Romans 8:18: Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the
glory he will reveal to us later.
o Paul uses the word, “glory” to describe this kind of future God has for us.
▪ The Greek word here is “Doxa” and it means “dignity, weightiness,
worth, or status.” Paul is painting a picture of a future where
suffering and pain are no more; where our worth and status in
Christ, which has begun here on earth, will be fully realized; and
finally, our entire being will shine with the beauty of Christ in all of
His splendor.
o With this in mind, Tim Keller says: “If you know where you are heading in
the future, you won’t even entertain the idea that your current problems
and pain aren’t worth it.”
- Romans 8:19: For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day
when God will reveal who his children really are.
o When Paul says creation is “waiting eagerly,” it’s the personification of
creation standing on its tiptoes and craning its neck in expectation to see
the future victory, our hope fulfilled.
- Romans 8:20-21: Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s
curse. But with eager hope the creation looks forward to the day when
it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
o In his book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn says: “God doesn’t throw away his
handiwork and start from scratch—instead, he uses the same canvas to
repair and make beautiful the painting marred by the vandal.” –Randy
Alcorn
- Romans 8:22: For we know that all creation has been groaning as in
the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
o Creation is groaning in pain right now. We are groaning in pain right now.
But, someday, in the future, this world, and all of it’s suffering, will give
way to our ultimate future (see Revelation 21:1-5)
