’s elect)? No one! If the Righteous Judge has justified us, who then can condemn us? We had sinned against God, and it is God who justified us. Who then has the right to accuse or condemn us? Nobody has that authority.
We’ve already seen how Jesus died in our place, and rose from the dead, thereby freeing us from God’s condemnation, and justifying us in God’s sight. And He is now at the right hand of God, making intercession to God on our behalf. Imagine that – Jesus Himself interceding to the Father on our behalf. Who could have a better advocate than Him?
Romans 8:35-37
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Since we have the assurance that God is for us, it means also that God loves us immensely, and if God (who is love), loves us so much, who then can separate us from the love of Christ? No difficulties that we go through can separate us from this love of Christ. If troubles arise for us from others, (tribulation), if anxiety of the mind (distress), if we are persecuted for our faith, if we are faced with famines, or nakedness or dangers or threats to our lives, none of these things will minimise the love God has for us. Very often we are faced with questions from those who don’t understand God’s love, who believe that if we go through any of these difficulties, that God has stopped loving us, or never loved us in the first place. They might even question our faith in God. But it’s only the believer in Jesus who understands that these difficulties have nothing to do with God’s love being minimised for us. May we never forget this vital truth, especially in the light of the things we are seeing happen, to either us or our fellow-believers in Jesus during these difficult times.
Paul then quotes from Psalm 44:22 where David cries out his heart to God about the suffering of his people. Paul seems to be saying here, that no matter what we go through in our lives – even if God’s people are being killed all day long, like sheep being slaughtered, still that will in no way alter the love God has for us.
In fact, despite all these seeming defeats, we are actually more than conquerors, because something beautiful is happening on the inside of us; we are being transformed into the image of Jesus through all of this, and we are being prepared for glory.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul concludes this teaching on God’s love, by saying that he is persuaded (convinced) that absolutely nothing can cause God to minimise his love for us, or to cause God to stop loving us. Not death, nor life, not heavenly beings or demonic beings or powers, not the things that are happening or the things that will happen in the future, not how high we are or how low we are, and nothing that’s created – will be able to stop God from loving us. We came to experience this love of God in our lives only when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Till then we may have believed God loved us, but it’s only when we took that step of faith and committed our lives to Christ, that we began to experience His love in our lives.
If you haven’t experienced this love of God in your life, perhaps you need to take that step of faith and commit your life to Jesus, and you will begin to experience a love you’ve never experienced all your life.
