“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
In Romans 8:22 we read how creation is groaning, waiting for Jesus to return and make all things new. We too are obviously created beings, but more than that – we as mankind were responsible, through Adam, for the mess the world is in under the curse, because of sin. God has specifically made a way for man to be restored to fellowship with Him, through the death of His Son, who came to earth as a man. Jesus did not come to earth as an animal, because the sin problem did not originate with animals. If He had died as a sinless animal, it would not have helped mankind one iota. Instead, He addressed the root cause of the problem.
Now we have the promise of eternal life, yet for the time being we are still restrained in our mortal bodies. We know what is waiting for us, and we long earnestly for it. One day we will receive our resurrection bodies; we will ‘graduate’ and be formally accepted as God’s children. In Roman times, a child born into a family underwent an adoption ceremony when he came of age. This enabled him to function as a member of society under that family name. Before that time, it was something promised. This is where we are at in the present time. We have been born again into God’s family; we have a foretaste of the Holy Spirit indwelling us as a promise (Eph. 1:14) that we will be formally adopted and receive our eternal inheritance.
No comments:
Post a Comment