Future Glory
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Rom 8:23
not only they,... Not only the corrupt, depraved creations, but we who are redeemed also suffer and wait for final redemption of the body (1Cor. 15:51-58; Phlp. 3:21).
the firstfruits of... The first blessings of the outpoured Spirit upon all flesh. Greek: aparche, used of the first of several kinds of blessings (Rom. 8:23; 11:16; 16:5; 1Cor. 15:20, 15:23; 16:15; Jas. 1:18; Rev. 14:4).
we ourselves groan... Greek: stenazo, to sigh deeply, bewail (Rom. 8:23; Mark 7:34; 2Cor. 5:2, 5:4; Heb. 13:17; Jas. 5:9; cp. sustenazo, Rom. 8:22).
adoption, to wit,... This adoption refers to the change of our bodies from mortality to immortality. Just like one is adopted from one family to another, saints are to be adopted physically into the family of immortal beings (Phlp. 3:21; 1Cor. 15:51-58).
The Holy Spirit is the first installment of the glory yet to follow.
In the first chapter of James, we read of the Christians being firstfruits.
Jas. 1:18 “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
1Cor. 15:23 “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
This is speaking of those who received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. Receiving the Spirit of God inside of you is a first fruit promise of the resurrection.
Definition of Pentecost: (from Greek pentecoste, “fiftieth day”). Christian festival commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus, occurring on the Jewish Pentecost, after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. The disciples began to speak in the many languages of the people assembled there, a sign that the disciples should spread the Christian message throughout the world. Jewish Pentecost was a thanksgiving feast for the first fruits of the wheat harvest and was associated with remembrance of God’s gift of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Christian Pentecost is celebrated on the Sunday concluding the 50-day period following Easter. It is also the name of the Jewish celebration of Shavuot (“Festival of Weeks”).
The believer groans because of the conflict experienced (in 7:14-24), from which he needs a final and complete deliverance. This is the ultimate answer to (7:24).
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
Christ will deliver us by the resurrection and glorification of our bodies. Not the physical body only, but all of man’s remaining fallenness.
Believers are described as the ones having the first-fruits of the Spirit. This is an appositional use of the genitive and means that the Holy Spirit is “the firstfruits” (aparchēn) of God’s work of salvation and re-creation in believers. Elsewhere the Holy Spirit is called “a deposit (down payment or earnest) guaranteeing our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14; cf. 2Cor. 1:22), a similar idea. A farmer’s “firstfruits” were the initial harvesting of his first-ripened crops. This first installment was a foretaste and promise that more harvest was to come. Similarly God the Holy Spirit, indwelling believers, is a foretaste that they will enjoy many more blessings, including living in God’s presence forever.
Because of “present sufferings” (Rom. 8:18) believers, like the Creation, groan inwardly (cf. Rom. 8:22; 2Cor. 5:2) as they wait eagerly (from apekdechomai, the same word used of the Creation in Rom. 8:19 and of the manifestation of hope in Rom. 8:25) for their adoption as sons, which is identified as the redemption of their bodies. The word “adoption” (huiothesian, “placing as a son”; trans. “sonship” in Rom. 8:15) describes a believer’s legal relationship to God as a result of God’s grace received by faith. (Regeneration, however, describes a believer’s relationship to God as a result of the new birth.) Israel had received adoption by God (Rom. 9:4), a reality undoubtedly growing out of her covenantal ties with God (Deut. 7:6-9). In one sense each believer has already received the adoption because he has “received the Spirit of sonship” (lit., “adoption,” Rom. 8:15) and is a son of God (Gal. 4:6-7). At the same time, as Rom. 8:23 states, believers still anticipate their adoption in its completeness, which is said to be “the redemption” (apolytrōsin; etymologically the Gr. word describes a release or deliverance or manumission achieved by a ransom payment [lytron]; cf. see Rom. 3:24) of their bodies. This is called the revelation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19) and “the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21). It will occur at the Rapture of the church when believers will be raised and transformed with glorious bodies (1Cor. 15:42-54; 2Cor. 5:1-5; Phlp. 3:20-21; 1Thes. 4:13-18). Paul called that day “the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).
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