NOTE: All comments in brackets [ ] or in parentheses ( ) as well as highlighted text (bolded and/or in blue) are from the author of this study.
Bible quotations are in maroon.
In the Book of Romans we read that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. What is this verse talking about?
If we read from verses Rom 8:19-22, it is easy to get the impression that the universe is being pictured as a living entity having been submitted to decay or corruption and eagerly awaiting being rescued from this state by the sons of God in the resurrection.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
However, thinking about the matter a bit more, it becomes apparent that this didn’t make much sense considering what God says in the Book of Revelation about creating a new heaven and a new earth.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
God also says in the Book of 2nd Peter that the present universe, the heavens and the earth, shall pass away with great noise, etc.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Another point of importance to be kept in mind is that decay and chaos is not a naturally created state. The angels shouted with joy when they saw God’s creation as revealed in the Book of Job.
Job 38:7 When the morning stars [angels] sang together, and all the sons [angels] of God [angels are spirit beings individually created by God not Spirit-begotten sons] sons shouted for joy?
They shouted for joy at seeing the perfection and great beauty of God’s creation.
Later on, when God restored the surface of the earth from its chaotic state which was the destruction that resulted from Satan’s rebellion; He looked upon all that He had done and pronounced it “very good.”
This being the case, we therefore know that the current heavens and earth were not created in a state of decay and chaos and we also know that they are to be replaced with a new heaven and a new earth; a new creation which will be perfect but for the final finishing touches that the children of the kingdom are to provide.
This also means that Romans 8:19 can’t be talking about God’s current creation having been made subject to decay, having become decayed and now eagerly awaiting the apparition of the sons of God to free it from that condition.
So what does Rom. 8:19 mean?
Let’s start reading in Romans 8 from verse 11 and work our way up to verse 25. Please keep firmly in mind here that Paul is writing to the Roman churches made up of those who were called by God and in whom dwells God’s Holy Spirit. These verses are spoken to true Christians.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him [God the Father] that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,[if you remaining true to your calling] he [God the Father] that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [give life again, only this time, it will be immortal spirit life] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, [fellow true Christians] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [we have no obligation to live according to the way we used to do before we were called; according to the lusts of the flesh; we are now to live according to the truth revealed to us by God’s Spirit in us]
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die [the second death]: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify [put to death] the deeds of the body, [the uses of it that are contrary to God’s law] ye shall live. [forever i.e., not be subject to the 2nd death]
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; [God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of Him] but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, [sonship it should read; we are begotten by God’s Spirit; God is our Father spiritually-speaking (Heb 12:6-7; ] whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [We become His children and call Him Father]
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature [God’s spiritual creation; His Spirit-begotten sons] waiteth for the manifestation [the time when the Spirit-begotten and not yet born sons of God will be born i.e., the time when their change to glorified spirit being will come] of the sons of God.
The Christians that Paul was writing to and true Christians today are creatures, the result of a creation process by someone who has the power to create; Christians are Christ’s workmanship (Eph 2:10) and Christians are a new creature or creation in Christ: 2Co 5:17 “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature”: a new creation. The physical creation of the universe is complete (Gen 2:1) but God’s spiritual creation is ongoing. And we read in Isa 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” True Christians are something created by God; they are creatures of God.
20 For the creature [Christians created by God] was made subject to vanity, [capable of sinning through the free moral agency given man; his absolute power of choosing] not willingly, [man did not choose it, it was God’s will that mankind have to choose between right and wrong (Deu 30:19) so as to be a being of character] but by reason of him [because it is God’s will that man have to choose between good and evil ] who hath subjected the same in hope, [mankind made capable of sinning with God’s hope that once coming to the knowledge of the truth, man would choose life (Deu 30:19)]
21 Because the creature [God’s spiritual creation; His Spirit-begotten sons] itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption [true Christians will no longer be subject or able to sin in the resurrection and will no longer be subject to corruption having become glorified spirit beings; see also 2nd Pet 2:19] into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [as God beings, like God the Father and Christ, they will be completely free of the temptation to sin their character being unchangeable; as fully created spirit beings their attitude of obedience to God in all things is then an unchangeable part of their spirit character. (1John 5:18)]
22 For we know that the whole creation [all true Christians wherever they may be] groaneth and travaileth in pain [are suffering in this present evil world] together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, [the saints or called out ones to whom Paul is specifically addressing his letter] which have the firstfruits [who are the first ones to be called according to God’s plan of salvation for mankind] of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves [eagerly long for the time when by a resurrection from the dead they will become God as God is God], waiting for the adoption, [not the adoption but our birth as sons in God’s Kingdom] to wit, the redemption of our body.[our resurrection to glorified, spirit bodies with life inherent and the perfect, holy , righteous character of God]
24 For we are saved by hope [by continuing in our belief that He who raised up Christ by His Spirit will also and can raise us up by that same Spirit if it dwells in us on up to the time of our death]: but hope that is seen [when we can see the thing that we are hoping for with our 5 physical senses and thus confirm its reality ] is not hope [Heb 11:1] [it is not having the certainty that something not yet possessed will be possessed; that we will obtain something which we dearly want but don’t actually have]: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [If you already have or can verify with your 5 senses the reality of a thing hoped for, or see the realization of what is being promised, then you no longer have to believe or have hope that you will receive that which is being promised; once you possess what was hoped for, hope is no longer required.]
25 But if we hope for that we see not,[long for something we want and don’t already have and for which there can be no earthly confirmation that you will have it but for God’s promise that this is what you will receive] then do we with patience wait for it. [then we are remaining steadfast in waiting for the thing we long for; in this instance, freedom from the bondage of sin or vanity and being born as a glorified spirit being.]
As I hope we all can see, a careful reading of Romans 8: 11-25 renders it clear that God is not talking about the present material, physical universe (the creation, the creature) having been subjected to vanity and corruption and eagerly waiting for the apparition of the sons of God to restore it to its originally-created beauty. God is not talking about His physical-material creation, the current heavens and earth.
We can know this for sure as God says he will make all things new and create a new heaven and a new earth; the present physical universe will pass away with a great noise. It will cease to exist and be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth that will be perfect but for the final finishing touches that are to be applied to it by the children of the Kingdom of God.
There is no restoration project of this present universe to be carried out by those who will be making up God’s Kingdom.
God’s creatures, His spiritual creation, His Spirit-begotten sons long for the time when they will have been resurrected as glorified spirit beings in God’s Kingdom and no longer be subject to vanity (no longer being able to sin).
So we now know who is the creation that groans and travails in pain together until now. It is true Christians who are God’s spiritual creation longing for the day when they will be born again as glorified spirit beings in God’s Kingdom.
God's Spiritual Nation 