Dear Fellow Sojourners of the Faith,
One of the best ways to analyze a passage is to see how the phrases and sentences interact with one another. In our study of Romans 8:18-25, it would be beneficial to see how Paul develops his thought in his letter. I will go through our passage verse-by-verse and then proceed to talk about what is grammatically going on in each one.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
From the beginning of the sentence, Paul is trying to support an statement that he made previously in Romans 8:16-17 where he says, "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." He is explaining that even though the trials the church is going through are difficult, the promise of Sonship makes everything worth it.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
Paul strengthens his argument by giving more grounds for his claim: all of creation is just chomping at the bit to see the revelation of what we will be like. This is how big God's plan is. God has such a grand plan for His people that everything He created (not just humans) is anxious for it to come.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Why does creation wait for the revealing of the sons of God? All other areas of creation have been cursed when man was judged to be sinful. Paul is giving grounds for his previous points and giving a reason for the anticipation. Every area of creation: animals, land forms, weather, plants, etc. is now a twisted form of itself east of Eden. When humans are fully glorified, all of creation will follow. Creation will be free to be what it was intended to be.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Paul calls forth his audience's previous knowledge to aid his argument as he explains how the whole earth is obviously not as it should be. He uses imagery of a woman in childbirth to describe how the Earth is now in the hard part of it's life, but that there is something much better coming. Jesus himself used this imagery to describe his second coming in John 16:21. It is certainly language that the church would have been familiar with.
23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Paul uses a progression of thought to explain that believers also are in need of full redemption as we wait for the full effects of our sanctification to take place. He clarifies what he means by adoption by mentioning the renewing of our bodies.
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
Paul supports his argument for our adoption by stating that this "hope" of adoption is into what we were saved. It was to be relationally rejoined with the Father through Christ and to come fully into the role as His children. He proceeds to clarify what he means by "hope" even more by explaining that hope cannot be obviously seen by the eyes or by concrete events. He asks a rhetorical question to drive his point home that if something was seen, that it would not have been something hoped for.
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
He finishes his this section of the letter by giving instructions on how to hope: with patience. He is contrasting the ones who do not hope well with advice on how to hope correctly.
Overall, this section of Paul's letter flows quite smoothly from one verse to the next. Paul unfolds his argument for what adoption looks like in the Spirit and why believers should be anticipating glorification.
In Christ,
Becca
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