Gifts of Love: Three Different Areas of The Holy Spirit in Our Lives
Intro
Sealed
First Fruit(s)
Down Payment
Down Payment
Closing
8:22–23 Paul describes the groaning of creation, the groaning of believers, and the groaning of the Holy Spirit (v. 26). Travail gives birth to a new creation. Christians have only the firstfruits—the pledge of more to come in our salvation. We groan because of our fallen nature. Our new resurrection bodies will conform us to Jesus’s glorified body.
8:24–25 Our salvation is secure, but it is as yet unseen and thus a matter of hope. We wait in faith and patience.
8:26–27 In our weakness we have the help of the Spirit. Jesus is our intercessor in heaven (Heb 7:25), and the Spirit is our intercessor on earth within our hearts. We are limited and ignorant, but the Spirit uses unspoken groanings to communicate our needs. This is not “speaking in tongues or languages” (Gk glossolalia). It is instead wordless. Our heavenly Father knows what is happening in our lives and within the deep recesses of our personalities (1Sm 16:7; Pr 15:11; Jr 17:10). The Spirit’s requests are always according to the will of God and are always answered.