8:18-23
Romans 8 is referred to as the “Hope” chapter…the foundational truth of Romans 8 is that there can never be eternal death for believers…not talking about head knowledge…but a true identification with Jesus that results in obedient actions …at that instant you were born into a heavenly inheritance that can never perish, spoil…fade…or be lost.
The emphasis is on “the Spirit” and the indwelling Spirit in the believer’s life… 16 times in the first 17 verses Paul uses the word “Spirit.”
In this chapter is the comforting truth that Christians have been delivered from the bondage of sin…that we are no longer a slave to sin as we once were…we are no longer under sin’s total domination and control…we are now free from sin’s bondage and its penalty…something unbelievers will never experience.
BECAUSE: Verse 5 –“…the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God…”
No matter how self-sacrificing…moral…or sincere…the life of an unredeemed person may seem to be…their nature [v. 7] “is they are hostile toward God” … …they are an enemy of God.
BECAUSE: Verse 7 –“the carnal mind is enmity against God…”
The unbeliever’s heart is unable to love and serve God…of himself…he cannot repent and believe…his heart is so desperately wicked that if left to himself he will never come to Christ. The sinner’s inability or lack of power to come to Christ is due to his depraved heart…his wicked heart loves sin and hates God.
BECAUSE: Verse 8 – “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
The person who gives no evidence of the presence…power…or fruit of God’s Spirit…who demonstrates no desire for the things of God…has no inclination to avoid sin…no passion to please God…that person is not indwelt by the Holy Spirit…and has no legitimate claim to Christ as Lord and Savior.
BECAUSE: Verse 9 – “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
BUT…even though we are no longer under the domination and control of sin… Satan…the world…and a person’s own humaneness can still cause us to stumble and falter.
Starting in verse 18 Paul begins to reveal the result of the present suffering in this world and the promise of a future glory.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 21 that creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of
the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Paul doesn’t tell us as much about the Spirit as he tells us what the Spirit does.
- The Spirit creates a new spiritual existence in us [vs. 1– 4]
- The Spirit leads us into a new lifestyle [vs. 5–9]
- The Spirit will ultimately raise our bodies from the dead [vs. 10–11]
In verse 17 Paul tells us how that is possible…when we are born into the family of God, we become God’s very own children…we are elevated into the irrevocable position of children of God by His grace and the promise that:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ [17].
The gift of God is that all who are ‘born’ into the family of God become God’s children and are elevated into the position of being a co-heir with Jesus.
The moment you trusted Jesus as Savior…not talking about head knowledge… but an identification with Jesus that results in obedient actions…at that instant you were born into a heavenly inheritance that can never perish…spoil…fade …or be lost.
But in the second part of that verse Paul reveals a transitional bridge that shifts from the glory of being co-heirs with God to something that must precede that glory…addressing the suffering of this present world…if indeed we suffer with Him [17].
What, then, does it mean to suffer with Christ…it may include the idea that Christians can expect to be persecuted because of our identity with Christ … something that is not experienced by Christians in this country.
So what is the application for us? …in Romans 8:18 Paul writes about the suffering of this present time…when you think about the suffering of this present time it can be appalling.
Because context determines meaning it’s important to know that here Paul is especially referring to the suffering that comes as a result of serving Christ.
But for us today…the application is for us to consider those who have had to endure the sufferings associated with floods…earthquakes…hurricanes… tornadoes…and famines that kill thousands of people every year.
In addition, there are those who suffer as a result of war…or those affected by car accidents…or afflicted with diseases that are the result of the frailness of our physical bodies.
As of April 25, there have been over 509 million people affected by Covid-19 resulting in over 6 million deaths…despite a recovery rate that is over 98%…if you’ve lost someone due to Covid it’s a tragedy that leaves us questioning why.
Again…the coronavirus does not fit as a divine judgment from God…or the wrath of God as some periodicals…Christianity Today…suggest…in fact…it’s most likely not going to be as terrible as other worldwide pandemics have been:
…the Spanish flu of 1917-1918 killed an estimated 50 million people
…the HIV pandemic in the early 1980s, has killed about 32 million
…WHO reports that cholera kills up to 140,000 people every year
… typhoid fever kills up to 160,000 a year.
What we see in the world today is not God’s wrath on sin…or the judgment of God…the Covid-19 virus will eventually run its course…in fact…last Wednesday Fauci declared that the U.S. was “certainly” out of the pandemic stage…but history has shown something else will take its place.
When God decides to inflict the world with His wrath…you won’t need to guess if it’s from God…the book of Revelation is God’s judgment on man…no guessing needed…Revelation records what will happen when the seven trumpets sound.
When the first trumpet is sounded a third of the earth is burned up
When the second trumpet is sounded a third of the sea becomes blood
When the third trumpet is sounded a third of the rivers are made bitter
When the fourth trumpet is sounded a third of the sun moon and stars are darkened
When the fifth trumpet is sounded locusts are released to torment unbelievers When the sixth trumpet is sounded angels kill a third of mankind
So based on what is occurring in the world today…this virus is not the judgment or wrath of God on us as a country…or the world.
Here’s some shocking news for you…the world is…has been…and will continue to be filled with suffering…hardships…and tragedies…until Jesus returns.
How difficult is it for us to come up with an answer to those who question how a loving…all-powerful God…can…will…or would…allow such terrible suffering in the world?
As a Pastor people expect you to give them a satisfactory answer to these questions…the answer that God loves us with an everlasting love is sometimes less than adequate to help explain the suffering of life.
This section of Romans is in direct opposition to the health and wealth gospel that many promote today.
Their version comes not from the Bible but from their own selfish evil desires …to tell someone that they will have no suffering if they would only give money is a gospel from hell.
False preachers like Joel Olsten who say come to Jesus and you won’t suffer anymore…or…that God is actually going to reward you is in direct opposition to what the Bible says.
Preaching the true gospel doesn’t fill churches…that’s why it’s not preached in a lot of churches…it’s not popular…it’s not appealing to the masses…it won’t grow mega churches…but it will grow the Kingdom of God in people’s lives… don’t be disillusioned by other people’s false gospel.
As humans we might wish things were different…we might wish God would remove the suffering in our lives and in the world…the reality is it is here…and it remains to some degree a mystery.
Paul, in mentioning “the sufferings of this present time”, is referring to an especially difficult period in the history of the Church…but the application can also be to the present age.
The whole history of creation since the fall has been marked by…struggles… wars…natural disasters…internal conflicts…and crime.
But why do we suffer? Suffering is everywhere. This is one of the most difficult truths of existence.
Three observations Paul shared regarding suffering:
- The whole CREATION Suffers because of Man’s Fall into Sin.
When Adam sinned, he took all of creation with him…people…animals… nature…the weather, all were corrupted by sin.
The thousands of deaths caused by floods…earthquakes…hurricanes… tornadoes…and famines…are the ultimate consequence and constant reminder of that initial sin.
Our creation is stuck in a cycle that is in constant repetition until the day that Jesus puts it all to an end.
- BELIEVERS Suffer Because of Man’s Fall into Sin.
This needs to be stated because there is a pervasive false teaching that God wants every Christian to be healthy and wealthy …that “If you’re sick or poor, then you need to claim your healing or your wealth by faith.”
Those who teach these lies are preying on people’s greed and their natural longing to be in good health…in reality, our everyday lives are a history of trials:
The trials of growing up…figuring out what to do in life…whom you will marry …rearing children… working through struggles in your marriage…at your job …growing old…facing declining health and death.
The physiological changes and decline in our physical bodies are the result of the aging process that is the result of man’s fall into sin.
We think, “It’s one thing if wicked people suffer such things, but how could a God of love allow precious little children to suffer?” …Paul shows that such things stem directly from man’s fall into sin…now the good news:
- Suffering Does Not Undermine the Fact that God has a Plan and That He Will Accomplish His Plan.
This is a truth that goes unnoticed…despite the little-known fact that Satan is the ruler of this world…but despite that…God has a plan…Satan or no one else can thwart that plan…a plan that will be realized.
People observe the suffering in the world and doubt God’s love or His power… the argument is especially emotional when we consider little children suffering physical ailments…sexual abuse…or the horrible effects of war or natural disasters.
This verse about the suffering of this present time also makes us think about the mental and emotional suffering in life.
We oftentimes wonder at the ability to endure the blows…the agonies…and the crushing griefs of life as a result of…unfaithfulness in a marriage relationship… the disappointment over a broken dream…the heartbreak of being forsaken or being betrayed by a close friend…because at times those sufferings can be overwhelming as well.
If you say, “That’s not fair,” you’re on dangerous ground to accuse God of being unfair! …you’re arrogantly implying that you would have done better than Adam did, so you don’t deserve to be penalized for his sin.
We would do well to not accuse God of being unfair for imposing suffering on the human race because of sin.
As a Pastor I just gave you the reason for those things…sin stems directly from man’s fall into sin…but Scripture promises that God is aware of them and it will ultimately work out for His glorious purpose.
If there is any consolation…any comfort…it is knowing that the suffering that God allows will ultimately work out for His glorious purpose [Rom 8:28].
For the Christian God has a purpose in suffering…especially suffering as a result of persecution…God is doing something in our pain…pain and suffering is meant for refinement…for character shaping…causing us to rely on God more…leading to greater rewards that unbelievers are not privileged to.
As we persevere through suffering, He is making us more like Christ…many other things may be going on in our suffering, but one thing is clear, God is doing something through it.
So, Paul gives us something to consider concerning the suffering of this present time [18].
Romans 8:19 promises two hopes for the believer:
- Our hope for a new creation
- Our hope for the resurrection of the body
Our hope for a new creation [19]:
The anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God
Paul begins by showing that creation itself is waiting for God’s glory to be revealed in us…that’s what verse 22 means:
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Why is all creation waiting on us? Because creation also needs to be redeemed …but…creation cannot be restored until God’s glory is first revealed in us as God’s children. [Gen 3:17]
Well hold it…I thought I was already adopted into God’s family when I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior…why does [23] say we are ‘waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons?’
So two things: …If I’m a child of God…1) why do I still suffer…and 2) if I’m not adopted into God’s family now…when does that happen?’
You became a new person when you trusted in Jesus, but your body is still ‘dead because of sin’ …you became new on the inside, but your body doesn’t change …it’s still mortal…subject to sickness…sin…and death.
Just as creation will be restored in glory so will our bodies…just as creation waits eagerly for God’s glory to be revealed…we wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies…until then creation waits for this glory to be revealed in us.
Our hope in the resurrection of the body:
Paul refers to the suffering we experience in this life as ‘pains of childbirth’ …the suffering we experience in this life are not death pangs but birth pangs.
God is doing something good out of your suffering…we fail to see it…because sometimes the suffering is so intense…BUT…the suffering and sorrow you experience in this life will eventually result in a new creation and the resurrection of our bodies.
Let me emphasize again…even though we are already adopted into God’s family when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior our bodies are still subject to sickness…sin…and death…the fullness of our adoption is still awaiting the redemption of our bodies that will occur at the Rapture.
Previously Paul had been speaking about the future glory we have in Christ and the event that the whole creation is looking eagerly forward to but here he wants us to consider our present life.
Problem is…Christians seem at times to be earth bound…makes me wonder how much of a reality heaven is to Christians today…something I’ve said before is the decrease in the number of people who identify themselves as Christians… a number that has dropped nearly eight percentage points in just seven years.
The verses we’ve looked at this morning should confirm to us the reality of Heaven…but I’m not sure how certain people are of that fact…that Heaven actually exists…OR…if within some people…there still lurks a nagging suspicion that we might just not be quite good enough to make it into heaven.
Again, it’s important to remember Paul is writing to Christians…Paul is referring to the suffering experienced by Christians…and the promise of ‘if indeed we suffer with Him…we may also be glorified with Him’.
On the surface it may seem that this is a conditional sentence…that only ‘if’ we suffer with him we’ll be glorified with Him…but Paul is referring to any suffering that you meet on the road to heaven…persecution…calamity…disease …death… any hardship that might destroy your faith and lead you away from God
BUT…as Christians…we have a hope which is certain and sure…so we set ourselves on heavenly things…living in the light of the promise that ‘we may also be glorified with Him’ …that one day our hope will be realized when we enter into the joy of our Lord…when we shall receive our new heavenly body… when we shall be free from sin and death…when Satan will be no more.