WWUTT 1276 The Glory That is to be Revealed (Romans 8:18-21)

The sufferings of this present time are not even worth comparing to the glory that awaits us.

We are going through something amazing right now in Christ, but it's nothing compared to being with Him in glory when we understand the text.

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Here once again is Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. We are slowly but surely making it through Romans chapter 8, and today

I'm going to pick up in verse 18 and we'll read through verse 25. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 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.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the

Spirit grown inwardly, as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope for who hopes for what he sees, but if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Now, I always considered this statement here in verse 18 to be rather puzzling,

I guess, with Paul saying, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

And I remember thinking of that and going, well, of course, it's not worth comparing. I mean, we're suffering in this world.

And in heaven, we have life everlasting forevermore in this glorious paradise where there's no more sin, no more tears.

All the former things will have passed away. Christ will dry every tear from our eyes and then we will dwell forever with the

Lord in glory. So, of course, that's not worth comparing with the stuff that we're going through here on this earth.

The point I'm making is, why does he even have to say this at all? Who was trying to compare the sufferings of this present time with the glory that is to be revealed to us?

If I were to say to you, it is not worth comparing this delicious milkshake with drinking sludge.

Of course, it's not worth comparing the two things. One is a delicious milkshake and the other one is drinking sludge.

But you know what the milkshake tastes like. You know what the good thing tastes like.

You don't know what sludge tastes like. It's not common for us to drink sludge. Well, compare that with what

Paul is saying here. We know what the suffering is like. We don't know what the glory feels like.

What we are used to, what we are accustomed to, is just this living, our existence here on this earth.

We don't know what it's like to live in glory. So it's a totally different statement for him to say that I consider the sufferings of this present time not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.

It's as if he's standing there going, what can I possibly compare glory to? Not what we live in now.

Not the sufferings of this present time. But the fact that he says the sufferings of this present time is a statement that it's fleeting.

It's just for a moment. And the glory that is to be revealed to us is going to be so much greater than this.

In 2 Corinthians 4, verse 16,

Paul says, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

So even there, 2 Corinthians 4, verse 17, Paul is in a sense saying just in a different way, it's not worth comparing.

You cannot compare the things that we go through here on this earth with the glory that is to be revealed to us. As he goes on in verse 18 to say, 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, the present time, but the things that are unseen are eternal, the glory that is to be revealed to us.

We have so little understanding and knowledge of that glory that it has yet to be revealed to us.

We don't know it. We have never been in that existence. We don't know what it's like.

So this is Paul saying there's nothing to compare. This present time with concerning the glory that we will eventually have that will be revealed to us.

We don't know it now. We actually have to leave the transient and step into the eternal to understand that glory that we will be in with God.

And this is another way of Paul saying to his audience, hold fast, continue to trust in the promises of God in his word.

And there is a glory that will be revealed to us in the end. Back in chapter five, the apostle

Paul said that through Christ, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.

And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans five, three, not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope.

And hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the

Holy Spirit who has been given to us. And it's almost like that thought that Paul gave there in Romans chapter five is what he's fleshing out here in Romans chapter eight, because he's going to go on to talk about which

I didn't read this verse. But coming up in verse twenty six, the spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what we ought to pray for.

But the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. The the spirit that has been poured into our hearts that gives us hope, even as we suffer through the present time.

In James chapter one, verse two, he says, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Even the sufferings that we're going through now are accomplishing something. God is doing something through these things.

And Paul has been talking about that, especially in the early part of Romans chapter eight, where we are in the spirit, not in the flesh.

We do not live according to the flesh, but we live according to the spirit. And we have not received a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.

But you have received the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry Abba Father.

The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

So Paul has made that statement right before verse 18. We suffer with Christ in order that we may be glorified with Christ.

But as we suffer here in this life, it's incomparable with the glory that awaits us.

Even though Paul has mentioned those two things in the previous sentence together, there's no comparison between the two.

We are there. There is something that is being accomplished in us. Something glorious is being accomplished in us as we walk in this present time.

As we resist temptation, as we pursue holiness and godliness, as we go through hardships and give glory to God, even in the midst of these difficulties that we endure.

There is something glorious that's being accomplished in us in this. We're being made more like Christ.

But though there is something glorious being accomplished through our struggles, it's still incomparable with the glory that awaits us if we endure to the end.

Does that make sense? So that's really what Paul is saying here in Romans 8 18. The sufferings of this present time are leading to something glorious, but they're not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.

We're having but a taste of those things, but it's barely even sniffing the aroma.

It's like I can smell heaven. It's so close. I can smell it. You don't have any idea. It's so great and so awesome that it's not worth comparing to the present time.

The sufferings that we go through that are preparing us for that glory. So then

Paul goes on in verse 19 for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Now, this is personifying creation. Creation is not a person. The earth is not a person.

We don't worship Gaia. All right, the paganism, the goddess of Earth. We don't think of trees as people.

We don't even put animals on the same level as people. So this is a literary device here that Paul is using personifying creation.

It's not that creation itself actually has some sort of sentience or some sort of will by which it waits with an anticipation for the revealing of the sons of God.

Here I am, guys. I'm the earth. I'm just sitting down here. I'm waiting for y 'all to become Christians. So that way

I can be redeemed. Hurry up. Okay. Creation is not thinking of its own existence in this way.

It's not thinking at all. So Paul is personifying something here that when

Christ is restoring all things, when he's reconciling all things to himself,

God reconciling all things to himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ, making peace by the blood of his cross.

As it says in Colossians 120, as God is working these things, creation is waiting with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

When you go to the book of Revelation, you read about God's judgment on all of creation, and you actually read about a deconstruction of creation.

So just as God created all things by the power of his word, so he's going to dismantle all things by the power of his word as well.

There will be a destruction that comes upon creation. So as we're talking about the reconciliation of all things, and Jesus even saying at the conclusion of Revelation, behold,

I am making all things new. That doesn't mean that creation is going to be untouched by the judgment of God.

There is going to be a judgment, a wrath that will be poured out even upon all created things. But Paul is personifying creation here because the reason why

Christ hasn't come back is there's something that has yet to be accomplished. The reason why that fulfillment of that reconciliation has not yet come to fruition is because God still has something that he needs to do.

And what is that? It's to bring in the full number of the elect into the kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul says to Titus at the start of his letter to Titus that he is an apostle.

This is Titus one one. He's an apostle for the sake of the faith of God's elect.

Whomever God has elected predestined from before the foundation of the world to come to salvation.

He is bringing about their salvation through the preaching of the gospel and is using the church to do that.

That the gospel would be proclaimed to those whom God has elected for salvation.

They repent of their sin. They believe in Jesus. They come into salvation. They're members of the kingdom.

And now they are recruited to go out with more of the message of the gospel. Continuing to preach it throughout all of creation to the ends of the earth until the full number that God has elected for salvation come to faith.

And then once that last person I've heard John MacArthur say this before. Once that last person whom

God has elected for salvation comes to faith. Boom. It's all over. Christ comes back and creation is set free from its bondage to corruption to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

As it goes on to say in verse 21. That is to say that all of creation will be redeemed at that point and where we live will be in that very place that I just described to you a moment ago.

That which we have described for us in Revelation chapter 21. I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the

Holy City New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying behold the dwelling place of God is with man.

He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their

God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more.

Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away.

And he who was seated on the throne said behold I am making all things new.

So that's the final culmination of everything that we are waiting for and Paul personifies creation here as waiting for that very thing as well.

We have not yet reached that glory because all of creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.

So step up your game folks. Come on Christians. Come on believers. Get out there and share the gospel so we can go home.

Of course this is not for us to determine. God has set our limits which we cannot pass.

And as Paul preached at the Areopagus in Acts chapter 17 he has fixed the day on which

Christ will return and all the living and the dead will be judged in that final judgment.

For now the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility.

This is a verse you've heard me quote many times. The saying that Paul makes here in Romans 8 20.

The creation was subjected to futility. All of creation is cursed.

That was part of the curse that God gave when he issued the curse in Genesis chapter 3.

After Adam and Eve sinned. After the serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit. She ate the fruit.

She gave it to Adam. He ate it. And now everyone is cursed. There's a curse that's given there to the serpent.

There's a curse that's given to the woman. And then finally there's a curse that's given to the man. But even in the curse that was given to Adam it is said to him that cursed is the ground because of you.

That's in Genesis 3 17. Cursed is the ground because of you. All of creation itself under a curse because of the sin that had been committed against God by man.

So why is there all of this evil and devastation and destruction that is going on in the world?

The answer is because of sin. When we look at some sort of tragedy or devastation or even some evil act perpetrated by another person.

And we look at this and we say something to the effect of why does God allow so much evil so much destruction to happen in the world?

It's because of our sin. When we say that it's not that you sin today and God is punishing your sin by causing this calamity to come upon you.

That's not what we're saying. What we're saying is that all of this stuff is always going to be in disarray until Jesus returns.

And it's in the state that it's in even in the moral decay that it's in because of our sin against God.

It is part of the curse. It's part of the curse that God would be so hard for us to see. Because he being holy has separated himself from us.

Adam and Eve had God to walk with in the cool of the day when they were in the Garden of Eden. But since the curse

God cannot be seen by us. Not by our human eyes certainly.

We always have that sense that he is there. And we have the proof and evidence that he is there through everything that has been made.

As Paul had argued back at the beginning of Romans. In Romans chapter 1. But we can't see him. And we can't just go to him.

No person can just go to him. And in fact when it came to God speaking to us.

He wouldn't speak directly to us. But would do so through a prophet. Or an apostle of his choosing.

Or through his son who is God in human flesh. But the glory of God was veiled. That we did not see the full power of his glory.

For we are unworthy to see that. Nor can we even stand that. Or handle that.

Because it would utterly obliterate us. Moses who was more privileged and more blessed.

And made more holy in the presence of God than any of the rest of us. He was allowed to see God from behind.

But even God said to Moses. No one can see my face and live. That's all part of the curse.

It's because God is so holy and glorious. And we are not. We wouldn't be able to stand to look at God.

It would melt our eyes right out of our heads. We would not be able to stand in his presence. Because he is holy and we aren't.

So the separation between God and man. Is because of our sin. The subjection of all things to futility.

The destruction and decay. The age, the sickness, the disease. The corruption.

All of this. The disasters, calamity, etc. So on and so forth. This is all a result of the sin of man.

And creation was subjected to futility. Not willingly. Creation didn't do anything.

And I'm talking about creation not as man. But the creation that man was given. To have dominion over.

The creation was subjected to futility. Not because it wanted to be. But because of him who subjected it.

To God. In hope, it's the creation that hopes. 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. All of creation is in bondage to corruption.

Even our living bodies. Though our souls within us. Have been made new.

And that again goes back to 2nd Corinthians. Chapter 4. Though our outer self is wasting away.

Our inner self is being renewed day by day. So though that has happened through the spirit of God.

The outer self is still wasting away. Because it's part of this creation. Subjected to futility.

But we will be set free. And obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

On the day of God's choosing. In the meantime. We continue.

In perseverance. Looking to Jesus. The author and the perfecter of our faith.

As it says in Hebrews chapter 12. Let us lay aside every weight and sin.

Which so easily entangles. And let us run with endurance.

The race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus. The founder and perfecter of our faith.

Who for the joy that was set before him. Endured the cross. Despising the shame.

And is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus endured in his body. So much more than we will ever have to endure.

We who are followers of Christ. Rejoice in that. And with your eyes fixed on Christ. Endure.

In this race. In which we run. Let us pray. Heavenly Father.

We love this word. And the message of hope that has been given to us. In Romans chapter 8 today.

And whatever we are going through in this present time. It doesn't even compare. To the glory that God is going to show to us.

Through your son. When we enter into heaven's gates. On the other end of eternity. Right now we wait for the revealing of the sons of God.

The men and women who will come to faith in Christ. Through the hearing of the gospel. Repenting of sin.

And believing in Jesus. And may we fulfill our part. As your ambassadors.

As soldiers. That have been recruited into the army of God. Going out and sharing the gospel with others.

So that more. Whom you had chosen for salvation. May hear the gospel. And turn from their sin and live.

And then reveal to us. That wonderful glory that awaits us. In the end.

And free us from this corruption. We are in bondage to now. As all of creation has been subjected to futility.

In this bondage to corruption. That we are in. Let us not fall into temptation.

To sin. But let us resist those things. Firm in our faith. With our eyes fixed firmly upon Christ.

Lead us in the way of everlasting. And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for listening to.

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