ROMANS 8:18-25
LOOKING AHEAD There is a hope ahead unto which believers have been saved. Being saved is presented to us in Romans in three ways. We were saved in the past, the moment we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. That deliverance was from sin and the punishment of sin for all eternity. That was when our new life began. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." We were given eternal life then and it is ours forever because it is the life of God that we have received. At this present time, we are being saved from the power of sin. This is the process of sanctification which is on-going day by day. Even though we live in this body of death, the Holy Spirit gives power to carry on the work of our redeemed souls and spirits in bodies that are awaiting
"the redemption of the body." All of the full benefits and blessing of salvation will be ours when the Lord comes and we will be saved from the presence of sin.
Sin has caused even the creation to suffer and decay. The creation is not evolving into something better as the ages pass but is actually in a constant state of deterioration. When the people of God are revealed with Christ in His glory, there will be changes that will take place by the power of the Lord of creation. Lions will lie down with lambs. The desert will blossom and produce what the Lord intended when He created it at the beginning. All of the original plans of God at the beginning of creation will be submitted to the will of the God of creation. The "vanity," or lack of fulfillment that keeps the earth from its potential will come to an end at the liberty of "the glory of the children of God." The bondage or corruption that is everywhere now, will be released along with God's people. At present we already have the liberty of grace - ahead is the liberty of glory.
We already have the first-fruits of the Spirit that gives us a foretaste of the coming kingdom blessings. Our citizenship is in heaven and the Holy Spirit in us is our guarantee of the coming "redemption of our body." Our bodies of humiliation that are so deceptive, may tempt us to be comfortable with this complacent world. Hopefully, believers will still "groan" when we see what is around us compared to what will be when this state of hope we are in becomes a reality.
Believers look ahead with hope and trust to the change that is coming when we will be like Christ. "This corruption shall put on incorruption." "This mortal shall put on immortality." We have been blessed abundantly already in "spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Then every blessing, physical and spiritual - even creation - will share in this liberty of the glory into which we will come. That hope, the expectation of something better, even though we have not seen the end result of what is ahead, works in us the grace of patience. Patience in His children seem to be something that is very important to God. This patience is not just an attitude, but is patience with a specific objective - the coming liberty of the glory of God's children when these bodies are made like unto His body of glory.
The sanctification of the Spirit is not something obscure. It originates when condemnation is past and eternal life is secure. It is contrasted with the flesh when it raises its ugly head, Indicating that this body of flesh to the world is not yet dead.
The Spirit of God in spite of that, chooses to dwell within. And He gives us motivation to never yield our members to sin. Christ is alive in us and our spirit and soul are alive In Him who the Spirit of God helps us fleshly lusts to deprive.
To this sanctification we have an obligation To mortify the body's desire that leads to our temptation. When led by the Spirit there is power to us given - To live here on earth like citizens of heaven.
There is a heritage we have that produces sanctification. We have a heavenly Father who made us His by the Spirit of adoption. And that Spirit draws from our spirit a grateful response - As heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, we are not now what we were once.
Now as we look ahead into the future there is an expectation Of a new liberty of both God's people and of God's creation. The creation is now in bondage because of human sin. When the liberty of the glory of God comes, creation will be changed then.
So, we look ahead with sure hope and anticipation, To the time there will be seen evidence of our sanctification. The creation won't groan, and neither will we - When we are free to live as God's children in the glory of liberty.
"Father, with anticipation I look into the future and am assured that the day is coming when this present time with disappointments and groaning will be swallowed up by glory. What glory it will be when our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed and we will be with Him. What glory when the creation fulfills Thy original plans. Desert places will produce abundant fruit. Peace will be on earth and our Savior will be honored as He should be now. I pray that I will be able to bring some glory to Him today. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."