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The Call to Spiritual Diligence
What does it really mean to be diligent in our spiritual lives? The spirit life is one of diligence. The spiritual walk, the spiritual journey—it has to include diligence. The word diligence means to be characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic activity. That is the opposite of giving up. In fact, the Spirit of God is able to give us hope during the troubled times of our lives.
Romans 8:18-27 reminds us of one of the most fundamental truths of the Christian life: we are not home yet. While we wait to be delivered from this world, we need to remember that we are living in a world that is under a curse. As a result of that curse, there is a lot of groaning and turmoil taking place, and in the midst of all that, it's easy to become discouraged and want to give up.
It's also easy to get delusional and start to think the Word of God says things it doesn't actually say, or to think it means what it doesn't actually mean. One of the big things this passage teaches us is that the Spirit life requires diligence.
Paul shares with us three areas of life where there is diligence in the midst of a devastated world. So I want to look at these together today—and when I say look at these, I mean in an honest way, in a simple way, the way Paul is telling it, guided by the Spirit to give us a deeper understanding of Truth.
1. The Creation Groans
The word "groans" in verse 22 means to sigh. It has the idea of groaning under a burden. This image is used to describe Creation. In verse 20, we see the creation's reality—creation came under the curse not by its own doing, but by the sin of Adam in Genesis chapter 3. Because Adam chose to walk in rebellion to the clear command of God, all of creation was thrown under a curse.
Verse 22 shows us how the creation is expressing itself while under the curse. This verse depicts creation as sighing and groaning like a woman in the middle of childbirth. The results of that curse are easily plain to see: earthquakes, thorns, deadly animals, poisonous snakes, poisonous plants, death, and violence, just to name a few.
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." - Romans 8:22
In 2 Peter 3:3-6, we read: "Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.' For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished."
God's creation is such an awesome thing, and even in the midst of creation's pain, it still lifts its voice to God in praise for His majesty and glory. As Psalm 148 tells us: "Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars! Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For He commanded and they were created. And He established them forever and ever; He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away."
In verses 19-21 of our text today, it tells us that the creation itself expects to be delivered from the curse that has been placed on it. The word "eager longing" brings to mind a person standing on their tiptoes in order to see something. That's what the creation is doing—creation yearns for that time when it will be delivered. Do any of us have that yearning? Tell you what, when you struggle to get out of a go-kart at 60 years old, yeah, that yearning starts. The creation's doing the same thing.
While the world and all of creation resides under a curse, there will still be great beauty in this world. Just call to mind many of the great views that you've seen and many of the great things that we know God has done, found all around us. Look at the beauty of flowers and the wonderful variety to be found in the planet and animal kingdom. We have an incredibly creative Creator God.
Try to imagine the most beautiful natural sight you have ever seen. With that image in mind, remember that what you saw was a sight marred by sin. Now try to imagine how glorious that same sight will be when the curse of sin is forever lifted.
Creation longs to be free, and God longs to free it. He shall someday, for when Jesus died on the cross for the redemption of sinners, He also redeemed this sin-cursed world. That's why we will never set the cross aside. Ever. One day the shackles will fall off, and all of creation will rejoice.
2. The Christian Groans
In verses 23-25, we see that the Christian groans. We see the Christian's agony along with creation. The child of God groans today. Primarily, Paul is speaking of our desire to be free from these mortal, sinful bodies.
He mentions "first fruits of the Spirit." This is referring to the indwelling ministry of the Spirit of God in the believer's life. When we got saved, the Spirit of God moved into our spirit. When He came, He worked with us in such a way that we began the process of seeing sin like God sees sin. In simple terms, the Spirit of God sensitizes us to sin. When we become sensitive to sin all around us and in us, that's a sign that God has redeemed you.
"And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." - Romans 8:23
As a result, we are affected by the sins we commit and what we see others commit. Straight up—if we are not bothered by sin, when you sin, if it does not bother you, you have a serious spiritual problem. If you can witness sin and it not affect you, something is amiss in your heart.
In our culture, we have gone from standing against sin (and when I was growing up in the late 60s and all throughout the 70s, that was my formation years) the way people would stand up to sin was just awful. It was like, not very nice, you know, just, "Well, you're doing this, you can't be here," and stuff like that. But we've gone so far over now this way—blessed be the nice, the 11th commandment: "Thou shalt be nice." If you're a Christian, don't say anything about anybody. And now nothing looks as sinful as what it used to.
When we start to put God's Word on our heart and we start to walk out our faith, we see, no, that ain't right. Sin is still sin, and we got to find a way to stand against it. And the first place we stand against it is in our own lives. You want to know who the worst person in the world is for you? The person in the mirror. That's what's going down here—the person in the mirror is agonizing about their sin. Why? Because they've been redeemed by grace, the Holy Spirit lives in them, and now they don't want to do what they still do.
Another thing that helps is a community to come alongside and say, "I'm not okay, you're not okay, but Jesus is everything to us. So let's link arms and make His name great."
We get sensitized to sin, and all of this serves to produce within the believer a sense of longing. Just like the creation, we want to be delivered from these sinful, mortal bodies. Regardless of what anybody tells you, your flesh did not get saved. It is depraved and as wicked as it's ever been. Look at Romans 7:18-20 if you get a minute.
Aren't there times when you would do anything just to be free from your flesh? Wouldn't it be a blessing if you never again had a wicked thought, a wicked deed, or a sinful action, attraction, or lust? How many of you would want your thought life from just the last seven days put up on the screen here for all the church to see?
In verses 24 and 25, we see the Christian's anticipation. Paul tells us that we are saved by hope. What does that actually mean—"saved by hope"?
Hope in the Bible has a vastly different meaning than what it does in our world today. When people use the word "hope" now, they're saying "I wish" or "I want." When the Bible uses the word "hope," it means an assurance based on a conviction. Instead of hope being a fond wish or desire, biblical hope is a deeply settled knowledge grounded in the promises of God.
We are saved by faith in the promise of God that tells us that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." It is a conviction that salvation comes through faith in the shed blood and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it comes through no other means. It is a sure knowledge that one day our Savior will come for us, and we will be taken to Heaven. It is a sure knowledge that we will be changed from these vile creatures we are, and that we will be made like Him.
We who are saved groan to be free from these bodies. We long to be remade into the image of the Lord Jesus. That day is coming, but has not come yet. But whether it'll be by the undertaker or by the snatching away, this sinful flesh life will breathe its last, and I will be made into the likeness of my Savior.
3. The Holy Spirit Groans
In verses 26 and 27, we see the Holy Spirit groans. These verses go on to tell us it isn't just the creation and the Christian who are groaning in this present world. Our Heavenly Comforter, the blessed Holy Spirit, also groans with us.
In the first part of verse 26, we see the Holy Spirit sustaining us. This verse teaches us that the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us as we travel through this harsh world and helps us. Another translation of verse 26 is "take hold of our burden with us." The same word is translated as "help" in Luke 10:40.
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." - Romans 8:26
The believer needs the same down-to-earth, basic help every day. The more you're sensitized to your sin, the more the Holy Spirit needs to help you to survive. You need Him to survive because it'll eat you up when you come face-to-face with how foul you really are. And I can say that—I really am too. I'm talking about us in this together. I'm not standing up here pointing at you—although, just look at you! Same thing.
We need the help of the Holy Spirit or we will be throttled when we see how sinful sin really is. We have a burden, and that burden is living in weak, sinful, and morally deficient bodies. We know our tendency towards evil, and He helps us. The Spirit helps us. He knows we're prone to wander, and He helps us. He knows that we often grow weary in doing good things and we get frustrated, and He helps us. That's the ministry of the Spirit of God working in us to help us so that we are able to do anything that can be called good—and when I say "called good," I mean from the Heavenly Father's perspective of good.
We are weak, we are sinners, and He strengthens us so that we are able, by His help, to carry on for the glory of the Lord. If you are fatigued, the Holy Spirit is like that bellows on those embers to bring that flame back.
In verses 26 and 27, the Comforter speaks for us. He talks to God on our behalf because He's been walking with us. To illustrate this point, Paul appeals to the arena of prayer. Because of our sins and our propensity for evil, we're not able to pray in a manner that is absolutely consistent with the perfect will of God. None of us can. However, the Holy Spirit, who is God, knows the will of God and knows what our redeemed spirit is trying to say. He takes our prayers, which are often flawed and misguided, and He straightens them out and tells the Father what is really in our hearts.
When I heard our dear sister broke her hip yesterday, I went with a handful of basic words to God to heal her, comfort her, be with her. But my heart said a thousand other things that the Holy Spirit said to God in my name. That is a bigger blessing than I think we can possibly know on this side.
After all, who among us knows the perfect will of God in every matter and in every moment? Who knows the mind of God better than God? The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God. Why? Because He's God. Therefore, He's able to translate our prayers out of the flawed, selfish language we use into the perfect will of God. This is genuine biblical praying in the Spirit.
While creation groans to be free from the curse, and while Christians groan to be free from these bodies, the Spirit of God groans to see the will of the Father done in the world and in our lives. The Holy Spirit takes such an active role in everything we do, and it isn't just prayer. Prayer is merely the illustration Paul uses. The Holy Spirit is actively involved in the process of aiding us as we travel through this world. He is just who Jesus said He would be. He is a Comforter.
Diligent to the End
Therefore, let us not grow weary as we walk through this world. There will be times when it is hard to worship. There will be times when it's hard to pray. It'll be hard to do the work of God sometimes. But we have a Helper. We have One within us who always rises to meet the challenge, and He will enable us to walk in victory.
Whoever said the walk of faith was easy was a liar. However, I will say that even though it isn't always easy, it is not impossible. Will we suffer? Yeah. Will we groan while we're here? Yep. Will there be times when we fail and feel like quitting? Must be Tuesday! Of course.
In those times, remember that we have the Spirit of God within us, and He enables us to remain diligent and committed as we travel towards that better place. The Spirit of God, the Word of God, and the Christian working together are unstoppable. The gates of hell can't prevail against it. Jesus will always uphold us with His right arm, as weak and as sluggish as we become.
We will persevere. It might not be till we get to the other side, but we win. You can be strong in the Lord for such a time as this.