Lesson 36 & 37  March 24, 2002

-  Our view of death has a very powerful influence on how we live!

 

 

-  Paul's vocabulary for his own death! very expressive! [Illustrative of dvpt]

#1  2 Pet. 1:15  "my departure"   e;xodoj  exodos

 

#2  2 Tim 4:6  "my departure"  avna,lusij  to loosen up, untie,  to analyze

 

#3  Phil 1:23  to depart  avnalu,w vb. of  avna,lusij thought began with 1:21

 

 

In which view of death is ones age of any importance??

 

How could Paul say it was "very much better" for him to die?

 

Four reasons.

#1 - He knew that death for the believer is not a catastrophe!

 

#2 - For the believer the immediate presence with the Lord is the reality at death.  2 Cor 5:8

 

#3 - There was no question in Paul's thinking of its superiority because it would bring him to the goal of His Christian life.  Phil. 3:8-14

 

#4 - It would bring rest from his labors. Rev 14:13

 

Ø      The Future of Creation 8:19-21 

 

 

1.  The present condition of Creation  8:19

 

-  Conclusions:  Things to keep in mind

     #1  The ground is cursed because of the sin of man.

     #2  The ground from this point on will continue to produce but only with great effort!

     #3  Reason creation is a part of God's judgment on Adam for his sin is because of his position and authority over creation as God's representative

 

Does the work of the cross only extend to man??

 

 

2.  8:20  Creation's past subjection 

 

-  When Adam sinned God judged not only Adam/Eve, the sly old serpent Satan; but also creation.

 

-  Did creation make a choice that set all this in motion?

 

-  Is it all hopelessness then?

 

 

Ø      3rd  8:21  The future restoration

 

-  Today all of nature, is bound in a state of corruption it is subject to decay, disease and death;

 

 

-  When redeemed mankind is finally delivered, freed from the effects of the curse when he is glorified, then nature also is freed from corruption, its bondage to decay.

 

 

So also the physical creation will be recreated; Rev 21:5 "Behold I am making all things new"

 

This will take place in 2 phases;

#1  is the renovation of the present creation at the return of Christ and the establishment of his Messianic Kingdom.    Isa 11:6-9

#2  The 2nd phase will be the creation of a new heaven and a new  earth;   Rev. 21:1;         2 Pet 3:7-13

 

-  From corruption to freedom and liberty!  that's Hope!

 

Ø      8:22  The present of Creation; what about the now?

In the last of this paragraph we see 2 groans.

In vs:22 its the groaning of creation.

In vs:23 its the groaning of the believer.

 

 

 

-  For we know [oida  stresses the knowledge that grows out of perception and discernment]  that the whole of creation  groans and suffers the pains of childbirth until now.

 

-  In the same way creation has the promise of liberty and a new existence which begins with the millennium;  new heavens and new  earth.

 

 

Ø      8:23-25  The present of the Believer

-  We groan in the present but we do so with what?  Total confidence and assurance of our future.

 

 

-  The basis for this assurance is that we "have the firsts fruits of the Spirit"

 

The Holy Spirit is the down payment, the pledge, the guarantor of our future glorification.

Eph 1:13-14;  2 Cor . 1:21-22;  5:4-5

 

 

 

Even with all the awesome provision we have, Paul says we groan within ourselves as we wait eagerly for the our adoption as sons.

 

 

-  Here we are to be waiting eagerly, expectantly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

 

The moment we believe in Christ and therefore are justified, we became His children and we were adopted into the God's family.

 

 

 

In 8:24  Paul poses a paradox; which further explains vs:23 and the future redemption of the body.

 

-  What's the paradox?  For in hope we have been saved? 

 

Hope, the confident expectation here comes with reference to the     redemption of the body, as Paul just discussed in vs:23.

 

 

Your faith, your believing the facts of Scripture results in this hope, this confident expectation that He who began a good work in you will perfect it, bring it to completion

 

Observations on Hope:

1.  Definition:  Hope is certitude with regard to the future, no doubt in it.

 

2.  Content of Hope:  All the things secured by the cross but are yet still future in bestowal.  Rom 8:18,23;  Eph 1:14

 

3.  Imperative of Hope:   Is related to your minds, your thinking.

 

4.  Hope does not disappoint"  hope placed in the right object will never disappoint;  Rom. 5:5a   

 

 

 

5.  Our hope is certain because it rests on objective grounds!

"the love of God"  Rom 5:5

 

 

6. Why is our hope so strong and confident? 

#1  our hope is in God  1 Pet 1:21 

 

#2 our hope is in Christ  1 Tim 1:1

 

#3 our hope is also related to the word!  Psa. 119:81

 

 

Ø      In the rest of vs:24   Paul gives us the nature of hope

Hope wouldn't be what it is, if we could see it!  Its importance to us as a motivator in our life would be nullified.

 

 

Ø      8:25    Paul presents the mental attitude we should have right now.

 

But if we hope [1cc and we do] for what we do not see, [coming glory, res. body,  being conformed to the image of Christ at last] with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

 

"perseverance" expresses the mental attitude, the frame of mind that we should have as we eagerly wait for what is ours in Christ!

 

-  u`pomonh, - patient endurance when dealing with the circumstances of life or the CHP's

 

 

-  So the B.L. is that u`pomonh,  speaks of the strength of character to believe the Lord, to believe the Word; and then act on it.