Keeping Our Eyes On The Prize

Romans 8:18-25

How many of you find the road you’re on in life to be a difficult one, and the burden you’ve been given to carry a hard one?  Problems and persecutions, heartaches and headaches, sickness and sorrow.  As we read about in the Book of Acts, and throughout all of his letters to various churches, Paul went through all of that, and more.  In our portion of Scripture today from the Book of Romans, Paul gives us a good way to look at the difficult burdens we are bearing in this life.

In verse 18 Paul tells us that what we are going through now cannot even begin to compare with the glory that awaits us in heaven.  It may be difficult, and the problems seem like they are going on forever, but hold on, he tells us.  Keep your eyes on the prize that awaits us when Christ returns.  God’s glory will be revealed in us.  God has a purpose for the difficult times we go through.  He will show His glory through them if we let Him.  God’s blessings are worth the sacrifice and suffering we go through.  Hold on to Jesus in hope and expectation for His day of glory.

Paul goes on to point out that all of creation is in a way suffering as well (vs. 19-22).  When man fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, that sin caused all of creation to fall, as well, from the perfect state it was created in.  The rose did not have a thorn in the Garden, nor would thistles or poison ivy have been harmful to the touch.  There were no tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts or other natural disasters.  Now we see the earth subject to decay.  That was not the way it was created to be. Because of the Fall all of the world, everything in it has fallen victim of the Curse.  No part today entirely fulfills God’s original purpose.  Like Paul says, it is almost as if we can hear the world groaning because of the fallen condition it is in, as it awaits to be delivered from this.

The unsaved are pessimistic about the future.  On the other hand those who are saved have a hope, as God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth.  We eagerly wait for that, when all creation will be free from sin, sickness, and evil.  When Jesus returns, all of creation will be liberated and transformed.

Life in this world, with all of the problems we face, both personal problems, and those of the world at large, could be very depressing.  It could lead one to despair.  Paul knew this.  He said in verse 23 that we “groan”, we sigh, we yearn for the day when we will be set free, our redemption fulfilled.  We do not need to be in despair or depressed like the unsaved who have no hope.  We have the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit, as Paul said.  What did he mean when he said that, and why should that give us hope?  The first fruits meant like a first installment, or a down payment of the Holy Spirit.  It was a guarantee of our resurrection life.  When someone buys a house or some other expensive item, a down payment is usually asked for, as a guarantee that the rest of the payment will come at a later date.  Believers have been given the first fruits of the Holy Spirit to show that we have that guarantee of the future resurrection life.  The fruit we see in our life now, through the Holy Spirit, gives us the hope we will one day be like Jesus.

The day that we accepted Christ as our Savior we were fully saved.  Our sanctification, however, was not fully completed then.  We are still in the process of becoming more like Christ.  We have not fully received all of the benefits and blessings of salvation yet.  They will be ours in Christ’s Kingdom, which we eagerly await (vs. 24-25).

God never makes a promise that He won’t keep.  It may take longer than we expect or want, but it will be fulfilled.  Don’t be impatient.  Wait for His will to be accomplished.  Have confidence in His goodness and wisdom.