Romans 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Paul has just discussed the benefit of the spirit of adoption which has been given to every Christian. This benefit assures us that we are God’s children. It also gives us a glimpse of the incredible blessings we enjoy as children of the Most High God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Savior. 
In Romans 8:18-25 the apostle gives us another reason why the gospel is far superior to the law. In this section, he points out that the gospel sustains the Christian during their captivity to sin and its trials. Specifically, it does this with the hope of a future deliverance – a complete and final redemption of the body, soul and spirit from all the evils of this life.
As Christians throughout the ages have experienced many trials and afflictions, it is a welcome relief to know that help is available under the gospel.
GENERAL STATEMENT: In verse 17, Paul declared that Christians must suffer with Christ if they are to partake of his glory. But there is no reason to despair, because any trials/suffering we experience here are NOTHING compared to the incredible glory we are shortly to receive.
DIGGING DEEPER: For I consider: To consider something is to think carefully about it; to weigh the implications of it; to make a judgment based on all available facts.
In other words, this isn’t a casual, spur of the moment opinion. It isn’t something Paul merely hopes to be true. He has deliberately weighed these matters in his mind, prayed about them, listened to Holy Spirit, and come to a sound, logical conclusion.
That the present sufferings of this present time: ‘Present sufferings’ refers to all the persecutions, trials, and calamities that Christians of every age experience, regardless of when or where they live. No one is immune from these afflictions:
John 16:33 – I [Jesus] have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
When considering this topic, it’s good to remember that Paul is speaking from the perspective of someone who experienced many grievous troubles during his ministry (II Corinthians 11:23-28). He was stoned, beaten multiple times, imprisoned, shipwrecked, mocked, rejected, falsely accused and eventually martyred. If his earthly misery was insignificant compared to the heavenly glory/reward of every Christian, we can be assured that ours is too.
Are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us: The sufferings and hardships we now endure may be incredibly difficult. They may seem like they will never end. But Paul assures us that compared to the happiness, honor and amazing things that await us in heaven, our trials are insignificant. They are nothing. They aren’t even worth mentioning.
This brings up a relevant question – in what way are our trials insignificant when compared to our future blessings?
Answer - Our trials are nothing in quality, quantity or duration compared to our future glory.
II Corinthians 4:17 – For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Quality – Yes, suffering can be intense. There are days when we think we can’t go on. There are times when the enemy whispers in our ear that we should just give up. But don’t you listen to those lies! God never sets us up for failure. He will never overwhelm us with a burden we cannot bear. As intense as your suffering is, keep in mind it is ‘light’ or trivial in quality compared to the blessings that await you.
Quantity – God is a loving Father. He will not subject us to more trials than necessary. Regardless of how many trials we endure, we know will have infinitely more blessings in the next life, simply because blessings are eternal, while trials are temporary.
Duration – As we just mentioned, we endure hardships only during our earthly existence, which is like a vapor that vanishes in seconds (James 4:14). On the other hand, our blessings are everlasting – they have no end!
Notice that our glory is ‘yet to be revealed’.
I John 3:2 – For though we know that we are now his sons, yet it appears not yet what we shall be.
In other words, the blessings, honor and happiness that await us are currently hidden from view. We can’t see or imagine them just yet; neither can we plumb the depths or measure the scope of them. During our time on earth, we receive these benefits by faith, but a time is coming when they will be our possession, fully visible to ourselves and others.
Romans 8:19 – For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
GENERAL SUMMARY: All of creation was subject to sin, bondage and death when Adam rebelled against God. Because of its state of misery, creation anxiously looks forward to the next age, when God brings restoration and blessing.
DIGGING DEEPER: Romans 8:19-23 has been deemed one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament by bible scholars. Despite decades of discussion, there is no one interpretation that is widely accepted (or even deemed satisfactory) by all critics.
We will now examine a few of the various interpretations. As we do, keep in mind that the main truth of the passage is clear. Paul’s main objective is to show the sustaining power of the gospel in the midst of trials by assuring Christians of their future deliverance and inheritance as the children of God. Regardless of which exact interpretation you accept, this is the overall meaning of verses 19-23.
For the creation: This is where the controversy begins. What does Paul mean when he uses the word ‘creation’?
That word has been variously defined as: rational creation (man as a rational being), the church, Christians, the Jewish nation, the Gentile nations/the heathen, angels and/or fallen spirits, or the entire world, both animate and inanimate.
We are going to take a brief look at three of these options. 
Option one identifies creation as the Christian or more specifically, the renewed nature of each Christian. According to this interpretation, the Christian is waiting for their future glory. They are highly desirous of the full revelation/ development of the honors that await them as a child of God. While he or she awaits future glory, they are subject to a state of trial/tribulation. It is not their will to endure this, nevertheless, God has determined this is what is best for them. As they endure this state of trial, they have a hope of deliverance into glorious liberty. This hope sustains them during their afflictions.
Option two identifies creation as the world itself (rocks, minerals, etc.), along with all plant and animal life. Those who hold this view point out that through the sin of man, the entire earth has suffered; all things whether living or inanimate are under the rule of corruption and decay. According to this interpretation, the whole frame and substance of the world is personified as groaning and suffering under the sin of mankind, waiting for future deliverance and restoration.
Option number three identifies creation as the Gentile world/heathens/sinners. According to this interpretation, the gospel will rescue the heathen from the idolatry that enslaves them. They will be brought into the family of God where they will be his adopted children and share in the inheritance of heaven. Those who hold this theory point out that the same word for creature/creation is used in Mark 16:15 and Colossians 1:23 where they clearly refer to Gentiles or unbelievers. In fact, it was common for the Jews to refer to Gentiles as creatures in their own writings, to distinguish them from the Israelites.
Mark 16:15 - And he [Jesus] said unto them, ‘Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’
These are the only three explanations we are going to look at in our study, but if you are interested in one of the other viewpoints, I encourage you to engage in your own research.
Regardless of which interpretation you choose, we can make the general statement that there is no part of creation that is free from misery brought about by sin; sin has touched and defiled everything. That being the case, there is no part of creation that does not intensely hope for restoration. Likewise, the entire creation (whether animate and inanimate) is sustained by the hope that God will deliver it from the bondage of sin. This will occur on the day when God openly exhibits the glory of the children of God.
Waits with eager longing: Eager longing denotes a state of intense, earnest desire; an ardent wish or an intense anxiety. The literal interpretation is ‘straining forward with an outstretched head/neck’.
We might think of it this way: Picture yourself in the audience of a show where you greatly desire to see what is taking place on the stage. Unfortunately, you are not in the front row, so you automatically strain forward to catch a glimpse of what is happening. That is the same thing that is being described in this verse. It denotes concentrated longing and desire.
For the revealing of the sons of God: This is what creation eagerly and intensely longs for - the full manifestation of the benefits/blessings promised to the adopted children of God.
There is no doubt that when a sinner becomes a Christian, they experience a multitude of blessings from God. However, we are still living with our flesh/old man and (as each one of us can testify) we are still subject to sin. Our bodies are still actively growing old and dying. We are still enduring the trials and frustrations associated with this life.
Obviously, the FULL scope and manifestation of our blessings is still a future event. It will occur when we are revealed as the children of God. This takes place in front of the whole world, when Christ returns in the clouds in all his splendor and glory. At that time, he will raise the dead in Christ from their graves, catch the living in Christ into the air, give us all a new glorified body free of the flesh/old man and untouched by sin. Then he will escort us to heaven as his bride. (I Corinthians 15:35-53, John 14:1-3, Revelation 21:1-7).
When Christ returns, it will be abundantly clear who the adopted children of God are. Likewise, it will be abundantly clear who the children of Satan are.
Romans 8:20 – For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of him who subjected it, in hope…
GENERAL SUMMARY: Creation is subject to futility (things that are useless or fruitless). They do not willingly submit to futility; they do so because God decreed it. However, God subjects them to futility in hope.
DIGGING DEEPER: For the creation was subject to futility: When you are subjected to something, it generally means that you are forced to undergo an experience or situation that you find unpleasant or unwelcome.
For example, you might willingly stop by your friend’s house to say hello. Suppose that when you do, they whip out a whole slide-show of boring pictures from their recent vacation. Although you want to leave, social convention traps you there until the show is over. You could say that you were subjected to a boring review of your friend’s vacation.
To be subject to futility is to be forced to endure a situation or experience that is useless, ineffective or pointless.
Paul tells us that creation was forced to endure just such a vain experience. Of course, the exact interpretation of this verse depends upon how you defined ‘creation’ in the prior verse.
For example, if you believe that ‘creation’ refers to Gentiles/heathen/sinners, then by default, the futility discussed here refers to the vanity/emptiness of the minds of the Gentiles, who were without God, the law and the gospel. The Gentiles believed they possessed wisdom, knowledge and great learning, but they were wrong. All their reasoning resulted in vain philosophy, polytheism, gross idolatry and vain superstitious worship practices (Acts 14:15). On top of all that, they were enslaved to their sins and lust (Romans 1).
Looking at where their wisdom led them, we could easily conclude that they were subjected to the futility of their own reasoning because their religious practices were vain, useless and fruitless. In fact, their so-called wisdom led them into a bondage they could not break. 
Similarly, we could conclude the earth is subject to futility because it had no choice but to endure the fruitlessness, corruption and death produced by the sin of man. Or we could conclude that Christians are subject to futility because their flesh/old man still causes them to do vain, pointless, useless things.
Not willingly: When you do something willingly, you do it by choice; you want to do it. When you do something unwillingly, you are doing it because you are forced to, even if you would rather not do it.
In the present case, Gentiles/sinners (creation) were willingly vain. In other words, in accordance with their own free will, they chose to worship false idols, engage in sin, give in to lust and rebel against the commands of God. However, they were unwillingly subjected to futility through these actions. They did not want to become slaves to these useless, pointless, fruitless evils. However, by divine permission, Satan took them captive and made them slaves to sin and lust.
So we find that their descent into vanity/futility was not so much of their own accord or free choice, but by the power and malice of the devil, to whom they are justly given up by God. Satan rules in their hearts, makes them captive to his will, and subjects them to misery and vanity.
Likewise, we can conclude that neither the earth nor the Christian is brought under vanity/futility because they desire or choose that outcome.
But because of him who subjected it: If creation was unwillingly subjected to vanity/futility, who was/is responsible for their subjection? Who forced them into it?
The answer is God. The apostle does not give us any explanation or reason why this is so. All we can say is that creation is subject to futility in pursuance of the sovereign purpose and council of God, who possess all wisdom and knowledge.
So, two things are certain. First, it (subjection to futility) did not happen because the devil had the authority or desire to do it. We know for a fact that it happened because it was God’s will for it to occur. Second, God subjected his creation to vanity/futility in hope. It’s hope that makes all the difference.
In hope: Paul is talking about the hope of our deliverance from the futility of this world. As we mentioned in a prior post, two things must be present in order to have hope - a desire for something and a reasonable expectation of obtaining it.
By definition, hope looks to the future; it longs for something we do not yet possess. In this case, the sinner/earth/Christian has a desire for deliverance as well as a guarantee of receiving it through the gospel. Therefore, the creation has a real hope of being delivered from corruption and death.
Romans 8:21 - …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.
GENERAL SUMMARY: In due time, creation (sinner/earth/Christian/etc.) will be delivered from the bondage of sinful corruption and be brought into the same liberty that the sons of God will enjoy.
DIGGING DEEPER: That: (Your translation may say ‘because’.) This word links our current situation to the hope that we will one day be delivered from all the sin, corruption, death, toil, cares and futility that we currently experience.
We know for a fact that it is the will/plan of God to deliver his adopted children from the afflictions of this life. The hope of this deliverance is a mighty beacon of light and strength that sustains Christians right now, when we are in the midst of life’s struggles.
Furthermore, it is God’s will that every human being ever created embraces forgiveness through the gospel and comes to experience the same spirit of adoption that his other children have already received:
I Timothy 2:3-4 - …God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved nd to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The creation itself will be set free: Paul tells us that creation has been made subject to vanity - but in hope. In other words, for reasons we don’t fully understand, God makes us endure a season of futility, but he gives us a sure hope to sustain us during that time. 
He promises that a time will soon come when we will be delivered from the bondage of sin and all its effects. As we mentioned above, this will happen when Christ returns to earth to collect the children of God and take them to their heavenly home.
Notice that we are ‘set free’ not ‘recreated’. This means that we will be renewed by God/Jesus/Holy Spirit without substantial change. When we are set free/renewed, it will be our same spirit (though purified), our same body (though glorified) and our same soul (though freed from all the corruptions of humanity). We will be perfect renditions of ourselves, freed from all the degradation of our present condition. As such, when we arrive in heaven, we should expect to recognize others that we knew on earth, and we should expect others to recognize us, because we are still us!
In the meantime, each of us should consider the dreadful curse that man has brought upon not just himself, but all of creation because of his rebellion to God. We do not deserve the mercy of God, yet it is his will to set all of creation free.
Ephesians 2:4-7 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
From its bondage to corruption: Instead of the word ‘bondage’, we could use the term ‘slavery’. Our situation amounts to servitude to a corrupt, imperfect state which leads to temptation, sin, conflict, anxiety and death. It destroys our peace, mars our happiness, and undercuts our faith. It even subjects us to physical death.
This state of bondage/servitude is in opposition to the state of life, liberty and freedom promised to creation through the gospel, which will fully manifest when Christ returns to earth.
And obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God: The overall sense of this verse is that sinners (creation) who are currently subject to futility, will find Jesus Christ through the gospel and thus be rescued from the paths of sin and corruption. They will become the adopted children of God and enjoy the same freedom and inheritance given to all his children.
Romans 8:22 – For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of child birth until now.
GENERAL SUMMARY: All of creation travails in pain while waiting for their deliverance.
DIGGING DEEPER: For we know that the whole creation: Again, your definition of creation determines the interpretation of this verse.
Has been groaning together in the pains of child birth until now: If you have ever given birth or been in the room when someone else did, you know that there is a lot of pain, work, discomfort and groaning during the process. And that does not include all of the care a mother gives her child before it is even born!
If you define creation as the earth, plants and animals, then the meaning of this verse is that as the earth groans and travails in pain as it waits in expectation of the deliverance that is to come. This travail has been in force from the fall of Adam until the present day, and it will continue until the return of Christ, which will be the day of deliverance. This travail is neither vain nor futile, for deliverance is guaranteed to come.
If you define creation as the Christian, then the sense is that Christians are always in a state of pain and discomfort as they toil through this life, expectantly waiting for the day when they will finally be freed from their bondage to the flesh/old man. This labor/toil is not vain or futile because we have the hope/assurance that we absolutely will be delivered from our present state. 
If you define creation as the Gentile/heathen/sinner, the explanation of the verse is something like this: The grace of God is the ‘seed’ of salvation by which men are born again. The seed is conveyed to unbelievers by means of the gospel. Ministers (like Paul) are like spiritual moms – they nurture and eventually give spiritual birth to new believers. All of these spiritual births were accomplished with toil, hardship and pain.
In the natural realm, a woman immediately forgets the pain of childbirth the moment her son/daughter is born. Pain is replaced by joy that the child is now born. In the spiritual realm, ministers immediately forget the pain and toil associated with spiritual birth because they are so glad that a sinner has come to Christ.
The ‘groaning together’ that Paul speaks of in this verse refers to the collective efforts of not only ministers, but ordinary converts like you and I, as all of us earnestly desire and continually toil for more and more spiritual births.
Paul declares that these spiritual birth pains began the first time the gospel was preached to the Gentiles and they still continued until (and past) the writing of his letter to the Romans. Although there had been many Gentile/heathen births by that point, there were many, many more children of God to come.
Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:
In today’s post, Paul tells us that our future hope as the adopted sons and daughters of God sustains us during our time on earth, when we are beset with trials and afflictions. This gives us every reason to praise him.
But don’t forget, God has given us many, many amazing benefits right now:
- We have access to the very presence of God 24/7! That alone should bring a song of praise to our lips.
- We have the word of God, which is a powerful weapon against our enemy. What a relief!
- We have Holy Spirit dwelling within our lives right now. He is here to walk through this life with us.
The list goes on and on. So, if you need some encouragement and/or relief today, consider your present benefits as well as your future privileges as the adopted child of the Most High God. Then, begin to praise and worship him. I guarantee you will be refreshed, relieved and encouraged!
Let me offer you some strength:
Today’s post shows that we can obtain strength for our Christian walk by looking at the bigger picture. Our afflictions, troubles, persecutions and frustrations are all part of suffering with Christ. And if we suffer with him, we will also be glorified with him when he returns to earth to escort us to heaven.
As amazing as that is, there is even more good news – despite the adversity we face here on earth, we are victors through Jesus Christ our Lord!
I Corinthians 15:57-58 – But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
You may run into snags and roadblocks in your ministry, but don’t let that stop you – God will provide a way around or through that obstacle, because he is going to make your ministry fruitful.
Whatever you do for the Lord and his kingdom, do it with all your strength, because God will make sure we reap a 30, 60 or 100 fold harvest, even in the midst of adversity!