Glorification

The New Bible Commentary 8:1–30 Assurance of Eternal Life in the Spirit

Paul elaborates his reference to suffering and glory

Christian Assurance: Wait eagerly and hope

According to , our citizenship is in heaven, and when our Savior returns He will transform our lowly bodies “to be like His glorious body.

Although it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, we know that, when He returns in great glory, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is ().

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a]for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Then, we will be perfectly conformed to the image of Jesus and be like Him; finally free from sin and its consequences.

At Christ’s coming, the glory of God ()—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; instead of being mortals burdened with sin nature, we will be changed. Where we are whole, where we wonder where God is, then, we will know and never be separated.

Our blessed hope should spur us on to holiness, the Spirit enabling us. “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure” ().

English Standard Version (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

In Romans Chapter 8, Paul is emphasizing the struggle of suffering and glory.

The Christian’s hope of glory frames this entire chapter.

Believers, facing the necessity of ‘suffering with Christ’ in this world can nevertheless

Believers, facing the necessity of ‘suffering with Christ’ in this world can nevertheless

be confident and secure,

knowing that God has determined to bring us through to our inheritance (18–22, 29–30),

that he is providentially working on our behalf (28)

and that he has given us his Spirit as the guarantee of our final redemption (23).

It is a reminder to Christians who suffer in the present can be confident and secure knowing that God has determined to bring us through to our inheritance and that he is working on our behalf and has given us His spirit as a guarantee of our impending and final redemption.

It is a reminder to Christians who suffer in the present can be confident and secure knowing that God has determined to bring us through to our inheritance and that he is working on our behalf and has given us His spirit as a guarantee of our impending and final redemption.

Contrary to what you might feel as you read this chapter; Paul is not minimizing the severity of your suffering; but it is still to be seen as insignificant in comparison with the GLORY that will be revealed in us (18).

We possess the Spirit as the firstfruits, the downpayment and pledge of our final redemption, and this causes us all the more to long for the finishing of God’s work in us.

or we possess the Spirit as the firstfruits, the downpayment and pledge of our final redemption, and this causes us all the more to long for the finishing of God’s work in us.

Glory: weight and majesty of God’s presence.

Paul’s description about our final state is that “then” we will be completely transformed into the image of Jesus.

In verse 19, Paul is asking us to “wait eagerly” for this. More the point, we and all creation for that matter, have to wait for God’s work to be completed. Groaning in frustration and eagerly waiting.

Although things are messed up since the fall in the garden, God has never stopped working to bring about the world what He intended it to be in the first place; hence the already and not yet metaphor. The world as it is and the way it is supposed to be.

Paul gives us three reasons we can take the wait:

The Spirit is our present help, and mediator.

Our confidence that God is working in all things for good.

God knows us.