Romans 8:18-30 - Suffering to Glory

Romans 8:18-30 

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits 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 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

We read here about our present sufferings that pales in comparison with the marvelous light of the glory we face forever in the future.  We are implored to look beyond the momentary hardships and adversity (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) we live through now as we ponder the promised eternal weight of glory in His presence and the glory in we who are His called and chosen children.  He tells us how the creation suffers in its entirety across all hints due to the fall of mankind in Eden’s Garden due to the rebellious sin of our ancestors but that this suffering is not in vain but in a certain hope of all things being made new (Revelation 21:1, 5) in faithful and faith-filled assurance it is all true.  Everything and all those who are His will be delivered at last from the onerous and pervasive presence of sin in this corrupt world we live in!  Our glorious freedom from sin and death and punishment will ring out in songs of endless praise and worship with thankful hearts made new in bodies that are sinless (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Peter 1:4) and with endless life apart from the corruption now staining us all.  This is the freedom which sets us free in the work and person of Jesus Christ who calls and cleanses sinners to be found safe in Him through the judgment on sin to come before these things come to pass.  Even the world around us groans as with birth pains until this new heaven and earth are formed and the present suffering ceases in the light of His presence (Revelation 21:23, 22:5) when all is reborn in righteousness and rightness as originally conceived by God and declared as good before we corrupted it in disbelief and disobedience.  We who are reborn in spirit also groan in anticipation until our bodies are also redeemed in perfection as it would have been in Eden if we had chosen wisely when we still had an uncorrupted will and could have eaten the good fruit of the Tree of Life that we will one day eat of in the new creation (Revelation 22:2-3).  We hope for these promises by trust in God’s word which we failed to do in the beginning and therefore hope with certainty and persevere to the end of time and the new beginning of all things.  We do not demand to see in order to hope but take Him at His word and find unshakable certainty on which to stand and lean on that in patience as we press on.  When we do doubt, we find assurance in our weakness by God’s indwelling Spirit who also guides us to pray as we ought in these perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1) for strength to go on as well as to intercede for others.  Because He intercedes for us, we are able to come alongside Him to pray for others as He does for and in us according to the will of God and not our own selfish desires as many falsely teach in these times.  We then have this certainty in our hearts that is the hope and no mere wish of God working all circumstances, even the adversity and sufferings, for good.  This good is both His and ours and is based on His call and election of we the people of His sovereign kingdom which we are purposed to inhabit and serve in through the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  We rest in the understanding that we have been set aside from before creation to be His, foreknown and predetermined to this standing not of our own merit but Christ’s alone.  This comforts us in our failures and doubts as we understand we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ since all God creates brings forth after its own kind.  We are then predestined from the beginning, called out to Himself from the world corrupted in sin, justified by Christ’s atoning death, and glorified in our standing in the righteousness of our Lord now and completely in the new world where our bodies are made glorious to catch up with the inner person now as completely new and everlasting creations!  This is the aim and certainly of our calling to be Christians.  It is all God’s work as planned from beginning to end as revealed by the appearing (2 Timothy 1:10) of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  He will certainly keep us until that Day (2 Timothy 1:12) as promised and which foundation of faith we stand firmly upon.  This is our suffering to glory.  Amen and amen!