The Glory of Sonship in the Son (3)

 

 

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth until now, and not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption of sons, the redemption of our body.” {Romans 8:19 – 23).

 

Our salvation in Jesus Christ is present, past, and future – all at the same time, all complementary, all grounded in the assurance, work, and Person of Jesus Christ. We see this, for example, in Romans 8:30, “and these whom He predestined [past], He also called [present in the sense that this calling is ongoing], He also justified [present in the sense that this is our state of being and standing before God]; and these whom He justified, He also glorified [future in its fulness, though that glory is within us now].”

 

Another example is Peter 1:1 – 9. Here we see that we are “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father [past], by the sanctifying work of the Spirit [past, present, and future], to obey Jesus Christ [present and ongoing] and be sprinkled by His blood [past at the Cross, present and ongoing; see 1 John 1:7, “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”]

 

“…caused us to be born again [past] to a living hope [future] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance [here is inheritance once again!] which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you [future] who are protected by the power of God [compare with Romans 8:31 – 39] through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [future].”

 

Note: Can you see the Trinity in 1 Peter 1:1 – 9? As you ponder the balance of this passage what else do you see in terms of present, future, and past?

 

In Ephesians 1:3 Paul writes that we have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ,” and then in Ephesians 2:6 and 7 we read that we have been “raised up with Him [Jesus]” and have been seated “with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He [the Father] might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

 

Do we realize that our Father is looking forward (if we can use such a term as “forward”) to showering us with His grace and kindness “in the ages to come”? Can we get just a little taste of how much God loves us? “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God…” (1 John 3:1a).

 

We have all spiritual blessings in Christ, we are joint heirs with Jesus Christ; and even while on earth, we are seated with Him in the heavens.

 

Note that in Romans 8 that we see adoption as something that has already happened, as something that is happening, and as something that will happen; we have present, future, and past. In Romans 8:15 we see the Spirit of adoption within us which causes us to cry out, “Abba! Father!”

 

In Romans 8:23 we see that our adoption is perfected at our resurrection, “the redemption of our body.”  Between verses 15 and 23 we see that we are to participate with Jesus Christ in His mission, sharing in His sufferings just as we will share with Him in His glory and inheritance. And note in verse 18 that there is “glory” to be “revealed in us.” Compare this to Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

 

In 2 Thessalonians 1:10 – 12 we see that our Lord Jesus will “be glorified in His saints” and that His name “will be gloried in you, and you in Him.” This ought not to surprise us for Jesus says to the Father, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them…” (John 17:22a).

 

Now, in the next post I want to return to Romans 8:19 – 23 and ponder this passage that speaks to us of our trajectory and purpose (teleology) in Jesus Christ, of being “on mission” with Him, and of our responsibility to the people of the world and creation – for this has to do with the glory of sonship in the Son. But first I want us to ponder the passages I’ve referenced in this post, which speak to us, alongside Romans 8, of our present, future, and past; as well as of us being in Christ in the heavenlies and of us having “all spiritual blessings in the heavens in Christ.” For you see, in Christ, we not only live in the present, the future, and the past – we transcend time in Christ, in the Trinity, as we learn to live in the I AM THAT I AM – and so in a true sense, we learn to live in the eternals as we learn to live in Christ and as Christ lives in us. We also transcend space in that while we “sit” in the heavens we “walk” on this earth (Ephesians 2:6; 4:1).

 

This was the Way of Life for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Paul, Peter and others, this is why the author of Hebrews could write, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the sprits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22 – 24).

 

If we have yet to learn this Way of Life, if it is not yet as natural as breathing, it is not God’s fault, it is ours, for Jesus calls us to come to Him and to abide in Him (John 15:1ff). It is never too late to live in intimacy with the Trinity and in the “communion of saints.” It is never too late to move deeper into Jesus Christ and to know what it is for Jesus Christ to move deeper into us.

 

Meditate on the above passages, learn them, let them soak your mind and heart and soul; then let them ooze out from the pores of your skin – let them be fragrance in your life, let their music both calm and stir your innermost person.

 

Never, ever forget, than in Jesus Christ you are a child of the Living God with a Divine purpose and destiny.