"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
Romans 8:22-23

WE are considering the wonderful revelation the apostle Paul gives concerning the believers future inheritance in Christ. Paul opens all this up to us so that we may be able to face the sufferings that we have to endure in this present life, and specially the added sufferings which come upon us because we are disciples of Jesus. We saw in the previous verses the wonderful plan of God for creation. We saw that the creation is going to be re-created at Christ�s coming again in glory, and this present world order will pass away. We saw that this new heaven and earth would be a return to the original paradise God created for Adam and Eve, but surpass even this. We saw also that this liberation of creation from the bondage of corruption in this world was always God�s plan, and that it was needed so that there would be a perfect environment for us who have been redeemed by faith in Christ to live in for all eternity. We now take this wonderful revelation further in these next two verses as we see how we fit into this glorious new life.

PAUL�S ILLUSTRATION.

To get over this revelation of the future of creation and our future as believers in Christ Paul uses a powerful illustration. He likens what we and creation are going through now to the pains of childbirth, and the liberation and glory we shall know when Christ returns to this world to the birth of a child. Such an illustration may at first seem to us to be out of place, but when we think about it, this illustration is vivid and apt.

Childbirth is a very painful time for a prospective mother. The pain at times can be most severe, and go on for a long time. However it is a time of pain which has great expectancy and the pain is gladly accepted because of the result where a new life is born into the world, which brings great joy. The pain is seen to be worthwhile in the light of the outcome, and the pain is soon forgotten in the joy of a son or daughter being given.

This fact of childbirth is part of the consequences of the sin of Adam and Eve. We are told about this fact in Genesis 3:16 - �To the woman he said, �I will greatly increase your pains in childbirth; with pain you will give birth to your children. Your desire will be to your husband, and he will rule over you.�� It is sin that brought the fact of pain into the world, but for the redeemed there is this sure hope and expectancy that from the suffering comes great joy. This is illustrated so well in the experience of childbearing.

The picture which Paul hold�s before us is of this present age being a period like childbirth. Creation has always been in this condition of being in pain waiting for the time of deliverance when it would be reborn. This is the hope of this present suffering creation which we know. Paul goes on to say that we are also included in this. Our sufferings now are like a woman in labour. We suffer much, but the suffering has a wonderful outcome. This outcome is the full adoption of sons, which is made possible by the redemption of our bodies. All the suffering we endure is all worthwhile when we consider the glorious blessing that is waiting for us when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead, and when all the redeemed will be gathered by Christ into this wonderful paradise.

THE DOCTRINE BEING TAUGHT HERE.

We need to understand the teaching that Paul is presenting to us if we are to appreciate fully the magnitude of the blessing that we are going to enjoy.

In this present life we have the firstfruits of the Spirit. This is the earnest of the joy to come, but still falls far short of what is yet in store for believers at Christ�s second coming. An earnest is a small part of the inheritance to enjoy while the inheritance is waited for, and it is given so that the promise of the inheritance may be given substance. The earnest is to give assurance of the full inheritance and that it will be received.

In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul speaks of the sufferings we experience in this life. He uses the same word to describe it as he does in verses 22 and 23 of Romans 8. Paul says in verse 2 of 2 Corinthians 5 �Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling�. This is our inheritance in Christ which we look forward to. He then says in verse 5 �Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose (that is that we may be clothed with our heavenly dwelling) and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.� Paul speaks in the same way in Ephesians 1:13b,14 �Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God�s possession -- to the praise of his glory.�

The Holy Spirit is the person in the Godhead that is the agent of God to bring the salvation won by Christ to the elect of God. So he is the agent of God who convicts us of our sin, and then leads us to Christ as the Saviour from sin, and gives us the gift of faith to believe in Jesus and so be accounted righteous in the sight of God, and know this justification as a reality in our souls. The work of the Holy Spirit does not cease here. His work is constant. Jesus speaks of this ministry to us in John chapters 14 --16. Jesus tells his disciples that he will send the Holy Spirit to take his place with us. He is to be our Counsellor or Comforter. The word in the Greek is Advocate. So the Holy Spirit is Christ�s advocate with us. It is this ministry of the Holy Spirit that is our earnest of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit as Christ�s advocate with us brings the assurance to our hearts that, having believed in Jesus, we have been received by God and welcomed as his children. This earnest is the experience of Christ in us, the hope of glory, which the Holy Spirit gives us. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit. This experience is given to us through the Bible, and as we read it, study it and meditate upon it, the Holy Spirit opens up the revelation to our minds, and causes us to believe it in our hearts, and to be assured of it in our inner being. Jesus promises in John 14:18 �I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.� In the context we see that this coming of Jesus is by the presence of the Holy Spirit whose ministry is to lead us to Jesus, and make us to know his presence with us all the time. Notice the earnest of our inheritance expressed here. It is that we may not be left as orphans. An orphan is a child, a son, a daughter; but a child whose parents have died, and they are alone. So we see Jesus accepts us a children of God, which is what Paul is speaking of in Romans 8:22-23. In Romans 8 we are considering the full manifestation of this sonship, this adoption; but now, while we still on earth, we are given by the Holy Spirit an earnest, which is a sense of being children of God, beloved and accepted, and members of the family of God, with the assurance that the home of God in heaven will be ours. However, the measure that we can enjoy this earnest is in the measure we seek to know it through the Spirit by seeking to know it through meditation in the Bible.

But we still groan, still suffer, in this life and Paul reminds us of this. We do this inwardly. In this Paul is expressing the pain and suffering within us which falls short of this inheritance of being children of God.

Our groaning is that because we are still in this earthly corrupt body we fall short of the character and behaviour of children of God all the time. We are beset by sin in our members. We cry out to God in our wretchedness. We long to be clothed with the heavenly body we are promised.

We groan also because we have tasted the heavenly experience of being children of God, but we long for the reality, and we groan because we are unable to live in this blessedness in the way we would like. Because of the flesh we find this world and its attractions and lusts pulling us away from this heavenly experience. We want so much to live more and more in the heavenlies, but we find ourselves so earth bound, and still seeking our satisfaction in earthly things.

We groan because we often find ourselves failing in faith so that this inheritance seems to be something we can�t get hold of. The devil brings doubts into our mind. He presents to us our sins and failings. He stands over us darkening our minds and our hearts, and terrifying us with his gloom. We cry out to the Lord at such times and seek that the Holy Spirit will increase the experience of the earnest of our inheritance. We turn to prayer and to the Word of God, and again the Spirit gives us the experience of the earnest of our inheritance, and by the taste of what is ours in Christ we are lifted up again.

We groan because we find it so difficult to be confident in the truth that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Trials beset us, and we are troubled because we don�t know what to do. The earnest of the Spirit is given to us at such times, so that through the revelation in the Bible opened up to us by the Spirit we are able again to trust God.

We groan because we imagine troubles and sufferings in the future. Satan is very good at bringing these up in our minds, and causing our imagination to run riot, and we find ourselves cast down and in such darkness that we feel all is lost. The earnest of the Spirit again is our blessing and salvation, for he holds us firm in this faith he has given us. He causes us, even in the evil day, to stand and hold on to what we have believed. He then brings us through, as through the Word of God again, our inheritance is again made real to us, and we can quote Scripture to the devil as Jesus did and so confound him, and say to him and any instrument that Satan is using to afflict us, the words Jesus used to Peter when he tried to lead Jesus away from the purpose of God - Matthew 16:23 �Jesus said to Peter, �Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; and you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.��

These are just some of the experiences the saints of God have which cause us to groan, but God does not fail us. The promised earnest of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, always guards us, and he brings us through.

We also groan because there are times when Christ disciplines us for our good. In times of plenty, and in times of quietness, when things are going well, there is a tendency to fill our lives more than we ought, and more than is good for us, with earthly things, so that our souls are neglected, and we grow cold in our love for Christ. Then there are times when in the midst of real blessing from God we take glory to ourselves, and imagine that by our power and goodness we have done these things. We begin to look for the praise of others, and the glory which is due to God alone is taken from God. At these times the Lord often causes us to know our folly by chastising us. This chastising makes us groan, even though it comes to us through the loving hand of God. This chastisement comes often in the form of the Holy Spirit withdrawing the sense of his presence and blessing. We are left to our own power and strength. Two experiences follow. We soon find that our imagined strength and wisdom is a broken reed. We find there is no power in our service and ministry, and there is no blessing. We also find that we are unable to believe and we are unable to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one. We find ourselves overcome by temptation, and that we are unable to control our weaknesses. We are brought low, and we groan, but in the groaning we are brought in penitence to the Lord, and find again his loving embrace, and the pouring out of his blessings of the experience of the earnest of our inheritance.

So we groan inwardly, and as we groan our longing for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body, is powerful within us.

CONCLUSION.