The Future Glory

The Price We often pay

Romans 8:17 NIV84

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Sharing in Christ’s sufferings often seems a very high price to pay:

List some of the ways He suffered

Romans 8:18 NIV84

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Paul now hits us with the silver lining. We may pay the price of suffering from time to time but compared to the FUTURE GLORY it is insignificant.

Romans (The Future Glory / 8:18-27)

I beg of you for the love and reverence of God our Lord to remember the past, and reflect not lightly but seriously that the earth is only the earth.—Ignatius Loyola

Romans 8:19 NIV84

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

This is like a Spiritual childbirth. The birth of New Life and the future return of Christ

Romans 8:20–21 NIV84

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

God made creation subject to death after the original sin, in hope of glory. God doesn’t plan evil or suffering, but He allows it in order to bring glory out of it. Why? This is a mystery that we can;t and will no understand.

John 12:28–29 NIV84

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Romans 8:22 NIV84

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Romans The Future Glory / 8:18-27

THE REAL WORLD

Christians see the world as it is—physically decaying and spiritually infected with sin. But Christians do not need to be pessimistic, because they have hope for future glory. They look forward to the new heaven and new earth that God has promised, and they wait for God’s new order that will free the world of sin, sickness, and evil. In the meantime, Christians go with Christ into the world, where they heal people’s bodies and souls and fight the evil effects of sin.

Romans 8:23 NIV84

Not 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.

Adopted or birthed or both?

Galatians 4:5 NIV84

to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

Ephesians 1:5 NIV84

he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Romans 8:24 NIV84

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

Romans The Future Glory / 8:18-27

CAN’T WAIT!

We keep looking in confidence for what we cannot see. Our eager anticipation is like that of the person who drives all night and eagerly looks forward to the sunrise, when the mist and darkness will be driven away. He knows it will happen and can’t wait. His assurance of it carries him on. We look forward to:

• Our new bodies.

• The new heaven and the new earth. Rest and the rewards of service.

• Our eternal family and home.

• The absence of sin and suffering.

• Being face to face with Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:25 NIV84

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

But are we really as patient as we should be? As parents we make all sorts of promises with the anticipation of meeting them, but often those promises fall short. Our heavenly Father has made many promises and and these will ALL come through. But we need to wait not jump to conclusions.

Romans 8:26–27 NIV84

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. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Romans The Future Glory / 8:18-27

As believers, we are not left to our own resources to cope with problems. Even when we don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for us, and God answers. With God helping us pray, we don’t need to be afraid to come before him. We simply ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us “in accordance with God’s will.” Then, when we bring our requests to God, we trust that he will always do what is best.