Chapter 8:18–39
Thus far in the epistle, Paul has shown that believers on the Lord Jesus Christ have a past deliverance from the penalty of their sins and also a present deliverance from the power of sin. He now shows that the fullness of God's salvation for the believer also includes a future deliverance from the very presence of sin in us. This has to do with the eradication of the sin-nature from the believer by being glorified like Christ. Paul has alluded to this in verse 17. This final aspect of deliverance, which will be ours at the coming of the Lord (the Rapture), is so immense that its effects will reach even to the creation itself—but this won't happen until the Appearing of Christ, seven years after the Rapture. At that time, men, animals, and plant life will be delivered from "the bondage of corruption" (vs. 21).
Since the fall of man (Gen. 3), the whole creation has been blighted with the disease of sin, and the effects of it can be seen everywhere. Everything is suffering from what sin has brought into the world—sickness, hunger, sorrow, violence, death, etc. God has promised not to leave the creation in this state indefinitely and will intervene to reverse the effects of sin at the Appearing of Christ. While the whole creation will experience the benefits of this deliverance, it will not be to the same degree in which Christians will experience it. Paul shows in this passage that believers’ souls will be rid of the sin-nature and their bodies will be glorified! These are things that men on earth and the lower creation will not experience in the Millennium.
The Support of Two Divine Intercessors
While the believer waits in hope of this future deliverance, he is seen under all the support and strength of two divine Intercessors: the Spirit of God here below (vs. 26), and Christ on high (vs. 34). Moreover, since the believer is still on earth, he is seen encountering trials from two directions: firstly, from being in the groaning creation (vss. 20-30), and then secondly, from opposition to the gospel testimony (vss. 31-39).
Paul takes up this final aspect of deliverance as follows:
• The deliverance that will be brought to believers and to the lower creation (chap. 8:18-23).
• The believer’s comfort and encouragement in the present time of suffering, while waiting for the promised deliverance (chap. 8:24-28).
• The purpose that God has in allowing trials that result from living in a scene affected by what sin has wrought in the creation (chap. 8:29-30).
The Coming Glory and the Deliverance It Brings
Chap. 8:18-30—Since this final aspect of deliverance has to do with future events, in order to understand it properly, we need to have some knowledge of these things. The prophetic Scriptures indicate that the Lord's coming has two phases. First, He will come to call away all Christians from the earth—taking them to heaven (John 14:2-3; 1 Thess. 1:10; 4:15-18). Bible teachers call this the Rapture—a Latin equivalent to “caught up” (Acts 8:39; 2 Cor. 12:2-4; 1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 12:5). Then, there will be a terrible time of trouble on the earth called the Tribulation (Matt. 24:21; 2 Thess. 2:2-4; Rev. 3:10), which will be a period of about seven years (Dan. 9:27). After this, the second phase of the Lord's coming will occur (the Appearing) when He will come from heaven with His saints to judge the world and set up His millennial kingdom (Matt. 24:29-30; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:14; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Jude 14-15). We mention this because certain parts of the coming deliverance will occur at the Rapture and certain others at the Appearing. For instance, the Christian will get his deliverance from the presence of sin at the Rapture by being glorified at that moment (1 Cor. 15:51-56; Phil. 3:20-21). The creation, however, must wait for the Appearing of Christ before being delivered. At that time, it will be given a release from the effects of sin—"the bondage of corruption."
Chap. 8:18—Paul ended the previous section speaking of Christians as "heirs" and "joint-heirs" with Christ. As such, we are waiting for Him to come and take possession of our inheritance at His glorious Appearing, whereupon we will reign with Him over it in the kingdom. In this section, Paul takes up where he left off in the previous section, mentioning "the sufferings of this present time." This is something which we all must face as we wait for the coming deliverance. As mentioned earlier, our sufferings come from two directions: from being connected with the creation that is under the bondage of corruption, and from our bearing witness for Christ in the way of testimony. These sufferings are normal to Christianity.
Since suffering is unavoidable, Paul proceeds to give us the means by which we will be able to endure it. He says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in [to] us." Thus, we are to weigh the present sufferings that we experience in this "little while" that we are here on earth (Heb. 10:37) against the eternal glory that shall be revealed to us. If we "reckon" properly, as Paul does here, we will realize that what we experience here on earth is only temporary, and in comparison to what we will have, it is worth it, even if it were a thousand times more difficult. Therefore, in the measure in which we keep our eyes fixed on "the coming glory," we will be able to endure the sufferings of this present time.
Chap. 8:19—Paul proceeds to tell us when deliverance will be enacted upon the creation. He says, "The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." The "creature" refers to the whole creation. It includes men, animals, and plant life—essentially everything that we see on earth that has been affected by the corruption of sin. Paul says that the lower creation looks for a release from this bondage of corruption, but it couldn't be with any measure of intelligence, for it obviously doesn't know of Christ's coming. Nonetheless, the creation is waiting for that moment. Paul says that this deliverance will occur at the time of "the manifestation of the sons of God." This will be at the Appearing of Christ (2 Thess. 1:10; 1 John 3:2). We are "the sons of God" now (vs. 14), but we will be manifested as such before the world then. Today, men are doing everything they can to relieve suffering on earth. And, we are thankful for medical science, etc., but the suffering, the sickness, and natural death that is all around us will not be lifted until Christ appears.
Thus, Paul touches on two things in connection with the Christian's future:
• The glorification of the sons of God, which will occur at the Rapture (vss. 17-18).
• The manifestation of the sons of God, which will occur at the Appearing of Christ (vs. 19).
Chap. 8:20-22—He explains that the creation was "made subject to vanity," not of its own will, but through the failure of its federal head—Adam. But in spite of the failure of Adam, there is a "hope" of deliverance before the ruined creation in the Appearing of Christ.
Verse 21, as it reads in the KJV, could be misleading. It says that the creation will be "delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." This implies that the lower creation will experience the same “glorious liberty” (glorification) that Christians will have, which is not true. The verse should read: "the liberty of the glory of the children of God." Thus, the creation will come into the liberty that will be brought to the children of God, in the sense of having a release from the corruption and suffering, etc., but it will not experience the glorification that the children will experience. The creation will have liberation but not glorification.
Chap. 8:23—In the previous verses, Paul has spoken of the future deliverance that is coming for the creation. Now, he comes to what Christians will experience in our deliverance from the presence of sin. As mentioned, it will be in a far greater way than that which the creation will have, receiving "the redemption of our body" (Eph. 4:30). This refers to our bodies being glorified and transformed into the likeness of the Lord's body of glory. This, as we have stated, will occur at the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-56; Phil. 3:20-21). At that time, our sin-natures will be eradicated from our bodies, and we will be rid of sin in us forever! We will also be raptured from the earth and thus taken out of the presence (the environment) of sin that is all around us now! Thus, we will have deliverance from the presence of sin.
Christians speak of getting "new" bodies at the Rapture, but this could imply that we are given another body altogether, which is not true. If Christians were to receive "new" bodies in this sense when the Lord comes, what need would there be of raising the bodies of the saints from the dead? Also, what need would there be of glorifying the bodies of the saints who will be living on earth when the Lord comes, if they are going to get new bodies? To avoid the possibility of anyone having this mistaken thought, Scripture is careful never to say that we get "new" bodies. Rather, it says that our bodies will be "changed" (Job 14:14; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:21). This means that we will have the very same bodies in which we have lived—albeit, in an altogether different condition of glory (Luke 14:14; John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:51-55; 1 Thess. 4:15-16, etc.). Paul said, "We shall all be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51). This includes the bodies of the saints who have died ("this corruptible") and also the bodies of the saints who are still living when the Lord comes ("this mortal"). The corruptible will “put on incorruption” and the mortal will “put on immortality”(1 Cor. 15:53-54).
Having "the first-fruits of the Spirit," which is the possession of a new life in Christ and our heavenly blessings in Him, we have a guarantee of the eventual "redemption" of our bodies. We can enjoy what is ours by the Spirit now, as a foretaste of what is before us. This does not make us immune to the suffering that is around us. To the contrary, being in our bodies in their present (unglorified) state, yet having the Spirit of Christ in us, we feel the suffering, and "groan within ourselves." This groaning is on account of what we feel personally in passing through this scene, and also by what we feel sympathetically, as we see others suffering. While the Christian groans, he is seen in this chapter as having the present "adoption" of sonship (vs. 15), and is awaiting a future "adoption" of his body into a glorified state (vs. 23).
Three Things That Sustain The Believer In This Present Time of Suffering
Chap. 8:24-30—Paul then gives encouragement in view of the suffering that we are passing through while we wait for our final deliverance. We “groan” (sigh) under these present circumstances, and it’s understandable (2 Cor. 5:4), but we shouldn’t grumble (complain) because God has made provision for us to endure this time of suffering. In this next series of verses, Paul touches on three things that God has given to sustain us in the way.
1) Our Hope
(Vss. 24-25)—The first thing is the hope of our future redemption. Paul says, "We are saved in hope." The KJV says that we are saved "by" hope, but it should read "in" hope. “Saved in hope” means that when we first trusted Christ as our Saviour, it was in view of our having this final aspect of redemption. Thus, when we were "saved" it was "in hope" of, or in view of, the full and final thing. God never intended that deliverance from the penalty of our sins should be an end in itself—wonderful as that is. He had before Him a complete salvation for His redeemed people. This great salvation includes not only what we have been saved from, but what we are saved for—to be Christ’s eternal companions. And, if we are going to live with Him in heaven, we will have to be glorified—thus the need for the redemption of our bodies. We have this precious knowledge on account of a revelation that was given to the Apostle Paul, who has in turn communicated it to the Church (1 Cor. 15:51-56).
As mentioned in chapter 5:2, “hope” in the Bible does not have the same meaning as it has today. In the modern use of the word, a person will speak of hope as something that he would like to see happen, but he has no guarantee that it will. This is not how Scripture uses the word. Hope, in Scripture, is always a thing of certainty, but it's deferred. The thing hoped for will definitely happen; we just don't know when. Hence, it is a deferred certainty.
Knowing the glorious future that lies ahead for us sustains us in the path, because the thing hoped for is steadfast and sure. In hope we have been saved, and in its power we live; and this gives us “patience” to wait for it. As we wait, we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Paul reminds us of this: "But hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." It has been said that faith and hope are good travelling companions for the Christian in his wilderness journey, and this is true. But at the coming of the Lord (the Rapture), we will part ways with those companions, and enter heaven with the Lord where love will abide alone. We will not need faith and hope there.
2) the Resource of Prayer & the Spirit’s Intercession
(Vss. 26-27)—The second thing that God has given to sustain us until the hour of our final redemption is the resource of prayer and the Spirit's helping intercession. Paul says, "Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities [weakness]: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." As we live and move in this scene, and pain and suffering are felt in varying degrees on account of the effects of the bondage of corruption, we can commit ourselves to prayer, which is an expression of our dependence on God in these trials. This is our refuge. The Spirit takes up our cause to “help” us in times of suffering, for oftentimes we don't know what we should pray for in certain situations, but He is able to perfectly express to God what we feel but are unable to articulate.
Oftentimes we have selfish motives behind our prayers without knowing it, and we ask unintelligently for things that are not the will of God. Perhaps we might see somebody suffering, and our human emotion and pity rises in us, and we ask something for them that would not be the best. But the Spirit of God knows the depth of our need and the needs of others, and makes intercession "according to the will of God." When God "searches" our hearts, He finds "the mind of the Spirit" formed there by the Spirit, though we are unable to express it.
That the Spirit is said to make “groanings” is indeed an incredibly comforting thing. It shows that He feels deeply for us in what we are passing through as we suffer in this groaning creation.
Thus, we have three "groanings" in this passage:
• The creation groans unintelligently (vs. 22).
• The Christian groans with a measure of intelligence (vs. 23).
• The Spirit groans with full intelligence according to the mind of God (vss. 26-27).
3) Knowing That the Providence of God Is Working Behind the Scenes for Us
(Vs. 28)—The third thing that we have, and can count on to encourage us, is the knowledge that the providence of God is working for us behind the scenes. Paul says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." While at times we may not know what to pray, we can still have confidence that God is in control of the situation. We may not be able to make sense of the things that have happened to us in life, but we know that God knows exactly what He is doing. Our lives, therefore, are not governed by chance, luck, or fate, but are controlled by a Person who loves us. What a wonderful thought this is! If we have the faith to believe this great fact, we will be comforted in times of suffering and sorrow.
"We know" is a technical expression used in many places in Paul's epistles. It denotes normal Christian understanding of truth, on account of the revelations that have been given to the Church through the apostles (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Using this expression as Paul does here, the Christian knows that God is in control of everything that is happening in his life, and that He is using it "for good" (Lam. 3:37). Note: he does not say, "All things are good." He says, "All things work together for good." This is because some things that happen to us may be bad, but God uses even those things to produce something good that we will take with us into eternity. Hence, we may not know what is happening to us, but we do know why it is happening—God is working out things in our lives that are "for" our good. These "things" may appear to us as a tangled mess of unexplainable details, but when the Lord comes, He will untangle it all for us, and explain the whys and wherefores, and it will all make sense then. The Lord does not promise, nor does the Apostle say, that it will be remedied here and now. But, nevertheless, faith can praise Him for it now.
God’s Ultimate Goal in Our Sufferings and Trials
Chap. 8:29-30—This leads Paul to speak of God’s intention in allowing suffering and trials in the life of the believer. His great aim is that we would be "conformed to the image of His Son." God loves and delights in His Son so much that He has purposed to fill heaven with redeemed persons who are just like His Son! In the day of our final redemption, we will be conformed to His image physically, having bodies like Christ's body of glory (Phil. 3:21). But, as we wait for that day, God is working to conform us to the image of His Son morally, so that we would be like Him in our walk and ways now. As "the Firstborn among many brethren," Christ is the Head of a new race of men that will be just like Himself—morally and physically; and they will reign with Him in His millennial kingdom.
Verse 29, states clearly that God's purpose in connection with our lives centers in His Son. In verses 30-31, Paul refers to it as a chain of five links, having its beginning in the eternity past and its end in future glory. He shows that nothing can stop God from reaching His divine end with us, for no link in the chain can be broken! We are foreknown, predestinated, called, justified, and glorified.
• "Foreknow"—God knows everything about our lives long before the world was even made.
• "Predestinate"—God orders the eternal destiny of those whom He chooses in grace.
• "Called"—At a particular point in time God causes us to hear His voice by the call of the gospel and we respond by believing.
• "Justified"—Upon believing, God clears us from every charge against us by setting us in a new position before Him in Christ with a new life that has not sinned, nor can sin.
• "Glorified"—God's final work with us whereby our bodies are transformed into the likeness of Christ's body of glory.
Note the frequent use of the pronoun "He" all through this passage. It refers to God Himself, whose heart of love and grace is toward us, ordering all things for our blessing! Thus, His heart of love is the source of all our blessing. These things are mentioned in the past tense—even the last link which has to do with being glorified! Since we are not actually glorified yet, it is clear that Paul is not speaking of what is being worked out presently in time, but is viewing these things as they are according to God's eternal purpose. From that perspective, our glorification is seen as being an already completed thing.
Summary of the Different Operations Of the Spirit In Romans 8
In this chapter, we have a wonderful unfolding of truth concerning the Spirit of God and His many functions in a Christian.
• He empowers our walk (vss. 1-4). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit of Life" because He causes us to live a life of holiness.
• He occupies us with the interests of Christ, which Paul calls "the things of the Spirit" (vss. 5-8). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit."
• He forms Christ in us (vss. 9-10a). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit of Christ."
• He causes us to live the resurrection life in fellowship with God (vs. 10b). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit Life."
• He will quicken our mortal bodies (vs. 11). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit of Him."
• He enables us to mortify the deeds of the body (vs. 13). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit."
• He leads the sons of God (vs. 14). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit of God."
• He causes us to know our liberty in the presence of God, whereby we cry "Abba, Father" (vs. 15). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit of adoption."
• He bears witness that we are the children of God, and therefore, heirs of God (vss. 16-17). In this capacity, He is called "the Spirit Itself."
• He is the Firstfruits giving assurance that our full deliverance is coming (vs. 23). In this capacity, He is called "the Firstfruits of the Spirit."
• He is the Helper of our infirmities (vs. 26a). In this capacity, He is called again "the Spirit Itself."
• He is our Interceder in connection with all of our cares (vss. 26b-27). In this capacity, having the knowledge of the will of God, it is "the mind of the Spirit."