By: Curtis Baker
Before I left for vacation, our study in the book of Romans had brought us to the eighth chapter of this grand letter. It would not be an exaggeration to say that chapter eight is the climax of the book of Romans. Here, in this section of the letter, Paul takes us to heights that are rarely experienced in scripture. Paul lays out for us the beautiful way in which God’s story comes to it
s climax in the work of Jesus Christ. That work begins now in the freedom it has provided us from the penalty of our sin–death and condemnation. But freedom is not the final word in chapter eight. Indeed, it is merely the necessary prerequisite which makes what comes next possible. In the latter half of Romans eight, Paul looks to the future to see the “glory” that is awaiting to be revealed “for us” (Rom 8:18).
What is this glory? It is nothing less than to take our place with Christ and to share his sovereign rule over the redeemed creation. This was God’s intention for us from the very beginning (Gen 1:26-28), and God will see to it that in the end his will is done. When Paul considers the grandeur of our future that awaits us, he considers our present suffering as nothing to compare with the wonder of what is to come. You might question at this point what suffering he is referring to? I think it would be appropriate to name any suffering you wish. It could be physical or emotional suffering. It could be the suffering of persecution. Any suffering in Paul’s mind will pale in comparison to the glory of our future. However, in the context of this chapter, I do think Paul has something specific in mind when he speaks of suffering. If you look back up at 8:5-17, you’ll recall that Paul has been talking about how Christians are living in the midst of two realities. One reality is the sinful nature that has been developed in them every since their birth. The other reality is the Spirit of God dwelling inside of them, which has been there ever since their spiritual rebirth in baptism (Rom 6:1-4). Because both of these things are true, and we are struggling to put away the sinful nature in order to live according to the Spirit, this involves a certain kind of suffering. To challenge the sinful nature is difficult. It is swimming against the current of society and our own sinful leanings.
But despite the struggle that the Christian life must entail, Paul says that our suffering is nothing compared to the glory that God is awaiting to reveal for us. Paul is not shy about relating our current life to groaning (Rom 8:23). This groaning is a longing for our redemption to be completed. Don’t you groan for the day when we no longer will have to wrestle with suffering, whether that suffering is from our battle against sin or any other kind of distress? Of course you do! Anybody who is paying attention feels the same way! Thankfully, Paul says we are not alone in our groaning. In 8:26-27, Paul tells us that the very Spirit that God has placed inside of us helps us in our weakness. As words fail us in the struggles of our life, the Spirit itself prays inside of us with groans that words cannot express. The Spirit knows where God is taking all this, and in ways that are largely mysterious to us, he works in us to prepare us for the glory that awaits us.
Paul says it is in this hope that we are saved. We cannot fully see what this will look like yet, but Paul says that is why it is called “hope”! We wouldn’t need hope if we could already see and experience it. It would be reality. But it is not yet reality. At least, not full reality. We only see the first fruits.
So, for now, the groaning continues…the suffering carries on…but in the midst of it all we have the “hope” that God will bring this to a conclusion in such a way that we will all say, “It was worth it!”
(Don’t forget to join me for A Message From the Heart radio program Sunday evening at 8:00pm on KJAK 92.7FM, or streaming live at www.kjak.com) (curtisbaker@hotmail.com) Write to: P.O. Box 157, Slaton, TX 79364
