What does it mean that all creation groans (Romans 8:22)?

[turtletwo]

What does it mean that all creation groans (Romans 8:22)?

If you’ve ever longed to be released from your earthly body to be free from sin and the physical suffering associated with it, then you know something of what Paul meant when he said, “All creation groans” in Romans 8:22.

To better understand the meaning of all creation groans, it helps to consider the context. In Romans 8, the apostle Paul is teaching believers that their new life in Jesus Christ is solidly founded on God’s promises and plans for His children. The first promise Paul touches on is that of future glory: “I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18, GW).

We may suffer now through our journey here on earth, but Paul reminds us that this world is not our home (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13). Awaiting us is a glorious future kingdom where death is defeated, and tears of sorrow, pain, and grief will all be wiped away (Revelation 21:4). When we firmly lay hold of this promise from God, we can begin to view our current troubles as light and momentary compared to the far greater eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

In Romans 8:19, Paul says that all creation is eagerly awaiting that future glorious day when God’s children become who they were always meant to be. J. B. Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English renders verse 19 like this: “The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own.”

Because of the fall of man, every part of God’s creation was subjected to a curse (Romans 8:20). Under that curse, all creation groans: the ground was cursed for Adam’s sake, thorns and thistles and noxious weeds began to grow, all of Eve’s daughters have labored painfully in childbirth, and death entered the world (Genesis 3:14–19).

In Romans 8:21, Paul explains that the entire universe, held under the curse, eagerly longs for the day when it will join with God’s children in glorious liberation from death and decay. Paul is speaking of the new heavens and new earth when “no longer will there be any curse” (Revelation 22:3). The curse of sin will be lifted, and all creation will be restored to the Eden-like reflection of God’s glory (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13). “‘There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Right now the entire creation reflects the curse of sin. All creation “groans”; that is, all created things suffer a common misery, being in a state of pain and disorder. The “groaning” is intense, as Paul’s simile shows: “as in the pains of childbirth.” When at last sin is removed from the children of God, all of nature will burst forth in glory. The full work of redemption includes the reversal of the curse.

As part of creation, “we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us” (Romans 8:23, NLT).

God promises a magnificent future for the believer, complete with a brand-new, glorified body. At present, we only have a taste of our glorious future, through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. He is the down payment, or deposit, guaranteeing our full adoption as God’s children and the release of our bodies from sin and suffering (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30).

In the meantime, all creation groans—believers, along with the rest of the fallen universe, travail as a woman in childbirth, longing to be clothed in their heavenly bodies (2 Corinthians 5:2). Significantly, the pain of childbirth is not endured without the hope of new life. Paul, knowing that hope transforms suffering, gave believers this inspiring metaphor. Just as a woman labors through the agony of birth pangs with the hope of new life, all creation groans as it waits for the promise of full and final restoration and redemption. We may suffer now, but our heavenly reward is worth the wait.

[Not me]

@turtletwo

Such an awesome future in store, thanks for the reminder!

Oh to experience life freed from the curse. What a promise indeed. 
 

Be blessed, Not me 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Not me

[Dennis1209]

When I've tried to ponder these things, it's difficult to fully grasp the significance. All creation includes the entire universe, where the Lord is going to destroy 'everything' with a fervent heat in the future. I've asked myself and thought about how 'sin' has effected the entire universe? Other than the demonic realm and princes and powers of the air; anyone have any thoughts on how and why the entire universe groans? Did the entire universe change when sin entered our world, or when Satan rebelled? 

It's my thoughts during the 1,000 year reign of Christ, the earth is going to start to be healed from the curse. I would take part of that to include the reduction / elimination of; thistles and thorns, lice, mites, mosquito's, ticks, flees, biting flies, air-water pollution, radioactive contamination, etc. Your thoughts??

[R. Hartono]

Our body is sick from time to time n danger n war n famine n crime n unemployment everywhere.

[Who me]

Creation is not as iot should be and like an engine with a missfire it isn't operating propely.

[Dennis1209]

3 hours ago, Sonshine said:

Romans 8:22 King James Version (KJV)

²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Greetings …  The whole creation is crying out as with labor pains, waiting for the time when our Messiah returns and “the former things are passed away” and God makes all things new.  I believe this is the meaning of Romans 8:22.

Revelation 21:4 King James Version (KJV)

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 

Hello Sonshine,

I agree with your thoughts and perhaps I'm reading into Romans 8:22 more than is there? But we're given the condition of the entire creation to include all of the universe, and it's suffering it seems. The mystery is; are we to take Romans 8:22 literally, figuratively or symbolically? If we take it literally, that would imply creation has awareness, a conscience and/or feelings. I don't see the gases and matter that make up outer space as having any sort of awareness, or does it?? 

Travaileth - (G4944): In expectation of relief; to have pangs in concert company.

Groaneth (G4959): Experience common calamity; to moan jointly.

Best I can tell, the Lord only cursed the ground on earth [pertaining to creation]. So the only other alternative I can think of; the whole universe has a sin problem. I get the general idea all of creation is struggling from how it was originally created and meant to be. For instance: perhaps before sin entered the world, there was no chaos theory, meteor /  asteroid universal strikes, stars running out of fuel, super nova's, black holes, etc. ? 

Another comparable passage would be: 

Luke 19:40 (KJV) And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Again, do we take this passage to be literal, figurative or symbolic? The Lord caused Balaam's donkey to speak after all. Just on a side note: It's interesting that neither Eve when a serpent started talking to her, or Balaam when his donkey spoke to him, were startled or indicated anything was out of the ordinary. Imagine if that would occur today, as in Son of Sam.

But anyway, there seems to have been a change in the entire universe from its creation, that's going to be renewed. 

[Dennis1209]

26 minutes ago, Sonshine said:

Hi, brother Dennis... ahhhhh… Methinks you know more than you’re divulging.  

 

On the contrary!

[marvelloustime]

Our God is an awesome God.

Thanks for sharing that lovely article @turtletwo

So looking forward to our eternal future with Jesus. Bring it on Lord!

Becky. Xxx