The Glory Awaiting Us Explains the Groanings Within Us (Romans 8:17-25)

Romans 8:16–17 ESV

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:18–24 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing 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 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

Watching the suffering in the world and groaning

The suffering in Afghanistan

True believers don’t candy coat everything. True believers don’t sweep truth under the rug. We don’t pretend that there is no evil in the world, we don’t fool ourselves into thinking that the world will somehow get better through human efforts. Yes, there are moments in the world when we are able to stop the advancing of evil but we will never eliminate it.

The suffering in the world must be viewed as part of a system of fallen humans who are in rebellion against God and who desire to control our schools, our governments, our countries for there own selfish ends.

And so for the true Christian, we must understand that we do not believe that we were meant to simply be born, to strive to get whatever pleasure we can find in this life and then to die.

For the true follower of Christ there is the recognition that in this world we will face struggles of health, financial struggles, relationship problems, criticism for our faith in Christ, anguish over our suffering and over the suffering of innocents all around the world.

But there is also the hope of resurrection. Because Christ has risen we too shall rise with him and we will spend eternity with Christ in a new world that is free from pain and suffering and death.

The true follower of Christ always carries with them the hope that there is more to this life than this life.

Perhaps the greatest ministry of the Holy Spirit is the hope that we possess because through Him we have been made children of God and we shall one day be delivered not just from our own personal wretched sinfulness, as Paul says in Romans 7, but from a world that is desperately lost.

And so the purpose of this morning’s message is to remind you that there is marvelous place being prepared for you. And the glory of this place, the glory of forever being with Christ provides the hope that you need to continue to be faithful until Jesus returns.

(1) The Now But Not Yet Freedom of the Believer (Romans 8)

In the first 7 chapters of Romans Paul has shown us condemnation, justification, sanctification - our being transformed into his image and our becoming like Christ.

But there is an underlying theme in Romans 8 that must be seen - the freedom of the believer through our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

20 times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Romans 8 but the Holy Spirit is not the focus of this chapter. The purpose of this chapter is to show the believers in Rome the depth and greatness of their salvation.

When believers today talk about the greatness of our salvation we have several great biblical truths that we can focus on. We might talk about the security of the believer. Or we might talk about our position in Christ. Or our victory over sin. Or the glory of Christ’s return and our eternal home in the restored heavens and restored earth that the Lord is preparing for us.

The apostle Paul takes all of this and presents it to the the believers in Rome, all of whom knew knew the privileges of Roman citizenship and many of which were or had been slaves, and he presents the glorious hope of the believer as the freedom which we possess through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Romans 8 takes us from no condemnation to no separation. It shows us why we should love and worship the Holy Spirit who delivers us from bondage and brings us into the wonderful freedom of being in Christ and having what the Bible calls “the life that is truly life.”

And so Paul uses FREEDOM to describe the glorious salvation of the believer.

There are five realms of freedom that Paul presents in this chapter: freedom from God’s punishment, freedom from our sinful nature, freedom from eternal death, freedom from the futility of the Mosaic law, and freedom from the hopelessness of suffering.

You are not condemned but instead you are justified and forgiven. You are no longer a slave to sin and death, you have instead a new mind and the Holy Spirit to deliver you from the power of sin. We have a new intimacy with the Father.

And look at verse 16

Romans 8:16 ESV

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

The Spirit dwelling within you and the renewed mind that the Holy Spirit has given you testifying to you that you are God’s child.

This is the now but not yet freedom of the believer. Free from the penalty of sin, free from the power of sin but not yet free from the presence of sin and the evil and suffering that are part of this world.

(2) You Need to Think A Lot About Your Future, Your Glorious Future (Romans 8:17-25)

v17 - you are a child of God, you are an heir of God

You are in union with Christ, and just as Jesus endured suffering we also will suffer in this life until we also are glorified. Glorified means that when you die you are given all that eternal life has and you will be no longer trapped in a sinful body in a sinful world. You will be with Jesus.

Notice what Paul says about our glorious future with Jesus:

Romans 8:18 ESV

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

(1) It’s incomparable to this life v 18

Romans 8:19 ESV

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

(2) It’s fullness has not yet been revealed. It’s great to be in Christ but this is nothing compared to heaven. - v19

eager longing - an intense desire

- creation waits

- Are you waiting with an intense desire?

(3) This world will never be better until we are forever with Jesus. v19

- the revealing of the sons of God must come first

- this is the “surprise” revealing to the world that those in Christ, those who were persecuted, and thought worthless are now Sons of God!

Romans 8:20–22 ESV

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

(4) Because of Adam’s sin, the entire world is in the bondage of sin v20-22

- This is the curse of Genesis 3

(5) God also gave a deliver in Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The hope of verse 20 is not pie in the sky wishful thinking. It is the promise of a messiah coming who would destroy satan and sin and death

- set free, obtain the freedom

Notice the freedom that gives the creation freedom

Romans 8:23 ESV

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

(6) Because we know that there is more to this life than this life, we also groan

- we also groan inwardly - this is not some special language that is outward. This is an inward groaning

- we have the firstfruits of the Spirit. You know what the Spirit has done in your life, you have seen the transforming work of the Spirit in your life. You know that there is horrific evil and suffering in the world and you hate it.

You want Christ to return. You want peace and joy and love.

Romans 8:24–25 ESV

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

(7) You can only have this hope by coming to faith in Jesus

“in this hope we were saved”

in this hope - you were given hope when you were saved. If you do not have this hope you are not saved.

The hope that the world offers will never be true satisfying hope

You need be patient, Jesus really is coming back

Conclusion

Romans 8:16–17 ESV

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

(8) The Spirit dwelling in you will give you the faith and the hope that you need to suffer and groan patiently until Jesus returns.