After contrasting the two principles
of life, one after the flesh and the other after the Spirit, Paul goes on to
elaborate the future glory that awaits those who had received sonship and could
cry ‘Abba Father,’ in Romans 8:18-25.
Paul’s contention is that whatever
suffering we may undergo for the name of Jesus on this earth, is nothing
compared to the glorious hope that awaits us, rather that would be revealed in
us.
Christians are persecuted and attain
martyrdom in the West Asian countries today. Coptic Christians are beheaded in
Egypt; Syrian Christians are massacred; in the other Muslims countries, both in
Asia and Africa, Christians are put through prisons and other travails. In our own
country Christians are persecuted. Where is God in all these? One might ask.
May be in the 1st century, the persecuted Christians did ask such
questions.
Today one might lose money, if in
Christ you want to be honest and not accept black money or disclose your full
income and end up paying more income tax. One may lose friends, if you stand up
for Jesus and are in the danger of being branded a fundamentalist.
Paul’s reply is none of these sufferings
could compare with the glory that will be revealed in us, the sons and
daughters of God. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul writes, “For our light and
momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all.” Even if this earthly tent is destroyed, we have the hope of an eternal
house in heaven, built by the very hands of God. 2 Cor.5:1.
So, these troubles that we face on
earth are nothing.
More so, the whole creation is eagerly
waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. The whole world, with all the creatures,
have been groaning under the weight of sin, death and decay. They have been
unwittingly dragged down the path of sin and suffering by man, when the First
Adam sinned. It was not their fault at all, but they lost their capacity to
fulfil the potential for which God had created them. The earth was cursed by
God, when Adam sinned and in punishing him, God had cursed the earth. Genesis
3:17.
Even though it is subject to
frustration, creation itself is eagerly anticipating liberation from this
curse. And it is waiting for the day, when the believers will be resurrected
and attain their glorified bodies as promised by God and revealed as ‘sons of
God.’ Along with man and woman, nature itself will be redeemed and liberated
from death and decay.
That is a great hope.
Yes, we do see today everything in
decay, and evil abounding. Among animals, jungle law that ‘might is right’
prevails; ‘survival of the fittest,’ is the law of life among the animals;
nature looks awesome, but terrible, when she lashes the earth with her cyclones
and tornados and typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
In Paul’s words “the whole creation
has been groaning,” but there is hope. All's not lost. we need not be
pessimistic. A Christian can be optimistic, because of the promises of God and
His power to accomplish those promises. ‘The key note of the Christian life is
always hope and never despair. The Christian waits, not for death, but for life.’[1]
This world of sin, suffering and death and decay will pass away and a new earth
and a new heaven, without even a trace of sin and suffering will replace them
by God’s design.
As the creation awaits that day with
groans, we too groan inwardly as we eagerly await that glorious day.
Yes, we do groan and sigh, either
with our personal sufferings or while observing the sufferings of mankind on
earth. Don’t we see sickness and death, the physical sufferings; divorce and
broken families with the attendant loneliness and emotional problems; violence
against human beings, abandoned babies, child abuse, trafficking in girls, gang
rapes, and more, everything that a sick mind can invent and do.
Amidst it all there is hope, the hope
of our adoption as sons and daughters and the redemption of our bodies. In
resurrection, we become the ‘first fruits,’ the down payment of the Holy
Spirit, who dwells in us now, as the guarantee of our bodily resurrection. 2
Corinthians 2:22, 5:5. The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance. Ephesians 1:14. And we receive a glorified body like that
of Jesus Christ after His resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.
This is our hope.
And we wait patiently for that hope
to be fulfilled, which will happen, when Jesus Christ returns in glory. Our salvation
is past, present and future. We were saved in the past, when we first believed
in Christ. Our new life on earth began at this very moment.
We are being saved everyday as we go
through the process of sanctification in this very life; we receive the power
through the Holy Spirit who resides in us, to fight sin and temptation and lead
a victorious Christian life. But the full benefits and blessings of salvation,
we will receive only when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on
earth. That will be the consummation of our salvation.
We are saved by God’s grace, Ephesians
2:8-9; we are justified by faith, Romans 5:1 and we are saved in
hope, Romans 8:24. God starts the process of our salvation, He continues
it by daily saving us from the power of sin and He completes it, by fulfilling His
promise to us. Philippians 1:6.
What a great hope and a great promise
to look forward to!
Hope of a glorified body! That is the
promise of God to those who believe in Him! A ‘new heaven and a new earth’ will
be formed; the first heaven and the first earth world pass away. Revelation
21:1. It will be inhabited by the redeemed of God, who would meet the
glorious Christ in the air. 2 Thessalonians 4:17. And our lowly bodies
will be transformed into glorious bodies. Philippians 3:21. And we will
be changed for ever. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
As we wait for this glorious moment, we
have work to do. We need to live a life that glorifies God, and do our best to
alleviate sickness and suffering from the world around us in our own small neighbourhood.
As Paul says, “Always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord,” 1
Corninthians 15:58.
Well, friends, don’t we have a
marvellous hope, a hope that will be revealed, when even the belaboured
creation will heave a sigh of relief, as it watches the redeemed be transformed
into glorified bodies at the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ?
It is the hope of a glorious new
life, lived in the presence of our beloved God the Father and the Jesus Christ
our Saviour and the Holy Spirit our Companion and Counsellor. Jesus said, ‘me
and my Father’ will come and live in such a person on earth now John 14:23,
but imagine living with Him through eternity!
What a beautiful and lovely hope! What
a privilege!
Do you have that assurance?
If not ask the Lord to day to give
you that assurance and the peace that passes understanding will be yours. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment