Lesson for December 1, 2024

The Law of the Spirit of Life

Lesson 4

Romans 8:19-25

Verse 19

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”

Paul used creation to illustrate the longing that believers should have for their eternal home in Heaven. Even the earth is waiting to be restored to its original state, as it was in the Garden of Eden.

Anxious longing means earnest expectation. The curse of the earth will be lifted during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. The material universe stands in an attitude of expectation, waiting for God to work things out for its benefit. And even though nature is under a curse at the present time, that curse will be removed with the Second Coming of Christ and the start of the Millennium.

The revealing of the sons of God is a reference to the Second Coming of Christ when believers are revealed in their resurrection bodies, just prior to the beginning of the Millennium.

Verses 20 -21

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hopethat the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

The reason creation eagerly awaits the Millennium is that it will be restored to its original form as in the Garden of Eden. (Isaiah 35:1-2) Nature became cursed when Adam sinned, causing him to have to work with his hands to provide food for his family. The ground suffered when Adam committed the original sin, and since then has been in “bondage,” waiting eagerly to be delivered from the curse placed on it.

Will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Nature anticipates the Second Coming, the time of the revealing of the children of God in resurrection bodies. Nature shared in the curse of mankind; therefore, nature will share in the glory of the Royal Family of God in resurrection bodies. 

Verse 22

“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

Nature is like a woman in labor; she is in agony while waiting to deliver and she suffers even greater pain in childbirth. When the birth is complete, the suffering and pain subside. So, it is for the earth during the Millennium.

Verse 23

“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.”

First fruits is a reference to the first portion of a harvest, indicating a future harvest. Having the first fruits of the Spirit is a guarantee of a future harvest when all believers will be resurrected to meet Christ in the air. The “groan” of believers is a longing to be with their Savior for all eternity. It is a desire to be in a place of no more sickness, no more suffering, and no more pain. Our adoption as sons and daughters refers to Ultimate Sanctification, when believers receive their glorified bodies (the redemption of our body) which occurs at the Rapture of the Church.

Verse 24

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?”

Hope means anticipation or expectation. At salvation, we received eternal life, but we will not fully possess it until we are in a resurrection body. In other words, it is an expectation a future reality of a glorified body that is already guaranteed by God in His Word. (Philippians 3:20-21) If you have already seen the reality, then there is no reason to expect (hope for) it.

Verse 25

“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Mankind has three hopes from birth. The first hope is salvation, and that hope becomes a reality when one believes in Jesus Christ. The second hope is blessing in life, which becomes a reality when believers begin to live their spiritual life. The third hope will be a reality at the Rapture of the Church when we receive a resurrection (glorified) body. But right now, all advancing believers possess all three hopes.

Hebrews 11:1-2, “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval.

The Greek word for hope is “elpis,” meaning confident anticipation or confident expectation of the future. Therefore, biblical hope is a part of the problem-solving device called a Personal Sense of Destiny (one of the greatest Problem-Solving Devices of the spiritual life).

When you have any kind of sorrow or heartache, you should look into the future at the fantastic blessings that await you in eternity. This brings you into a realm of thinking that brings you back into the present with confidence and strength. If you have a personal sense of destiny, then you have confident, unlimited, certain, positive expectation about the future.

Hope becomes confident, certain expectation as a result of the study and application of accurate Bible doctrine. Without understanding hope, your doctrinal motivation and momentum is completely destroyed. All definitions of hope in the Bible include the word expectation because hope is always projected into the future. Expectation means looking forward under the principle of living in “light of eternity.” Hope is certainty in both the immediate and distant future. Therefore, hope is absolute security about the future.

Hope is the assurance that at the moment of salvation you received eternal life that is permanent and absolute. We believe in Christ with confident expectation, and as a result of learning doctrine, we develop unlimited, positive expectation of the future. Confident expectation includes the assurance of eternal security and the reality of being resurrected. Therefore, hope in the Christian life is having a personal sense of destiny. (John 3:16, 10:28-29)

Hope is a defense mechanism against stress and adversity through recall and application of Bible doctrine regarding your future. So, remembering what your future is going to be like brings comfort, a relaxed mental attitude, and complete confidence in God. 

Your expectation (hope) is either positive or negative. If it is negative, you are in serious trouble as a believer. Negative expectation is a result of allowing emotion to control your soul, which can lead to scar tissue of the soul and blackout of the soul.

If your expectation is positive, you are confident as a believer. Positive expectation is a result of knowing and believing accurate Bible doctrine, which is the only way we can get to know God, learn about His character, and know that we can trust Him completely, both now and in the future.

You do not move forward by looking backward. If you are going to go forward in the Christian life, you can do it only by following God’s plan. If you are always looking backward, you are following your own plan, which leads to a miserable life. 

Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all happiness and prosperity by believing, that you may superabound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”