Suffering for the Hope of Glory

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

It’s not easy to think about suffering and Paul knows this. He is very quick to point out that the position of glory to which we can look forward is so great that the little bit of suffering we endure now will be quickly forgotten. As a mom, I can’t help but think of the following verse from John:

John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

Frankly, I think the joy of the believer when he reaches heaven will far surpass the joy of a mom at the birth of her child—and that is really hard to imagine.

“this present time” – I couldn’t leave this verse without making comment on this phrase. Its truth is simplistic but very important to our outlook on life. There is going to be a future time for every person ever born on planet earth. It is so important that we hear and understand the truth about that future time through the word of God. Satan has gone to great extremes to put forth false teachings about the future of man after death and has deceived many. Believers should be burdened to do everything they can to share the truth of God’s word and reveal the deceptions of the enemy. The sad thing is that Satan has been able to use many that claim to be part of the church to work his deceit.

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

It would seem that the primary thought of this verse (in context with the following verses) is regarding an eager anticipation for the time when God’s glory is restored to the earth through the presentation of believers as His redeemed children. Paul is giving voice to the creation that was negatively impacted by the sin of man.

As I checked out the Greek for this verse, I thought the NLT stated truth as well: “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.”

The scripture supports the truth that not all who claim His name are true believers.

Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

[The wheat references true believers. The tares represent pretenders/fakes; they look like the real thing, but they are not.]

Romans 8:20-21 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

When you read through the first few chapters of Genesis, it is obvious to me that God created the earth and all it contains for the benefit of man.

Genesis 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

When man chose to sin against God, his judgment included new difficulties in coping with his now imperfect environment. He would have to labor hard to get food to grow from the ground. At first man only ate plants, but after the flood God stated that “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you” (Gen 9:3). Every decision God made was based on His dealings with man. The plants and animals weren’t given a choice. (Much to the dismay of animal activists—animals are not on par with man in God’s creation.) It was God who placed creation in subjection to man—who linked the judgment of man with judgment on the rest of His creation. When the believers are again revealed to be in fellowship with God and allowed to return to earth in glory with Him, the creation itself will experience healing and restoration to most of its original glory. These are the times described in Isaiah.

Isaiah 11:1-9 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Romans 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

“travaileth in pain together” = to have (parturition = The act of bringing forth, or being delivered of, young; the act of giving birth) pangs in company (concert, simultaneously) with, i.e. (figuratively) to sympathize (in expectation of relief from suffering):

Paul is painting a word picture. Just as a woman groans through experiencing the pains of childbirth, the whole creation, including believers, are experiencing the pains necessary before our adoption is publicly declared legal, so to speak. The proof of our position in the family of God will be the redemption of our bodies to a glorified state. Just as God affirmed Jesus as His Son through the resurrection, so too will our position as His children be affirmed by our resurrection.

Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Firstfruits are the first items able to be harvested; the first of more to come. The indwelling Spirit is the first benefit we reap as children of God, but He is not the last. There is much more to come.